Tag Archives: halloween

Healthy Halloween with Chestnut Hill Farms

Pineapples and candles, very spooky for Halloween.

Snacks so Healthy it’s Scary!

Halloween is a spooktacular time of the year, filled with decorations, costumes, and delicious treats equal parts frightening and adorable. With candy on every corner, finding healthy foods for young minds can be challenging. Fear not, with the power of pineapples and a boost of nutrition filling their bellies, these healthy Halloween treats will have monsters of all ages craving more.

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Celebrating The Day of Masquerade

Masquerade
Parade with the giants of Chamony, Barva
(By Sol Araya)

Let’s Talk The Day of Masquerade

When you hear the word “Halloween”, thoughts of sugary candies, costumes, and scary movies come to mind. Here in America, we try to stretch out spooky season for as long as we can, but not everyone celebrates Halloween the same way. In Costa Rica, October 31st is the Day of Masquerade. This day is filled with elaborate masks, culture, music, and lively parades!

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Spooky Cocktails For Your Next Halloween Party

Spooky cocktails

Spooky Cocktails to Spice Up All Hallow’s Eve

Whether you plan on attending an epic Halloween party or enjoying a relaxing night with friends, we’ve got your bartending duties covered with these spooky cocktails that will leave them wanting more. 

These spooky delights come with a tropical twist of tangy pineapple for the perfect flavor and fruity base. We’re confident you’ll find something that suits the taste of your mortal palette…muahahaha.

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Celebrating Día de la Mascarada in Costa Rica

Día de la Mascarada
Photo by Marcela Bertozzi, via Sercano

From Parades to Papier Mâché Masks, Here’s How to Celebrate Halloween the Costa Rican Way

Halloween may be the best-known holiday held on the 31st of October, but in Costa Rica we have our own traditions. Día de la Mascarada, or Day of the Masquerade, is an annual celebration that blends Spanish and Costa Rican tradition into a unique holiday. With Costa Rican music playing and costumed characters dancing through the streets, the day is full of festivities – and a few spooks, too.

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The History of Carving Pumpkins (& Pineapples) for Halloween

Why We Carve Fruits & Vegetables to Celebrate the Autumn Season

As the weather cools and the leaves begin to change color, there’s one activity on our minds: pineapple carving. Our favorite tradition to celebrate autumn, pineapple carving is a staple at Chestnut Hill Farms and the perfect way to give your Halloween decorations a tropical twist. However, we aren’t alone in putting a fresh spin on pumpkin carving – from turnips to watermelons, other fruits and vegetables are carved each autumn too. We dove into the history of carving to understand the origin of the spooky tradition, and, of course, checked out a few of the other more unique carving choices.

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Healthy Halloween Treats

Celebrate with These Healthy Halloween Pineapple Recipes!

On a holiday where candy reigns supreme, it may be strange to hear the words “healthy” and “Halloween” used together. While your little ones may be set on reaping the benefits of an evening spent trick or treating, this doesn’t mean that you can’t add a bit of nutrition to the holiday. Juicy, fresh pineapple can add a healthy twist to your mini monsters’ cuisine this Halloween and with it’s sweet flavor, they’ll swear it’s just as good as candy! With just a little bit of innovation, you are bound to trick your little monsters into loving these healthy treats. Check out some of our favorite healthy Halloween pineapple recipes below.

Candy Corn Granola Bars

healthy Halloween pineapple recipes

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups rolled oats

• 1 cup sunflower seeds

• 1/3 cup honey

• pinch of salt

• ¼ cup chopped fresh dried Chestnut Hill Farms pineapple

• ¼ cup chopped dried apricots

• ½ cup whole-milk plain yogurt

Directions: 

1. Our first step is to prep the dried pineapple. Slice your pineapple into chunks, and place onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Set your oven to 225°F and bake each side of the pineapple chunks until dried, about 25-30 minutes on each side. 

2. Preheat your oven to 400°F. 

3. Spread oats and sunflower seeds on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until fragrant, 5 to 8 minutes.

4. Coat a 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray. Cook honey in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, without stirring, until large foamy bubbles form, 2 to 4 minutes. (The bubbles will start out small and increase to about ¾ inch or larger when the honey is done.)

5. Immediately pour the toasted oat mixture and salt into the honey; stir until completely coated. Quickly press the granola into the prepared pan using a heat-resistant spatula coated with cooking spray. Top the granola with a circle of pineapple pieces in the center of the pan and then create a ring of apricot pieces around it, stopping about 2 inches from the edge. Gently press the dried fruit into the granola. Let cool for 30 minutes. Cut into 8 wedges and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

6. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the wedges on the pan and spoon 1 tablespoon yogurt onto the bottom third of each wedge. Place in the freezer until the yogurt hardens, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

Candy Corn Fruit Cocktail

healthy Halloween pineapple recipes

Ingredients:

• Chestnut Hill Farms pineapple, cut into bite-sized chunks

• Oranges, cut into bite-sized chunks

• Whipped cream

• Candy corn

Directions: 

1. In a clear glass, layer pineapple, then oranges and top with whipped cream and a couple pieces of candy corn. Serve right away or refrigerate until ready to serve. It’s as easy as that!

