Gluten-Free, Vegan Halloween Recipe Ideas is all about taking Halloween back home. Halloween, today, is an interesting night. Halloween seems to be an excuse to dress up in fancy dress, go out, prowl around, get drunk, party, eat sweets.

In the 1970s in the north of England Halloween was a very different matter to what it is today in the UK. It was really cold for starters. It was very dark. And very scary – for many reasons, not just Halloween. There were no pumpkins, trick or treating was limited to people you were related to and dressing up (in anything other than ripped old clothes or sheets: zombie, ghost) and parties that adults attended were something that only happened on television (on three channels). Apple bobbing was the only party game played. Only children played and it was predominantly for the entertainment of adults who had an excuse to waterboard children for just one day a year.

The best thing that I remember from Halloween was carving turnips. Now I have carved a pumpkin I realise now how much harder carving a turnip is. We have it so easy! You were highly likely to carve your fingers/ arms/ worse as turnip flesh is really, really hard and you needed a really, really sharp knife or needed to be really, really strong. None of which bodes well for keeping 10 fingers. However somehow my mum (mam) did it (from what I remember without loss of blood) and we put a candle inside to make the turnip glow and roamed the streets for a bit. It was brilliant. It was all we needed to celebrate Halloween.

Halloween was all about the history and the ghouls rather than the party and the buckets full of sweets.

So, bringing back Halloween I have some top Gluten-Free, Vegan Halloween Recipe Ideas to share with you.

What is Halloween and Why do we Celebrate it?

Halloween (AKA Hallowe’en, Allhalloween, All Hallows’ Eve, All Saints’ Eve) comes from All Hallows’ Evening. The eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows’ Day. A time dedicated to remembering the dead, including saints (hallows), martyrs, and all the faithful departed.

Halloween is observed in lots of countries around the world on 31 October. As with all good celebrations it is difficult to be certain how the celebrations came about but, usually, the origins of western festivals are pagan, celtic, or other non-christian. The Christian church usually established a ‘more Christian’ festival to stamp out the non-Christian festivities and beliefs. But history is murky so it is hard to tell.

What we have today is far removed from the original Halloween (whenever and whatever that was). Now it is all about dressing up and having a great party (maybe not so different?).

My Favourite Gluten-Free, Vegan Halloween Recipe Ideas

My Favourite Gluten-Free, Vegan Halloween Recipe Ideas really revolve around pumpkins and apples. Two of the most evocative autumn fruits (vegetables?). They both make amazing food and are a big feature in my autumn kitchen.

Vegan Toffee Apples

I’m starting with the sweet. You need to end your meal on a high and Vegan Toffee Apples are really Halloween on a stick. They remind me so much of Halloween. We knew Halloween was close when toffee apples started appearing in the shops. Vegan Toffee Apples are super easy to make but be careful with the (dangerous!) hot toffee!!!

Roasted Squash Soup

Roasted Squash Soup is great. You can make this ahead of time, go out gallivanting, come home and heat it up. Roasted Squash Soup is warming, delicious, filling and screams Halloween.

Pumpkin Salad with Crispy Sage

If you want to go out trick or treating you can make Pumpkin Salad with Crispy Sage ahead of time and come back to this pumpkin delight!!!

Gluten Free, Vegan Sweet Squash/ Pumpkin Tart

I’ve been talking about this Gluten Free, Vegan Sweet Squash/ Pumpkin Tart A LOT lately. But, that is because it is so good and Halloween is all about the pumpkin. Oh, and it’s a great dessert (another one, you can have two desserts on Halloween!).