Trick-Free Halloween Treats!

These Halloween recipes won’t scare a soul! Delicious and friendly to animals … even black cats!

Pumpkin Pie
Makes 6 to 8 servings

• 1¼ pounds soft tofu (try “silken” tofu for a creamier texture)
• 1 16-ounce can pumpkin purée
• ¾ cup maple syrup
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 9-inch unbaked pie shell

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Blend all of the ingredients (except for the pie shell) in a blender or a food processor until smooth. Pour the mixture into the unbaked pie shell and bake for 30 minutes. Then turn down the oven temperature to 350°F and bake for another 30 to 45 minutes, or until the filling is set.

Pumpkin Stew
Makes 8 to 10 servings

• 1 10- to 12-pound pumpkin
• 2 16-ounce cans kidney, black, or pinto beans
• 1 bell pepper, cut into inch-thick slices
• 1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
• 4 medium potatoes, cubed
• 3 carrots, peeled and cubed
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and diced
• 2 celery sticks, sliced
• 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 2½ cups water or vegetable stock
• salt and pepper to taste
• vegetable oil (for coating)

Carve a hole in the top of the pumpkin and remove the seeds. (Be sure to save the seeds for the next recipe!) Clean out the stringy insides. Scoop out 2 cups of pumpkin and cube. Then set the pumpkin aside.

In a large pot, simmer the cubed pumpkin chunks, beans, bell pepper, onion, potatoes, carrots, garlic, celery, tomatoes, and vegetable stock or water for 35 to 45 minutes. Stir occasionally and season to your taste.

Place the pumpkin in a shallow pan and place the stew inside the pumpkin. Brush the outside of the pumpkin with a very light coating of vegetable oil.

Bake the pumpkin and stew at 350°F for 2 hours, or until the pumpkin is tender. Serve out of the carved pumpkin while hot.

Pumpkin Seeds
Makes 2 to 4 servings

• seeds from 1 large pumpkin
• salt
• nutritional yeast flakes (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Extract the seeds from the pumpkin. Separate and discard the pulp. Thoroughly wash the seeds in warm water.

Spread the seeds onto a cookie sheet and sprinkle with salt and nutritional yeast flakes. Bake for 20 minutes, checking them every 5 minutes to lightly toss and add more seasonings, if desired.

After 20 minutes, take out one seed and taste after it’s cooled. If the inside of the seed is dry, the pumpkin seeds are ready! Allow to cool and serve.

To order animal-friendly treats, click here.