Candy Corn Popsicles 

healthy Halloween pineapple recipes

Ingredients:

•  1/4 cup cream of coconut

• 3/4 cup coconut water

• 1 cup pineapple juice from fresh Chestnut Hill Farms Pineapple

• 1 cup mango juice

• red food coloring

Directions:

1. Combine the cream of coconut and coconut water in a measuring cup. Pour into 10 3-ounce or 8 4-ounce ice-pop molds, dividing evenly.

2. Freeze until set, at least 2 hours.

3. Mix the mango juice with 1 drop of red food coloring in a measuring cup. Pour on top of the coconut mixture, dividing evenly. Insert the ice-pop sticks, pushing gently into the coconut mixture. Freeze until firm, at least 2 hours.

4. Pour the fresh pineapple juice on top of the mango, dividing evenly. Freeze until firm, at least 2 hours and up to 4 days.

Want more fun ways to use pineapple during the holidays? Learn how to make your own pineapple jack-o-lantern here!

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How to Carve Halloween Pina

How to Create a Pineapple Jack-O-Lantern

Let’s face it: the age old tradition of carving pumpkins for the Halloween season can be a messy and dissatisfying process. Between the sticky innards of this hefty gourd, and the thick skin of a pumpkin, it can also be difficult to achieve your artistic vision when carving. This fall season, try out a tropical, healthy, sweet alternative to the traditional pumpkin carving…pineapple jack-o-lanterns! Check out the quick video below to learn how to carve a pineapple jack-o-lantern of your own this Halloween.

How to Create Your Own Pineapple Jack-O-Lantern

  1. First off, remove the base of the pineapple.
  2. Next, use a pineapple corer to remove the core of the fruit.
  3. After creating your own design, using a template, or sketching directly onto your fruit, it’s time to start carving! For our creations, we opted to highlight characters from some of our favorite films: Disney’s Little Mermaid, Harry Potter, and Star Wars. Cut out your desired shape, making sure to keep your knife upright and pointed away from yourself and others.
  4. Once your design has been completed, place a small candle inside of your upright pineapple.
  5. Finally, turn off the lights to see your pineapple masterpiece!

Not only does learning how to carve a pineapple jack-o-lantern give kids an opportunity to get creative and expand on a classic holiday tradition, it also is a great way to create a healthy snack for your loved ones. Once your pineapple has been cored, there’s plenty of sweet fruit to be enjoyed! With fall being one of the best times to consume our perfect pineapples, we have collected some of our favorite fall pineapple recipes for the whole family to enjoy. Check out some savory fall pineapple dish ideas here!

 

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Make Your Own Pineapple Candy Corn

Traditional candy corn is so 2013. Enjoy a sweet, healthy alternative to condensed sugar this Halloween utilizing fresh, delicious pineapple. Create your own snackable fruit pops, or layer your candy corn creation in a cup and grab on the go.

Halloween Candy

Candy Corn Fruit Pops

Ingredients:

Chestnut Hill Farms Pineapple, sliced
Cantaloupe
1 Banana
Lollipop Sticks

Directions:

Cut pieces from the pineapple slices. Then cut the cantaloupe to fit on top. Do the same with the banana so the shape looks like a candy corn. Push in the stick to hold together. Slice up the rest of the fruit & place it in a bowl. Push the candy corn pops in fruit to stand up.

Original recipe from Kitchen Fun with My 3 Sons.

 

Healthy Halloween Snack Candy Corn Fruit Cocktail

Ingredients:

Chestnut Hill Farms Pineapple, cut into bite size-pieces
Orange slices
Candy Corn
Whipped cream

Directions:

In a clear glass, layer pineapple, then oranges and top with whipped cream and a couple pieces of candy corn. Serve right away or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Original recipe from Family Fresh Meals

Enjoy!

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Boo! A Freakishly Healthy Halloween Snack

It’s the week of Halloween and you’ve just had a terrifying epiphany…there is absolutely no candy in the pantry! You can’t believe it. You’ll need to run out and grab a few bags for those ravenous trick-o-treaters before it’s too late.

Yet, on your way to the store you’ve started to think about it. “Do I really want my kids to eat THAT much candy in one sitting?”

We hear you! For any parent out there looking to give their kids a bit more of a healthy dose of Halloween, we have the recipe just for you!

healthycandycornbowl

Created by Family Fresh Meals.com this Candy Corn Fruit Bowl has all the perfect Halloween trimmings without the scary ingredients.

What you’ll need?

The Perfect Pineapple, cut into  bite sized chunks

– oranges, cut into bite sized chunks

– whipped cream

– candy corn

{I’m sure you know what to do from here, but just in case, check out the full recipe via Family Fresh Meals.com for more details.} 

 

Happy Halloween!

Dr. Lloyd

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Pineapples: So Versatile, It’s Scary!

With Halloween just around the corner, we thought it might be fun to show our readers a creative alternative to the standard Jack-O-Lantern. Instead of carving a pumpkin this year, try slicing a pineapple into a slightly scarier form.

Like a werewolf during a full moon, The Perfect Pineapple can actually be very spooky once a year and, we think, quite possibly a better candidate for this annual doorstep tradition.

I mean, come on. A pumpkin just brings its roundness to the (carving) table, but a pineapple? A pineapple comes pre-made with a pretty creepy face and a kooky top hat!

JackOlantern

Don’t believe us? Give it a whirl tonight in preparation for next week’s big bash. Simply pick up a pineapple at your nearest grocery store and follow these simple steps, demonstrated by this short stop-motion tutorial.

The results might just be terrifyingly good.

Happy Halloween!

Dr. Lloyd

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