These cookies from WithACh.com, packed with popcorn and candy corn, inspired us to make something much simpler: caramel corn mixed with candy corn and almonds.

If that sounds too sweet for you, mix the candy corn and almonds with plain popcorn.

This caramel corn cookie recipe is adapted from a base recipe from Golden Blossom Honey.

You can also substitute maple syrup or the lower-glycemic agave nectar. If you use agave, try half a cup, as it’s much sweeter than honey or maple syrup.
 
 
RECIPE: HALLOWEEN CARAMEL CORN COOKIES

Ingredients

Brussels sprouts, Brassica oleracea, are members of the cruciferous vegetables group, which is high in cancer-protecting phytochemicals. Other members include arugula, bok choy, broccoli/rabe, cabbage, cauliflower, cress, daikon/radish, horseradish/wasabi, kale, kohlrabi, mizuna, mustard greens/ seeds, rutabaga, tatsoi and turnips, among others.

While they are thought of as a winter crop, the vegetable is available almost year-round, with the peak season from September through February.

Few foods are more unpleasant than overcooked brussels sprouts. The same is true with other cruciferous members: excessive heat releases an unpleasant smelling and tasting chemical compound.

 
BRUSSELS SPROUTS NUTRITION

Brussels sprouts are exceptionally rich in protein, dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, including glucosinolate, an important cancer-fighting phytonutrient. All cruciferous vegetables contain glucosinolates, but brussels sprouts are especially potent in this regard.

They are also cholesterol-fighters. Steamed brussels sprouts actually have a have better cholesterol-lowering effect than raw brussels sprouts. The plant fibers do a better job of binding when they’ve been steamed.

Brussels sprouts are an excellent source of vitamin C; one cup provides more than the daily requirement. Vitamin C, along with vitamins A and E, also found in sprouts, protect the body by trapping harmful free radicals. Brussels sprouts are one of the best vegetable sources for vitamin K, which strengthens bones and helps to prevent, or at least, delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.

If some people are hesitant to eat brussels sprouts, mix them into a potato salad!

This delicious and nutritious twist on potato salad was a finalist in the United States Potato Board sponsored “Healthy Potato Salad Recipe Redux” challenge. It was developed by Kristina LaRue, RD, LD/N, a dietitian and blogger in Orlando, and sent to us by PotatoGoodness.com, which has a treasure chest of potato recipes.

You can use leftover beer; the carbonation isn’t important. So if you feel like only having half a beer, save the rest to marinate vegetables!

A happy marriage: potato salad with brussels sprouts. Photo courtesy Love Zest | Potato Goodness.

Ingredients For 6 Servings

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT oven to 450°F. Slice potatoes and brussels sprouts lengthwise.

2. SOAK vegetables in beer in a large bowl for 5 minutes. Place on rimmed baking sheet and top with onion, garlic, rosemary and a bit of salt; drizzle with olive oil.

3. BAKE 45 minutes, stirring halfway through baking. Sprinkle roasted vegetables with kosher salt, break up the bacon, and add extra olive oil if desired.

Here’s another delicious brussels sprouts recipe: Roasted Fingerling Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts with Rosemary and Garlic.

Here’s a better-for-you Halloween snack with a vampire twist.
Ingredients Per Serving

Preparation

1. CUT the apple into 10 wedges, then spread peanut butter onto five wedges.

2. PRESS five mini marshmallows into the peanut butter (closer to the apple skin) to resemble teeth.

3. PRESS the five remaining apple wedges down onto the marshmallows; serve up the smiles!

RECIPE: SPIDER CAKES

These were made in a microwave egg cooker.

Ingredients

1. MIX batter and place three rounded tablespoons into each egg cooker well.

2. MICROWAVE uncovered on HIGH for 2-2½ minutes.

3. CREATE legs from chocolate covered mini pretzel sticks. Make 6 jointed legs for each spider by affixing dipped pretzel sticks at an angle with melted chocolate.

4. MAKE eyes using small red candies.

Have fun!

[2] Conventional Chinese egg rolls stuffed with cabbage and pork. Here’s the recipe (photo © Melissa’s).

