Sweet Sundays: Alisa Fleming ~ Lately, the contest temptation has become too great. When May Cookie Co. announced their “May I have a Cookie Contest” (open through November 9, 2011) with a $200 gift card prize, I headed straight to the kitchen. I mean seriously, cookies AND a grocery gift card – who could pass that up?

Plus, it gave me the opportunity to trial out some new cookie mixes for Go Dairy Free. On that note, I want to share a little bit about what I think makes these mixes worth recommending. The ingredients are fresh, and I mean really fresh. May Cookie Co. packs the core ingredients separately for that “as good as homemade” taste. The natural raw sugar is kept moist and soft in its own little pouch, the flour mixture in another, the plump cranberries in another, and finally, the oats on their own. Preparing the mixes is still as easy as one-two-three, but since the ingredients are kept separate, they are way, way, WAY fresher than a normal boxed mix. (See the picture at the end of this article to see how the ingredients are packaged.) They also use nice, wholesome ingredients, like whole wheat flour, whole rolled oats, and as mentioned, raw sugar ...

I could toil in the kitchen for hours on end, laboring to create perfectly cute Halloween eats and treats to dazzle at upcoming parties. But let's face it - though I can create some scrumptious recipes (if I do say so myself), when it comes to artistic ability and creativity, my talent ceased to develop after kindergarten. I believe that was the year of the black cat for me.

Fortunately, there are already dozens of wonderful recipes and fun presentation ideas to make your party special. My job is simply to deliver them to you. 

All of the following are dairy-free (see my notes too!), some are vegan, egg-free, gluten-free, soy-free, and/or nut-free ... but whether it is for little ghosts and goblins or the more mature and life-size witches and vampires, there are bound to be some recipes in the selection below that will scare up some fun for this weekend's (and beyond) celebrations ...

Robin Robertson ~ Beginning with Halloween on through to New Year’s Eve, there will no doubt be many occasions when you’ll need a quick and easy dip to serve with your favorite crackers or crisps. For a tasty new spin on the popular favorite hummus, try this Moroccan Pumpkin Hummus. 

It’s made with the usual hummus base of chickpeas, tahini, and garlic, but that’s where the similarity ends.  Fragrant spices including ginger, coriander, and cinnamon signal that this is no ordinary hummus.  A generous amount of solid-pack canned pumpkin, gives the dip a lovely color and flavor, as well as nutrition. With a small amount of cayenne, this hummus isn’t especially hot, but if you prefer great flavor without any heat, just leave out the cayenne entirely. 

This hummus goes together quickly, but plan to make it in advance to give the flavors time to bloom.  A sprinkling of chopped pistachios [optional if you prefer a nut-free dip] adds a festive and flavorful crunch.

Yes, Earth’s Own, makers of Almond Fresh and Ryza Non-Dairy Milks, is sponsoring a giveaway on Alisa Cooks (in conjunction with Go Dairy Free) this week and the prize includes: A $40 Whole Foods Gift Card AND Product Vouchers for Almond Fresh and Ryza Non-Dairy Milks.

Their products are new to U.S. grocery store shelves (available at Whole Foods and many other stores!), so they are spreading the awareness with this marvelous giveaway.

Comment to Enter: Head over to the Giveaway Post and Alisa Cooks, and tell me in the comment section of that post which variety of Almond Fresh or Ryza that you would like to trial first.

There will be one winner, but related to this giveaway prize, I have two things for everyone. Check these out and enjoy after you enter to win this giveaway: