Easy Veggie Pumpkin

There’s something about Halloween that screams “sugar high!” It might have something to do with the fact that it is all about collecting candy. 😉 

In an effort to celebrate the holiday in a festive way without rotting teeth in the process, consider making a vegetable pumpkin this year. I love this because it is so simple to make and is incredibly flexible while being healthy and festive, too. Consider using this idea for your child’s Halloween party at school or as an appetizer at a Halloween gathering.

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Veggie Pumpkin

Ingredients:

1 lb. bag baby carrots (or more for a large gathering)

Dark vegetables of your choice to create the pumpkin face (such as black olives)

Green vegetable for the pumpkin stem (lettuce or green pepper, etc.)

Directions:

Pour carrots onto a large, round plate. Spread them out evenly and then make spaces with your fingers for the eyes, nose, and mouth of the pumpkin. Fill in the spaces with your desired vegetable in the desired pattern. Cover any blank spots up with the carrots, and round out the shape with carrots once the face has been constructed. Add a “stem” to the top with a green vegetable. Enjoy!

Variations: Make a fruit pumpkin instead using slices of oranges for the pumpkin and dark colored fruits for the facial features. Or, create the pumpkin with carrots as described but substitute the eye vegetables for two small containers of Ranch or another dip of your choice.

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