Trick or treat … give me something good to eat! With the holidays just around the corner and Halloween season in full swing jam-packed with pumpkin-treat-this and pumpkin-dessert-that, it’s challenging to not completely blow your healthy diet with such yummy temptations all around.

Simply mentioning some local homegrown favorite foods like fried dumplings, fried okra (okay, fried anything), stews and soups, cornbread, cheese grits, bourbon, and more, can ignite a mouthwatering sensation.

With Halloween less than two weeks away, we wanted to share a handful of spooky snack ideas! These tasty treats will keep you from indulging in high calorie candy while still satisfying any sweet tooth. From savory Mummy Dogs to Monster Apple Mouths, these are healthy snack alternatives that are wickedly good and fun to make with kids!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars by The "Chocolate-Covered" Diet

Ingredients
12 oz cream cheese - such as Daiya or a low fat cream cheese/Greek yogurt blend works too!
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup sugar, (we used stevia)
A pinch of uncut stevia OR 1 additional tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice or additional cinnamon
1 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tsp cornstarch

Instructions
Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper and your crust of choice unless you’d prefer crustless bars. (The 5 ingredient gluten free crust we used ischocolatecoveredkatie.com/2015/08/17/gluten-free-pie-crust-recipe) Set aside. 

Preheat oven to 350 F. If you have an extra baking pan of any size to spare, fill it halfway with water and place on the lower rack of your oven. (This step can be skipped; it just helps prevent cracking.) 

Blend together all ingredients until just blended—don’t overblend, which would introduce air into the bars and cause cracking later on. 

Pour the batter into the first prepared 8×8 pan, smooth out evenly, and place on the middle rack of your oven. Bake 25 minutes, then leave the oven door closed but turn off the oven and let the bars sit in the turned-off oven for another 5 minutes. 

Take out the still-underbaked bars and let them sit at room temperature for an hour. (Don’t skip this, as putting them straight from the oven to the fridge would cause—you guessed it!—cracking.) Then refrigerate at least 4 hours, during which time they will firm up quite a bit. Slice into bars, and store leftovers in the fridge or even in the freezer if you want to thaw them another day.

Finding a yoga class used to be quite simple: grab a mat and jump into any local studio for a little “om.” Lucky for you, there are a plethora of yoga class options nowadays – including right here at Baptiste Milestone. 

Flourless Double Chocolate Zucchini Brownies by Dashing Dish

Need a way to sneak in the veggies? This is the PERFECT way to make your kids or yourself get in those veggies without even knowing!

Fall is in the air! As the weather gets cooler, it may be time to change up your workout routine. Variety is a good thing, and the more variety you add to your routine the more likely you are to stick with it. So lace up your workout shoes, because fall is the season to take advantage of the best outdoor, and indoor, workouts in town.

BOBBY PETRINO

Big thank you to Bobby for sharing his fitness and healthy lifestyle journey with us. Learn about what worked for Bobby! Keep up the hard work!

Using a system of goals and rewards can help you effectively make the changes you need to reach your health and fitness goals. If you’ve been wondering what type of rewards are going to be the most effective for your goals, look no further than an indulgent spa treatment at your favorite local Louisville spa.

Everyone has a reason why they want to start an exercise program. Better health, weight loss, or just to feel your best… an exercise program is the way to get there. There are some easy ways to get started on your journey that will help you get on the right path, and stay committed to your journey.