Four Halloween treats with a bit more goodness

Halloween is one of the best excuses all year to get in the kitchen. Pumpkins are everywhere, evenings are drawing in, and someone’s nearly always happy to help lick the spoon.

These four treats bring all the seasonal fun, with fruit, oats, seeds and simple ingredients doing a lot of the work. They’re quick to make, easy to share and full of flavour.

And if a few fun-size chocolate bars end up in the mix too, that’s fine. Food isn’t ‘good’ or ‘bad’. Halloween is about enjoying the moment and feeling good in yourself.

1. Monster apple bites

A fun, crunchy and naturally sweet treat. Makes 8 bites.

You’ll need: 2 green apples (quartered and cored), 4 tbsp nut butter (peanut or almond), 32 sunflower seeds, 8 strawberries (sliced into tongue shapes), edible googly eyes or raisins.

1. Cut a wedge out of the skin side of each apple quarter to create a mouth shape.
2. Spread a little nut butter inside the mouth cavity.
3. Press sunflower seeds into the top lip for teeth, place a strawberry slice inside for a tongue, and attach eyes to the top using a dab of nut butter.

2. Pumpkin oat pancakes

Fluffy, filling and ready in 20 minutes. Makes about 10 small pancakes.

Key ingredients:

• Pumpkin purée: tinned or homemade both work. If buying tinned, check the label says 100% pumpkin rather than pumpkin pie filling, which comes sweetened and spiced.
• Oats: blitzed into flour, they take the place of plain flour. Use certified gluten-free oats if you need to.
• Pumpkin spice: buy a ready-made blend or mix your own cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.
• Milk: any milk works, including oat or other plant-based milks.
• Baking powder: helps the pancakes rise and stay fluffy.
• Egg: holds the batter together. For an egg-free version, use a flax egg (1 tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tbsp water).

You’ll need: 100g oats, 150g pumpkin purée, 150ml milk, 1 egg, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp pumpkin spice, a little oil for the pan.

1. Blitz the oats to a fine flour, then whisk in everything else until smooth. Rest for 5 minutes.
2. Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat with a little oil. Add 2 tbsp of batter per pancake and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until golden.
3. Serve with Greek yoghurt, sliced banana or a drizzle of maple syrup.

3. Halloween mummy pizzas

Savoury, warm and perfect for party snacking. Makes 4 mini pizzas.

You’ll need: 2 wholemeal English muffins (halved), 4 tbsp passata or tomato sauce, 4 mozzarella cheese slices (cut into thin strips), sliced black olives.

1. Spread passata over each muffin half.
2. Criss-cross cheese strips over the sauce to look like mummy bandages and add olive slices for eyes.
3. Bake at 200°C (180°C fan) for 8 to 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling.

4. Chocolate strawberry ghosts

Fresh, juicy strawberries dipped in chocolate. Makes about 12 ghosts.

1. You’ll need: 12 large fresh strawberries, 150g white chocolate (melted), 30g dark chocolate (melted).
2. Dip each strawberry into the melted white chocolate, letting a little trail off the end to form a ghost tail, and place on baking parchment.
3. Use a cocktail stick dipped in melted dark chocolate to pipe eyes and spooked mouth faces onto each strawberry, then chill for 20 minutes until set.

Enjoy the night your way

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Allergy note: these recipes contain eggs, dairy and oats (which may contain gluten). Most marshmallows contain gelatine, so look for vegetarian ones if needed.