Like Reuben sandwiches? Like egg rolls? Here’s a fusion of the two: the filling of a Reuben in a crunchy egg roll wrapper, instead of on pumpernickel bread.

If you plan to kick back with a beer or two this weekend, make this yummy snack to go with the brew(s). To make a more formal meal of it, serve with a side of potato salad.

The recipe was developed as an appetizer or snack at at Mader’s, a German restaurant in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Chef Dennis Wegner created them for a summer festival circa 1990.

The recipe was sent to us by Dietz & Watson, a purveyor of quality deli products.
 
 
RECIPE: REUBEN EGG ROLL

Ingredients For 4 Portions

 
Preparation

1. LAY an egg roll wrapper flat on a work surface. Place two pickle slices toward the bottom end of the wrapper. Top with a portion of corned beef, a portion of cheese and a portion of sauerkraut.

2. BRUSH the edges of the egg roll wrapper with the beaten egg. Begin rolling the wrapper tightly around the filling. Halfway up, fold in the sides, then continue to roll the rest of the way. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling.

3. HEAT oil to 350°F in a large, high-sided pot. Gently drop in the egg rolls and fry until golden brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes.

4. REMOVE and drain on a towel. Slice on a bias and serve with deli mustard.

One way to tackle the problem: Stock up on frozen vegetables. Mix them with rice and potatoes, toss them with olive oil and black pepper for a spicy side or snack, add them to soups. However you use vegetables, the convenience of pre-cleaned, sliced, and ready-to-use frozen variety in the freezer means you’ll eat them more often.

FRESH VS. FROZEN VEGETABLES

While canned vegetables can lose a lot of nutrients during the preservation process*, frozen vegetables tend to be as healthful—and even more healthful—than some fresh produce.

According to the USDA, that’s because fresh vegetables can sit in warehouses, losing nutrients, while frozen vegetables are quickly put into production: cleaned and blanched in hot water or steam to kill bacteria and arrest the action of food-degrading enzymes. They are then flash-frozen.

A pretty way to eat your veggies. Photo courtesy Green Giant.

Just don’t put frozen vegetables into “long term storage” and forget about them. Over many months, even the nutrients in frozen vegetables will degrade.

STOCK UP & SNACK SNACK AWAY

And as winter approaches and the price of fresh vegetables climbs, don’t hesitate to fill up the freezer with bags of frozen vegetables. Think of them beyond mealtimes, as a quick snack. Instead of reaching for refined sugar or carbs, microwave a cup or two of veggies and enjoy them with a drizzle of flavored olive oil, a squeeze of lemon or lime juice, a sprinkle of Parmesan, or, if you must, a pat of butter.
 
*Tomatoes and pumpkin are two exceptions.
 
READY IN FIVE MINUTES

We were jonesing for a dinner of healthy veggies last night—lots of them. So on the way home, we stopped off at a specialty food shop to look at the take-out options: baked acorn squash, caramelized brussels sprouts, edamame salad and others.

Veggies are heavy. We realized that at an average of $13 per pound, we were ready to buy almost $30 worth of simple preparations. Whoa, we said, there’s got to be a better way.

We walked a block to the supermarket and bought three bags of frozen vegetables, which we knew we could combine and microwave, ready to eat in five minutes. And we did: no muss, no fuss. Mission accomplished; healthy veggie dinner consumed (for protein, we added some cubes of tofu).

After dinner, we looked for other ways to use the rest of the frozen veggies. We found this recipe from Del Monte, which adds cranberries and pecans to create a colorful side dish of orange squash, green broccoli, red dried cranberries and brown pecans. The cranberries and pecans make the dish more appealing to those who are vegetable-resistant.

It takes 30 minutes to prepare, longer if you want to use all use fresh vegetables. Prep time is 30 minutes.

Ingredients for 8 Servings

Preparation

1. COOK and drain broccoli as directed on package. Meanwhile…

2. COOK squash in orange juice in a 12-inch skillet, over medium-low heat, 8 to 10 minutes, until tender but firm. Stir frequently.

3. STIR in butter, broccoli, cranberries, pecans, orange peel and salt; toss to coat. Serve immediately.