Frighteningly good Halloween recipes: Recipes from Natasha Corrett to keep the kids entertained this weekend. 

It’s Halloween, but not as we know it. Whilst nationwide restrictions mean we can’t take to the streets to trick or treat, or throw lavish parties (if you’ve organized one, probably best to cancel), lots of people are keeping the tradition alive at home this year. 

With that in mind, I wanted to recommend the fabulous recipes of Natasha Corrett to keep you and the kids busy this weekend. Mother, author and businesswoman, Natasha has long been an advocate of nutrition and alkaline eating principles, and specializes in fun, healthy recipes for all of the family to enjoy.

Please note of all of these yummy recipes have already been featured on her Instagram @natashacorett but we wanted to share in case anyone had missed out on the magic!

Makes 4

2 portobello mushrooms
135g grated beetroot
4 orange peppers
115g millet or any other grain
1 clove of garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp fennel seeds
20g parsley
10g black olives
1 tsp tamari

1. Cook the millet in a pan of boiling water for 20 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Strain immediately to prevent the grains from becoming sticky.
2. Cut the tops off your peppers (saving them for later) and scoop out the seeds. Cut a slither off the bottoms so they stand upright. With a small knife, cut out the faces; be careful!
3. Dice the mushrooms, garlic, and parsley and grate the beetroot (keep about 10g of the beetroot back for squeezing over the top for the ‘blood’).
4. In a large frying pan add the garlic, fennel seeds, and mushrooms with the olive oil and cook until soft. Add the parsley and grated garlic and stir for 1 minute.
5. Add the millet, black olives, tamari and olive oil and cook for a further 2 minutes.
6. Stuff the peppers with the filling, add the tops of the peppers back on, and put into the oven for 15 minutes.
7. Remove from the oven and just before serving squeeze the beetroot in your hands and hold over the ‘pumpkins’ to create the dripping blood!
8. For kids, just leave out the olives and parsley, if they’re fussy, and they will gobble it up like little goblins!
*If you want to make them meat friendly try adding cooked flaked salmon or diced chicken to the lentil mixture before going into the oven!

Makes 10 cupcakes

200g boiled beetroot
3 eggs
100g dates
4 tbsp honey (or maple syrup for under 1)
120g butter
120g gluten free self raising flour (or normal self raising)
20g raw cacao powder
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp xanthan gum (leave out if using normal wheat flour)
Double cream for whipping
Chocolate chips for decoration

1. Preheat oven to 180 deg fan
2. Melt the butter in a saucepan on a low heat.
3. Put the beetroot, dates and honey into a food processor and blend until smooth. Add in the butter and blend again.
4. Add in the melted butter, eggs, flour, cacao powder, baking powder, salt, xanthan gum and blend again until fully combined.
5. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the mixture into cupcake holders so the mixture is just underneath the top of the case.
6. Put into the oven for 15 minutes. Take out and cool.
7. Whip the cream so it’s nice and thick can create peaks. Decorate the cupcakes so that the cream goes into peaks like a ghost. Add two chocolate chips for the eyes.

Natasha’s most recent cookbook, Family Kitchen, has over 100 tried-and-tested family recipes split into 15, 30 or 60 mins meals. With no hard to find ingredients, all recipes can be interchanged to use whichever milk, flour or butter you prefer so whether you’re vegan, have allergies in the family or just trying to stay healthy, there’s something for everyone.

Stay Safe and Happy Halloween!

Beatrice.

Purchase Family Kitchen by Natasha Corrett here