Happy Halloween Food Athletes!! I love any day dedicated to dressing up and eating sticky, chocolatey gooey treats! It's a no loose scenario.

The holidays are looming around the corner waiting to pounce after this spooky holiday chimes midnight tonight. The million dollar question is, how can we keep the fun, stay true to the traditions yet maintain some nutritious element that elevates our path to wellness? My answer? Oh yeah, me, the one writing the post, haha! Get creative, ask for help, hint hint, me, click here, your Food Athlete, and for pumpkins-sake, get your family on board and involved too.

So many of my clients have kids, so I'm always working vicariously through the parent to instill healthy behaviors in their children as well as themselves. I help them find sneaky ways to get the veggies into meals. On a good day, the kids that are older are willing to be open to trying new recipes. And, it's an excellent day when one of my clients calls me beaming with the news that their child tried arugula for the first time and didn't spit it out but quite the contrary, they loved it!! When I get to help not one but two, sometimes three or four people in the family I feel like I won the lotto. After all smart food habits begin at home.

I'm going to be short and sweet and straight to the eats today. In honor of this spooktacular day here's a nutritious yet still a naughty little treat you can make with the kids and still feel very proud and guiltless about the choice.

QUINOA QWISPIE TREATS

First, cook the Quinoa. Depends on how many bars you want, but you can never have too much quinoa around the house. I'd say for 5 C. Marshmallow try 5-6 C. of cooked quinoa.

In a 350 oven cook the COOKED quinoa on a baking sheet for bout 20-30 min, making sure not to burn it, duh. So stir it around every 8-10 minutes. Let it get crispy. Then cool. While this cools, make the gooey yumminess for the treats.

4-5 C. Mini Marshmallows I like my marshmallows campfire style, so I suggest to toast these puppies in the oven. It only takes a moment and be sure not to leave them unattended. Oh, and be sure to use a non-stick pan.

1/4 C. Nut Butter. Almond, peanut, cashew, pumpkin, this is where your creative juices can flow!

6 Tbs. Butter, or my fave these days Ghee. (that's another post, but this is yummy and wholesome)

Quinoa ( after it's all qwisped up)

In a pot, make sure you have room, so get a big one. Melt the butter and stir in the marshmallows. Let it melt a bit and stir in the nut butter, after its all blended add the Quinoa and stir to combine all. Spread all this onto a sheet or pan and let cool before you slice it up. Now, it is Halloween, so, that being said, how bout a little treat for the kid-O's, extra treaty, melt some dark chocolate and after you have spread the mixture and let cool a bit, drizzle the chocolate on top. You don't have to stop at chocolate, you could mix treats right into the mixture like, whole nuts, dried fruit like cranberries or cherries, you could put chocolate chips right into the mixture as well.

Living healthy doesn't mean that you have to pack up the fun seal it in an airtight case and store it under the bed. Let your fun-flag fly, nutrition is infinite and miraculous, don't be scrrrrrd. Except for today. Boo! Happy Spooky Halloween Friends!

Be Happy, Be Healthy, Love Your Body,

xo Jessi (Your Food Athlete) xo