How to Make Your Favorite Fall Treats {Healthy}

It’s getting to be that time of the year to bring out the favorite fall treats. Give them a healthy makeover with these recipes!

By Danielle, Contributing writer

Ideas of fall conjure up adorable scarfs, warm apple cider, pumpkin and apple pie, and of course, every other pumpkin treat you can dream of. But, unfortunately for us, these delectable goodies bring more into us than happiness and joy. Our favorite drinks and desserts of fall are full of pesticides, hormones, excitotoxins, and all sorts of ghoulish additives.

How to Make Your Favorite Fall Treats {Healthy}

But, there is good news. By making these treat at home they are not only yummy, but also healthy. Pumpkin is loaded with folate, magnesium, B6, vitamins C and E, riboflavin and potassium. So let’s not leave it out – let’s make it ourselves without the nasties.

Apples, another fall favorite, are typically sprayed with over 10 different pesticides each season, multiple times. In fact, apples top the “dirty dozen” every year, a list of produce with the most pesticides. Search your local area for organic apple orchard if you go apple picking, or ask the farmer which apples, if any, have low or no pesticides. Apples have vitamins A, B, C, E and K, as well as a wonderful serving of fiber. So let’s not forget about these, either.

Let’s go over what’s wrong with these fall favorites, and how you can quickly whip them up without whipping your immune system.

Pumpkin Spice Latte

The holy grail of fall treats is the infamous pumpkin spice latte. Starbuck’s basically makes its yearly budget on this treat, and no wonder — because it. is. amazing. But, it also comes with a lovely 50 grams of sugar in a grande, high fructose corn syrup, caramel and lack of real pumpkin (although, there’s word they will add some of that this year).

Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte

Ingredients
– 1 cup milk of choice (almond, coconut, or raw cow milk)
– 2 tablespoons cooked pumpkin (buy in BPA free can or make your own)
– 1 teaspoon raw, local honey or maple syrup
– 3 teaspoons coffee of choice
– 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice blend (nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves)
– Optional: add organic whip cream and sprinkle sea salt on top

Instructions
Slowly add your milk to your warm coffee and stir. Mix in your pumpkin, followed by your honey, vanilla, and finally spices. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Boxed Cookies and Cakes

If it comes in a box, you can guess it’s likely not good for you. The store shelves are lined with pumpkin cookie, cake, and bar mixes. Put down the hydrogenated oils, dyes, and preservatives, and try out these recipes.

Pumpkin Bars

Ingredients
– 1 banana
– 1/2 cup almond butter
– 2/3 cup canned pumpkin
– ¼ cup raw honey, or maple syrup
– 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
– 1 tablespoon paleo flour: coconut or almond flour
– 1 teaspoon baking powder
– ¼ teaspoon sea salt
– Optional: 1/4 cup nuts of choice

Instructions
Blend all ingredients. Pour batter into a greased 8 inch square or round pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Let cool, and enjoy!

Pumpkin Cake

Ingredients
– 8 ounces pumpkin (canned, or make your own!)
– 1/2 cup applesauce
– 2 eggs
– 1 cup whole wheat flour
– 1/2 cup coconut sugar
– 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
– 1 teaspoon cinnamon
– 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
– 1/8 teaspoon clove
– 1/8 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions
Combine all wet ingredients in bowl, and mix thoroughly. In a separate bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Mix dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, and pour into an 8 inch round or square baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Let cool, and enjoy!

Pumpkin Protein Balls

Ingredients
– 1 can pumpkin
–  3 cups organic rolled oats
– 1/2 cup of raw honey or maple syrup
– 1 cup almond butter
– 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/8 teaspoon clove (or 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice)
– Optional: 1 cup your choice of nuts

Instructions
Blend all ingredients together, and roll into 1 inch balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for up to one hour, then keep in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Don’t Toss the Seeds!

Pumpkin seeds are extremely healthy and tasty. They have magnesium, manganese, iron and zinc, as well as an ample source of plant-based protein.

Sprinkle sea salt and pepper, or cinnamon on raw seeds. Roast at 350* for about 20 minutes, shake and turn over the seeds, and roast on the other side for another 20 minutes.

Apple Pie

We mentioned earlier that conventional apples are sprayed with 10-15 different pesticides, including neurotoxins, multiple times per year. Choose organic apples, or grow your own to avoid the harms of pesticides on your digestive and nerve systems.

Homemade Apple Pie

Ingredients
Pie Filling
– 6 apples, peeled and diced finely
– 2 tablespoons coconut oil or ghee
– 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/8 teaspoon clove (or 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice)
– 2 tablespoons raw honey

Crust
– 2 cups paleo flour (almond or coconut)
– 1 cup ice cold water
– 1 1/2 cups coconut oil, room temperature (below 70 degrees)

Instructions
Warm the honey, spices, and coconut or ghee in a saucepan. Once thoroughly melted, add diced apples. Let simmer on low for 30 minutes.

As the filling simmers, prepare your dough by hand mixing the coconut oil into the paleo flour. Mince the flour between your fingers until small balls form. Add water slowly (verrrry slowly) until the balls make one entire ball. Refrigerate your dough for 15 minutes. Remove dough from refrigerator, and roll out on parchment paper for bottom crust, set aside.

Allow your filling to cool, and pour into your crust. (This is where my mom would add a cup of sugar to the bottom and top of filling, and I will look the other way if you do so).

Cut off the extras of your crust, and form a lattice top. Bake for 15 minutes at 375 degrees. Reduce heat to 350 degrees, and bake for another 30 minutes.

Let cool, and enjoy with some coconut ice cream!

*If your crust tends to brown, cover with aluminum foil beforehand.

Apple Cider

The apple cider sold in stores is heavily processed, and misses many of the good parts of natural cider. Nonorganic apple cider contains many pesticides concentrated into the juice, not something you want in your littles. You can find organic apple cider, which will have no pesticides, but can also save some money and make your own!

Homemade Apple Cider

Ingredients
– A bag (or 12) organic apples
– 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice ( or 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg, 1/8 teaspoon of cloves)
– Electric juicer

Instructions
Juice your apples, and add spices. Heat on low for warm apple cider, or enjoy chilled!

You don’t have to completely miss out on the best pumpkin and apple fall treats. So, don that scarf, pick out your favorite boot socks, and try these healthy fall treat recipes!

What are your favorite fall treats? How have you made them healthy {or not}?