Lisa Tsakos, RHN: October 2014

Welcome

My name is Lisa Tsakos, Registered Holistic Nutritional Consultant, corporate speaker and author. This blog provides professional advice from a nutrition and weight loss expert (me!) about corporate and family health. Here you'll find recipes and articles that address work-related challenges like eating on-the-go and maximizing your productivity with the right foods. You'll also find out about how you can help your children develop strong immune systems and healthy bodies. As a nutrition instructor, I often found myself thinking, "When I have kids, this is how I will feed them." With two toddlers, I have the opportunity to practice what I have been preaching and to try out my theories. So far, they seem to be working! Follow me on my journey and also on Twitter @NuVitalityHW.

31 Oct 2014

Happy Halloween!

This Halloween, the kids and I are in earthly limbo.

A couple of months ago we decided to move from Toronto to Halifax for a much needed break from big city life. Moving across the country into a new life is pretty scary, so while some work is being done on our new home, we’re waiting out the renos in a familiar place – Nana’s house in Ottawa. Queen Elsa and my ~~adorable~~ ferocious little lion deserve a fun Halloween before journeying to the mysterious place called Halifax they’ve been hearing so much about.

To kick off the day’s festivities and while the kids got ready, we enjoyed some pre-trick or treat treats. I have to admit, making them was just as much fun as eating them!

First the salty:

Gluten-free rice crackers topped with hummus. The evil eyes were made by slicing black olives. Hummus' fiber and protein help balance blood sugar levels before little fingers begin peeling back chocolate bar wrappers.

Then the sweet:

White chocolate dipped strawberries. I found this 'Strawberry Ghosts' recipe on celiac.com.

Instead of the shortening the recipe called for, I substituted coconut oil. And after struggling to make the eyes and mouth with chocolate chips, sliced blueberries and sliced black grapes, I settled for raisins. They were much easier to manage and they looked great.

The family favourite? Chocolate. Obviously.

We also made scary eyeballs with black grapes.

What are you looking at?

I had already begun stocking up on Halloween treats for our neighbourhood trick or treaters when we decided to move. Costco has some wickedly healthy snacks that I would have been proud to hand out. One of my all-time favourite snacks, Snapea Crisps, comes in individually wrapped packs. Florida Naturals dried fruit snacks are an awesome alternative to gummy bears or artificially coloured and flavoured fruity snacks. For more healthy snack ideas, have a look at last year's Halloween blog.