Category Archives: Holidays

Healthy Halloween Treat Options

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Candy, costumes and Horror movies are already in full swing! Halloween is just around the corner and we have some ideas for those looking to minimize their candy intake. Nothing wrong with a little treat every now and then, but Halloween time is usually filled with loads of kid’s candy or leftovers from trick or treating. If you’re looking for an alternative treat this October take a look at these “not-so-scary” treat ideas from the Fitbit blog:

SPICED MAPLE PUMPKIN SEEDS

What better way to celebrate the fall season than with pumpkin-spiced anything! Take a snack break from that pumpkin carving and separate the pumpkin seeds and place them on a baking sheet. In a separate bowl, mix maple syrup, five spice powder, cinnamon and sea salt to taste. Bake for 15 minutes and you have yourself some sweet and salty seeds!

Five Spice Maple Pumpkin Seeds | Get Inspired Everyday!

http://getinspiredeveryday.com/food/five-spice-maple-pumpkin-seeds/

PUMPKIN SMOOTHIE

A better alternative than that sugar-filled latte and a great way to start your morning on a chilly day. Mix Greek yogurt, banana and pumpkin puree. Then add a dash of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. You can also sweeten it up with some maple syrup.

Image result for pumpkin smoothie

POPCORN WITH TURMERIC & COCONUT

Caramel corn is a classic cavity causer, especially this time of year. Take the healthy alternative and mix your kernels in aromatic coconut oil, then sprinkle the bowl with turmeric and a grind of black pepper. Spice it up by sprinkling cinnamon on top.

Image result for popcorn turmeric coconut oil

SQUASH SOUP PUMPKIN BOWL

If you have a little extra time, try this delicious treat! Carve out some baking pumpkins and roast them until tender. While roasting, make the squash soup in a separate pot. Puree until smooth and add the soup to the baked pumpkins. Add croutons to the bowl, and sprinkle in some salt and pepper to taste.

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http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/squash-soup-in-pumpkin-bowls-recipe.html

SPIDER BITES

This easy recipe is not only delicious, but a little spooky too! All you need is pretzel sticks, peanut butter and chocolate chips. In a microwavable bowl, mix the peanut butter and chocolate chips. Melt and stir until smooth and then add pretzel sticks. With clean hands, grab the pretzel sticks and drop onto a baking sheet in clusters to look like spiders. Then just place them in the freezer until chocolate is hardened, which is usually about 5 minutes!

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http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sandra-lee/spider-bites-recipe.html

 CINNAMON APPLE CHIPS

Two ingredients is all you will need for this delicious recipe! Take your apples and slice them thinly, removing any seeds. Place apple slices on a baking sheet and sprinkle cinnamon over top. Bake for one hour and then flip them, baking for another hour or so until apples are no longer moist.

apple chips recipe

http://paleogrubs.com/baked-apple-chips-recipe

So before you go to grab the leftover chocolate and candy this autumn, try some of these healthy recipes instead!

It’s a Leap Year. What Does That Mean?

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Leap year 2016This year, we’ll have an extra day of February — the 29th. We get this extra day every four years, during a leap year. Like daylight savings time, you might think the leap year is a confusing disruption that our modern world could do without. But think again. That extra day augments three years’ worth of slowly shifting time, readjusting our calendars to stay in-sync with the seasons.

Why do we have a leap year?

Contrary to what we learn as kids, the earth takes longer than 365 days to orbit the sun. And so, we start every new calendar year with just a little bit of extra time left on our solar clock — 0.242 days, to be exact. By adding that extra day every fourth year, we use up the 0.242 days that accumulated each of the three years before that. In this year’s case, we’re using up the extra time left over from 2013, 2014 and 2015.

How does a leap year keep us in season?

If we didn’t have leap years, our calendar year would fall behind the solar year by one full day every four years. Over the course of 120 years, our calendar year would be one full month askew of the solar year. That could mean warmer winters and cooler summers, eventually leading to a complete overhaul of how we define our seasons.

The leap year is an over 2000-year-old tradition first started by Julius Caesar, but it isn’t antiquated. The next time you experience a warm spring thaw or a white Christmas, thank the leap year for keeping our seasons, and our lives, in harmony with nature.

How to give back this holiday season

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It’s the season of giving. But between work, family, friends and holiday parties, you might not have much time or energy left to give.

The good news? Giving back doesn’t have to be an overwhelming task. Recruit your co-workers’ help. And then consider any of these options.

Holiday Giving

If you can spare an afternoon

Does your workplace hold a Holiday party during office hours? Consider using a part of that afternoon to visit a soup kitchen. Chances are, you’ll find it more fulfilling than overeating the annual holiday cheese ball.

If you can spare a full day

Contact a local shelter or donation centre and ask if they could use a few extra hands. Many charities are looking for more volunteers around the holidays. You can also go through a volunteer organization to find the right match.

If you can spare only a few hours

At this time of year, the homeless are especially vulnerable. Get your coworkers together to do a soup, socks and coffee run. Hand these out in your city centre, or any area around town with a large homeless population.

If you can spare some funds

An office fundraiser is a great way to give back if you’re too time-strapped to volunteer. This can take two forms. Option one is to become the office fundraiser; pick a charity, then send out an office-wide email asking for contributions. The second is to host a bake sale; ask each coworker to contribute a dish, and donate what’s raised to a local charity.

If you can spare coats or non-perishables

Winter clothes can be a big expense for low-income households. And no one should go hungry during the holidays. Set up two bins at the front of the office — one for winter clothes like hats, mittens and coats, and the other for non-perishables — then put up posters around the office asking for donations. Choose a cut-off date for donations, then take the items to your local food and clothing bank.

Having trouble choosing a cause? Make it a democracy. Choose a handful of charities and send out an email asking everyone to vote. The popular option wins.