That smell. You know – that smell of freshly popped popcorn. Smells so good. There’s something about it that’s so comforting. Well unless it’s burnt – that smell is just bad.
Truth be told – it’s one of my favorite snacks. Okay, yes – I have been known to have it for dinner every once in awhile. I know, I know. But sometimes a girl just wants to sit down with a glass of wine, a bowl to popcorn and some favorite shows. You know what I mean?
So anyway, if you ask me, popcorn gets a bad rap. I mean, when I say popcorn what do you think of? Movie theater? Super-sized buckets? Drenched in butter? Yup. See what I mean? It’s not the popcorn.
People have been snacking on popcorn for a long time. Quite honestly, when not drowning in saturated fat, it’s a perfect snack food. Why? Well, did you know it’s a whole grain? And a good source of fiber? And has those superhero antioxidant properties? I didn’t think so.
So, in honor of National Popcorn Day, which was past week, here’s how I like to make it. My version is made on the stovetop. Why? Because it just tastes so much better than the microwave stuff. And I say ‘stuff’ because I question what’s actually in that bag other than corn kernels (fake butter- chemicals?) And, trust me, my version is addictive. Could be because of my secret ingredient – nutritional yeast. Huh? You may not be familiar with it, but you really should get acquainted. Also called nooch, it adds a salty, cheesy bite to just about any food. And, in addition to flavor, it also adds protein, fiber and B vitamins. Bonus!
So go ahead, pop up some popcorn, grab a glass of wine and get cozy on the couch with your favorite shows!
How do you like your popcorn?
- ½ tablespoon canola or olive oil
- ⅓ cup popcorn kernels
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- garlic powder and celery salt to taste
- Heat oil on medium heat in dutch oven or deep sauce pan.
- Add uncooked kernels and shake so oil covers kernels.
- As the kernels begin to pop, gently shake the pot every once in a while until the popping begins to stop.
- Once there is a few seconds between pops, turn off the heat and remove from burner.
- Pour about half the contents into a large bowl. Sprinkle ½ tablespoon of nutrition yeast over popcorn and lightly sprinkle garlic powder and celery salt.
- Add the remaining contents of pan to bowl. Add remaining ½ tablespoon of nutritional yeast and sprinkle with garlic powder and celery salt.
Not a fan of garlic powder and/or celery salt? Add your favorite spices!