Looking for a last minute Halloween treat that’s not only yummy, but healthy to counteract all that Candy Corn, caramel corn, and other candies we’re going to overeat? We’ve got good news for you. Catherine McCord has you covered. McCord, founder of Weelicious, a website created as a motivating guide combining her own experiences in creating healthy and delicious meals with fact-based research on children and food.
McCord, the author of Weelcious: One Family. One Meal featuring 140 original “fast, fresh and easy” recipes and Weelicious Lunches: Think Outside the Lunchbox, takes one of her childhood favorite desserts—pudding cups and recreates it into Chocolate Tofu Pudding Cups served in small clay flowerpots for a perfect Halloween treat. And honestly, it’s so good, no one will realize that it’s healthy.
Chocolate Tofu Pudding Cups
14-ounce package soft silken tofu (McCord suggests House Foods soft silken or Mori-Nu firm silken)
1/3 cup pure cocoa powder
1/3 cup agave nectar (feel free to use a little more if you want it sweeter)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
24 chocolate wafers (McCord likes using Famous Chocolate Wafers)
Gummy Worms (Okay, it’s candy so we’re open to suggestions for a wholesome substitute that people would want to eat. But until then, either skip the Gummies and lose the great visual presentation or just focus on how healthy tofu is for you,)
4 small clay flowerpots
Place the first 4 ingredients in a food processor and blend to combine.
Scrape down the sides of the food processor. Blend again to make sure everything is incorporated.
Place 4 whole chocolate wafers in the bottom of the clay pots so none of the pudding goes through the hole at the bottom of the pots.
Divide the chocolate tofu pudding between the 4 pots.
Place the remaining 20 wafers in a Ziploc bag and using a rolling pin, crush into small pieces resembling dirt.
Sprinkle the crushed wafers on top of the pots and then place the gummy worms in the pots.
Serve.
Pizza Mummies
2 English muffins, cut in half
8 teaspoons pizza sauce
2 mozzarella cheese sticks
3 green olives with pimentos
Preheat oven to 400℉.
Place the English muffin halves on a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes.
Remove muffins from oven and spread 2 teaspoons of the pizza sauce onto each English muffin half.
Peel the mozzarella sticks into strings and decoratively arrange them on top of each English muffin. Slice the green olives into 1/4 inch thick rings and place them on top of the cheese to create eyes.
Bake mummies for 3 more minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
Red, white, and blue food is always part of the upcoming Fourth of July holiday and so this year, I turned to Catherine McCord, founder of Weelicious, a website and cookbooks dedicated to healthy eating, getting kids into the kitchen and to the table. She also is co-founder of One Potato, the first organic home meal delivery kit service designed getting family meals together in 30 minutes or less and that are kid-friendly so that children can help. All the ingredients for One Potato are pre-prepped, making it easy indeed.
A former model, actress, and culinary school graduate McCord, the mother of three, who has been on the cover of such magazines as Glamour and Elle magazines, also appears as a judge on Food Network’s Guy’s Grocery Games.
Named by people magazine as “one of the 50 most influential “Mommy Bloggers.” She updates her blog with a new recipe a day. Visit her at www.weelicious.com
The following recipes are courtesy of McCord.
Fourth of July Parfaits (makes 8 parfaits)
Prep Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 0 mins
Angel food cake (store bought or homemade, recipe below)
1 cup strawberries, stemmed & quartered
1 cup raspberries
1 cup blueberries
Coconut whipped cream (recipe below)
Homemade Angel Food Cake:
1 cup cake flour, sifted
2/3 cup powdered sugar
12 large egg whites
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Cut the angel food cake into 2-inch cubes.
Alternately layer the angel food cake, coconut whipped cream, and berries in clear glasses or mason jars so you can see all the colors and textures.
Homemade Angel Food Cake:
Preheat oven to 325F degrees. Whisk the flour and powdered sugar in a large bowl.
In a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment beat the egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt on medium-low speed for about 30 seconds. Increase the speed to medium-high until the egg whites are very foamy and barely form soft peaks, about 45 seconds longer. Gradually add the granulated sugar and continue to beat on medium-high speed until whites are firm and glossy and hold stiff peaks (if you over beat, the meringue will look dry and curdled). Beat in the vanilla and lemon juice.
Sift one-third of the dry ingredients over the meringue. Continue to beat on low speed until just incorporated. Continue the sifting and mixing process 2 more times. Remove the bowl from the standing mixer and fold batter several times with a large spatula to make sure all ingredients are fully incorporated.
Pour half of the batter into ungreased tube pan. Using a spatula push the batter all around the pan as it will help with a more even cake after baking. Scrape remaining batter into pan and spread the top evenly.
Bake the cake about 40 minutes or until top is puffy and golden. Immediately invert the pan onto a baking rack. Allow the cake to cool at least 1 hour. Turn the cake right side up and using a thin metal spatula, cut around sides and loosen cake. Release the tube from the cake pan. Using thin metal spatula, loosen cake from bottom. Invert cake onto a plate or cake stand and remove bottom. Allow to cool thoroughly before cutting into cubes.
Coconut Whipped Cream
Makes 1 ½ cups
1 can full fat coconut milk
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
Place the jar of coconut milk in the refrigerator to chill overnight.
Being careful to not shake the can, open the coconut milk.
Spoon out the thick coconut cream into a large bowl, which is about 2/3 of the can. Once you get to the liquid, stop and discard or save for smoothies.
Beat the coconut cream with a handheld electric or stand mixer for 1 minute.
Add the powdered sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy, about 30 more seconds.
Fruit Wands
1 watermelon
2 pints blueberries
20 skewers
Slice the watermelon into 1/2 inch round slices, and then cut out star shapes using a three-inch star-shaped cookie cutter.
Gently slide the blueberries on wooden skewers* and finally place a watermelon star on the top.
Place the skewers in a tall glass or in decorated floral foam as an eatable centerpiece.
Red, White & Blue Pops
Makes 8 Popsicles, depending on the size of your molds
Prep Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 0 mins
12-ounce bag frozen blueberries, defrosted
6 tablespoons agave, divided (you can also use honey)
1 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup milk (you can use cow’s milk, almond, rice or soy)
12-ounce bag frozen raspberries, defrosted
Place defrosted blueberries and 2 tablespoons agave or honey in a blender and puree until smooth.
Pour the blueberry puree 1/3 way up each popsicle mold and freeze for 30-45 minutes.
Combine the yogurt, milk, and 2 tablespoons of agave or honey in a bowl and whisk until smooth.
Pour yogurt mixture 2/3 way up the popsicle molds on top of the blueberry mixture, gently tap to even out the yogurt layer, and freeze for another 30-45 minutes.
Place defrosted raspberries and 2 tablespoons agave or honey in a blender and blend until smooth.
Finish the popsicles by pouring the raspberry puree over the yogurt, place sticks in and freeze 6 hours to overnight, until frozen through.
*Because all popsicle molds are different sizes, you may have left overs. You can refrigerate the remaining berry purees and use as toppings for yogurt, granola, pancakes, etc.
This article also appeared in the Food section of the Herald Palladium.
