Knowing that I would be grazing on a variety of Halloween-themed party food for dinner Saturday night, I made sure to eat a healthy and filling lunch. I tried a recipe created by Nancy Piho, author of the fabulous book, “My Two-Year-Old Eats Octopus.” Nancy promotes the philosophy of forgoing the same old “kiddie foods” for feeding little ones a wide variety of flavorful foods that excite their developing palates. Her Middle Eastern Tuna Salad is a perfect example of a food I find to be sweet, smoky, and delicious, so why wouldn’t kids? Here’s the recipe:

• 1 can (9.75 oz) or 2 cans (5 oz) tuna, well-drained
• 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
• cup chick peas, drained
• cup currants (or golden raisins)
• cup sliced or slivered almonds
• 2 stalks celery, chopped finely
• 1 – 2 tablespoons lemon juice (optional)
• teaspoon garam masala (an Indian spice blend; if not available substitute allspice, ground cloves or cumin)
• teaspoon cinnamon

Mix all ingredients together in small bowl. Serve in pita pockets.

Oh, and now that the Halloween party is over, I can safely reveal my costume, which Lloyd actually deserves credit for coming up with…..

Fish n’ chips