Vegans and Halloween candy, this year at home
CHICO » Here’s hoping for a cooler, safer holiday for all, despite COVID-19, now that Halloween time has hit the north state.
In a normal year, Halloween can be one of the most difficult times to stay vegan when candy is everywhere and that means milk chocolate and gelatin are in everything. And even as we modify our plans and stay in this year, it can be hard to wonder what the harm is in just a few indulgences. The supermarkets are overwhelmed with candy and it’s such a good deal, so why not buy it without checking the label just once?
No judgement if you do indulge in dairy candy accidentally, but as much as any other year, it’s smart to check the label not for sugar content, but to make sure your vegan treats are free from animal flesh, cow’s milk, honey and other animal- derived products.
To help make this much easier, there’s already compilations of everyone’s go-to Halloween fare that happens to be vegan (spoiler — Skittles, Air Heads and Sour Patch Kids are all on it). It is a surprisingly very long list, so no matter who you’re quarantined with, they may not even notice the candy stash happens to be free of animal products. If you need more vegan chocolate in your life, there are plenty of lists to make that shopping trip easy as well.
Or, you can try making your own animal-free candies this year — it doesn’t have to turn your kitchen upside down.
Make sure your animals are safe this year too — keep them indoors to avoid the noise and distraction of anyone who does go trick or treating this year. And decorate with safe materials for animals — corncobs and fake spider webs can be choking hazards. Choose
pumpkins, gourds, corn stalks, hay and leaves for safer decorating around the house.
Cooler meal ideas
Planning for more creative meals ahead of the holidays is tough when you’re coordinating a meal plan with the everchanging nature of California’s autumns. I’ve grown used to hotter than average days back to back and the need to swap out soup dinners for something a little chillier, but even this year it’s getting a little ridiculous. Here’s a few ideas for when it unexpectedly heats up in the fall evenings:
• Healthy dessert for dinner! When you stock up on a lot of squash or apples and find yourself needing to do something about it fast, there’s plenty of simply and surprisingly nutritious ways to eat it sweet for dinner. I’ve made a healthy apple oat crumble to go with a side of pan roasted squash rings with garlic
“butter” that you can top with vegan cheddar cheese if that’s your thing. Or, ever made fried apple sandwiches with a side of sweet potato fries? It’s a thing. • When in doubt, stick with
blended soups. It’s easy to get swept up in making a hearty soup for dinner on a cool morning but by afternoon, you’re sweating and a hot soup afterwork
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sounds sinful. Tortilla, green tomato or butternut soup in particular can be great served chilled with the right savory side, even if it’s just garlic bread or black beans. • One of my favorite swap outs: instead of baking enchiladas or pasta casseroles in the hot oven on these tough afternoons, I swap them as cooler dishes in the middle of preparation sometimes. Fry the wrapped stuffed tortillas quick in a pan on all sides, and pour the sauce on while cool after, and your stove won’t heat up the house. Thankfully, pasta bakes can handle being refrigerated after cooking, so when it stays hot I sometimes chill them in the fridge for just half an hour and it’s just as good.
Recipes
I went trigger-happy with the pumpkin puree this last week, and found myself experimenting with several breakfast meals that were all pumpkin — two of them actually turned out great! If you need more pumpkin in your life, here’s a couple to try.
Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
Sometimes you want a healthy taste of dessert for breakfast. This comes pretty close to a slice of pie if you get the spices right.
• 2tablespoons pumpkin
puree
• 1⁄4 cup of non-dairy yogurt
• 1tsp pumpkin spice
• 1tsp cinnamon
• 1banana
• 1cup oat or almond cashew milk (vanilla flavored is best)
• Optional: 2tablespoons chia seeds or two slices of avocado for extra creaminess.
DIRECTIONS » Blend until thick and smooth. Serve immediately, topped with pecans and cinnamon if you like.
Pumpkin Apple Oat Muffins
Small but delicious pops of pumpkin oat goodness, these are even mostly healthy!
• 1cup whole wheat flour
• 1snack cup of applesauce (I used Mott’s unsweetened, check the label)
• 1tsp. of apple cider vinegar
• 1⁄2 can pumpkin puree
• 1tablespoon pumpkin spice
• 3⁄4 cup oatmilk
• 1⁄3 cup brown sugar
• 1⁄2 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1⁄2 cup old fashioned oats
• 2tablespoons vegan butter or coconut oil
DIRECTIONS » Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Rub amuffin tin with coconut oil. Blend everything in one big bowl, stirring until smooth.
Pour all batter into muffin tin, sprinkle with brown sugar and place in the oven. Let cook for about 25-30minutes until golden brown.
Let cool for at least 15 minutes. Enjoy.
Restaurant recommendations
Former food truck Drunken Dumpling is now in its 1414 Park Ave. location in Chico, complete with takeout or outdoor dining options, and I discovered you can get the savory vegan mushroom dumplings served in a special spicy, ramen-style soup with veggies like bok choy when offered — just ask if it’s on themenu for the day when you drop by. The Vegan Bao also comes in three variations and is just delicious. I appreciate this eatery’s unique and very vegan-friendly menu, super clean location and daily specials.
Natalie Hanson was inspired to write this biweekly column after meeting more vegans in Chico and seeing the need for representation in the north valley.
Send vegan-friendly restaurant or business recommendations her way to nhanson@ chicoer.com or visit @ northvalleyvegan on Instagram for more recipes. Contact Hanson at 530-896-7763.