Between my love for recipe development, costume design, and just about any crafty project I can get my claws on, Halloween is my favorite time of year to let the creative goblin in me run rampant. From sewing projects on the floor, bubbling pots on the stove, and as many fabric scraps as food scraps scattered across every available surface, my house transforms into somewhat of an oddities emporium by the end of October. One of my favorite ways to make a mess in the name of Halloween spirit is giving everyday recipes a twisted little makeover, and these Super Greens Goblin Bites are the perfect thing to keep me going in between all my cooking and crafting.
With art supplies and kitchen ingredients already competing for space on my counters, I decided to embrace the chaos with a batch of treat that are just as fun to decorate as they are to eat. Pistachios, almond meal, and nut butter create a rich, nutty base, while our new Super Greens Smoothie Powder gives these goblins their wonderfully wicked shade of green and a boost of plant-based goodness. A touch of maple syrup or agave adds just the right amount of sweetness, and the best part is that you don’t even need to turn on the oven! Simply blend everything together, roll the dough into your desired spooky shapes, and put your Dr. Frankenstein lab coat on to bring these monsters to life.
Once your green goblins have begun to take shape, the only thing left to do is give them a face that only a mother—or evil scientist—could love! With just a handful of white chocolate chips, melted chocolate, coconut shreds, and almond slivers, you can dream up all sorts of creepy-crawly features, but feel to raid your own pantry for inspiration. Give your goblins wild hair, googly eyes, witchy fingernails, or a set of dinosaur spikes if that’s more your speed. They don’t have to look perfect (in fact, I think the weirder and wonkier the better), so have fun with it and see what kinds of little monsters you can make. Whether they end up looking like goblins, ghouls, or something that could only live inside a haunted house, they’ll fit right in at any Halloween gathering.
Super Greens Goblin Bites
Makes approximately 20 bites.
Supplies
Ingredients
Decorations
Directions
- To the bowl of a food processor, add pistachios and blend on high until a fine meal texture is achieved. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add almond meal, smoothie powder, and salt. Blend until thoroughly combined.
- Pour in nut/seed butter of choice, liquid sweetener of choice, and vanilla. Blend on low until a firm dough is achieved, scraping down sides as needed.
- Scoop out about one heaping tablespoon of dough and roll into desired shapes.
- Now, for the fun part! Get creative with your decorations and give these little green guys some spooky personality. Use white chocolate chips with a dab of melted chocolate for round eyeballs. Dip the tops of their heads in melted chocolate, then sprinkle with shredded coconut for some wild, whacky hair. Press almond slivers into the dough for witchy fingernails, a spiky mohawk, or even dinosaur spikes! Mix and match your decorations or dream up your own spooky costumes. There’s no wrong way to bring these little goblins to life!
- Store in an airtight container and keep in the fridge. Enjoy within one week.
Homemade Nut and Seed Butters
Makes approximately 16 ounces.
The real scare behind this recipe is how darn expensive hemp and almond butters are… The good news is that it’s incredibly easy and a whole lot cheaper to make your own at home!
Supplies
Ingredients
- 1 lb. nut or seed of choice *See Pro Tips
- Pinch of fine sea salt (optional, but recommended)
- Splash of vanilla extract (optional, but recommended)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread nuts or seeds of choice evenly onto a large parchment-lined baking sheet. For smaller nuts and seeds, I like to make divots with my fingers throughout to help distribute heat evenly (similar to how you would dimple focaccia dough before baking).
- Bake for 5 – 10 minutes, tossing every few minutes to prevent burning. Each nut and seed toasts a bit differently, so keep a close eye on it! You’ll know they’re ready when you begin to smell the nuts/seeds from the oven, and they appear slightly glossy as the oils begin to release.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 – 15 minutes. Once cooled, transfer to a food processor.
- Blend on high for up to 20 minutes, stopping every few minutes to scrape down the sides and let the motor cool, until a smooth butter is achieved. You’ll see the mixture go from a few stages as they nuts/seeds break down, so trust the process and do NOT skip the breaks in between blending (overheating can cause your food processor to break).
- Once the desired consistency is achieved, add a pinch of salt and splash of vanilla, if desired. Blend for a few additional seconds to combine.
- Transfer to container of choice, date and label, and store in a cool, dry spot for up to one month or up to three months in the fridge. Natural oil separation is likely to occur, so give a good stir before each use.
Looking to terrify your taste buds with more spooky-season recipes?
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