Guest Blogger (my friend): Wishing You a Healthy Halloween! by Lisa Blaisdell

Hi Friends, Family and Valued Juice Plus Customers,
It’s almost Halloween time….that time when our little ghouls and goblins encounter something really scary!!! …..Candy and Junk Food in MASS! Attached are some fun, tasty, healthy recipes to add to your family holiday tradition.

Remember sugary candy is not really a “treat”, but a trick! It may taste good, but sugar also:

§ Depresses immune function - no wonder there are so many more sick kids in the fall!

§ Promotes tooth decay – ouch! Who wants a cavity filled?

§ Causes blood sugar swings – beware teachers and parents who are hoping for responsive, behavior/emotion controlled kids!

§ Taxes the pancreas – too much sugar over time is a leading cause of Type II diabetes

§ Feeds cancer cells – cancer cells can not multiply without sugar, and we all have some cancer cells floating around

§ Creates cravings for more sugar!

So, have fun serving your kids “real food”and keep candy consumption to a minimum. Just because it is fun to collect on Halloween night doesn’t mean kids have to eat it all! Save 10 favorites and let your child pick one per day for their lunch. Then let the Great Pumpkin -- or mom and dad-- trade the rest for a book, game or other mind stimulating treat! There are also dentists that will buy back collected candy from kids—give them $- just to spare them the dental issues. Everyone will wake up Nov. 1st feeling a whole lot better!

One more tip….don’t forget to eat and serve Juice Plus+ to help bridge the gap between what healthy food you actually eat and what fruits and veggies your body needs for optimal health. Also, feel free to experiment with your serving size! We “up” our daily JP+ servings in the Fall and Winter for extra protection against colds and flues! You can’t eat too much JP…it is only fruits and veggies!

Wishing you a Healthy Halloween!!

Your Partner in Good Health,

Lisa

Lisa Blaisdell
National Marketing Director
Juice Plus+ America's Brand Name for Prevention

(949) 455-3569- voice com
(949) 500-4765- mobile
www.blaisdells4health.com



Kids Healthy Party Treats


Bagel Pizza
Kid’s can make these themselves with a little adult supervision.
Ingredients:
1 standard size bagel, cut in half
tomato sauce
shredded mozzarella cheese
toppings: diced green pepper, chopped onion, chopped tomato, (whatever you like)
seasonings like oregano, basil, and pepper
utensils:
oven
knife
baking sheet
DIRECTIONS:
Set the oven to low heat
Spread the tomato sauce on each bagel half
Add your favorite topping
Put a light sprinkling of seasonings on each half
Put your bagel halves on the baking sheet
Bake in the oven for 5 - 8 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when the cheese is bubbly
Let cool for a minute, then enjoy your tiny pizzas!


Ants on a Log
An all time favorite is “Ants on a Log” because to a kid’s imagination it can look like the raisins are ants on the “log of celery”.
Cut celery stalks in about 1H inch in length sizes. Then fill the center of the celery with peanut butter. Top with raisins. It’s very simple and Take a toy “cootie bug” to place in the middle of the serving tray. Kid’s think it’s cool. That’s protein and carbs together!


Crispy Fun Snack
Slice up red or green apples, put a toothpick in each one, dip in honey, then dip in rice krispies or a healthier cereal such as gorilla munch offered at Trader Joe’s. Make great party snacks!
Bookworm Apple Bark
Grab your books and this crunchy, sweet breakfast treat as you dash off to school.
1 Granny Smith Apple
1 tablespoon peanut butter
2½ tablespoons golden or black raisins
1½ tablespoons dried sweetened cranberries
1 small bunch of fresh chives or fresh parsley (optional plate garnish)
Cut apple into four quarters, starting at the stem. Remove the core by cutting away to leave a flat surface on the apple quarter. Be careful not to cut too much of the edible portion of the apple away. Drop and slightly spread the peanut butter on apple quarters. Mix together the raisins and dried cranberries then sprinkle on peanut butter. Cut chives into one inch pieces and garnish. Serves: 1

Oatmeal cookies (Tastes like german chocolate cake if you use grain-sweetened chocolate chips)
ingredients:
1/2 cup cooking oil
1/4 cup honey/agave nectar
3/4 cup sucanat or turbinado
1 tsp vanilla
mix together in abowl:
G1/4 cup flaxseed & 1 cup water (blended in blender - used as an egg substitute) add thoroughly blended flaxseed mixture to oils and sugars above.
2 cups wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup raisins, carob chips or grain sweetened chocolate chips/or nuts
Mix everything together and bake at 350° for 8-12 minutes.


SILLY FACE SANDWICH
INGREDIENTS:
Condiments (ketchup, mustard, or mayonnaise)
Sandwich roll or bun
Ham or other cold cuts
Raw vegetables
Olives
Cherry tomatoes
Softened cream cheese
Cheese sticks
Cheese cubes
Carrots
Bell peppers
DIRECTIONS:
Spread your child’s favorite condiment on the bottom half of a sandwich roll.
1.Add a slice of ham or another cold cut.
Fold a second slice of meat lengthwise so that it resembles a tongue and lay it across the bun with one end hanging over the edge.
Create a face on the bun top using sliced raw vegetables, olives, and cherry tomatoes for features and softened cream cheese for glue. (The cheese sticks best if you first blot dry the cut veggies with a paper towel.) You can even add a couple of cheese cube “teeth.”
Use a potato peeler or grater to create long carrot curls to pile on top of the sandwich or push bell pepper slices into the bun for a spiky hairdo. 2. 3. 4. 5.


FruitKabob’s
Ingredients:
1 apple
1 bananna
1 cup red seedless grapes
1 cup green seedless grapes
1 cup pineapple chunks
1 cup nonfat yogurt
dried coconut, shredded
utensils:
knife (you’ll need help from adult assistant)
large plate
DIRECTIONS:
Prepare the fruit by washing the grapes, washing the apples and cutting them into
1. small squares, peeling the bananas and cutting them into chunks, and cutting the pineapple into chunks, if it’s fresh. Put the fruit onto a large plate.
Spread coconut onto another large plate.
Slide pieces of fruit onto the skewer and design your own kabob by putting as much or as little of whatever fruit you want! Do this until the stick is almost covered from end to end.
Hold your kabob at the ends and roll it in the yogurt, so the fruit gets covered. Then roll it in the coconut.
Repeat these steps with another skewer.

Symphony of Fruit Pizza
Ingredients:
1 english muffin
2 tablespoons whipped fat-free strawberry cream cheese
cup strawberries, sliced
cup red grapes, quartered
cup canned mandarin oranges, drained
DIRECTIONS:
Toast the english muffin until golden brown. Spread cream cheese on toasted muffin.
Arrange sliced strawberries, grapes, and orange slices on top of the cream cheese.
Slice into quarters and “yummy – fruit pizza!” Serves: 1