Dig deep into your soul, consult your moral compass and repeat after us: stealing your kiddies’ Halloween candy is wrong. So ignore the maniacally grinning plastic pumpkin—back far, far away from the beckoning orange beacon of diet suicide and scary elastic waistbands.  

One healthier alternative is a picture-perfect platter of festively colored crudite to plunge in a satisfying dip of pine nuts and creamy tahini, a rich, nutty paste made from ground sesame seeds. Loaded with B vitamins, calcium and iron, our Halloweeni- Tahini dip offers a more sophisticated snacking experience—and, well, let’s just say it’s prettier than getting your Halloween freak on with fun-size candy bars.

Halloweeni-Tahini Dippers

Makes 1 1/2 cups dip

1 cup pine nuts
2 cloves garlic, crushed
6 tablespoons tahini
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup cold water
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and cracked black pepper, to taste

Purée the pine nuts and garlic in a blender or food processor; add tahini and lemon juice, then purée again. With the blender or processor running, gradually add the chilled water until the dip is the consistency of sour cream. Stir in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. The dip will thicken as it sits, so add a bit more water or fresh lemon juice to thin to a desired consistency.

Delicious with olives, dried mission figs, dried apricots, sliced orange bell peppers, baby carrots and blue corn tortillas.