Nibbles

Perfect Snack Food: Popcorn

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?

Stove Top Popcorn

Author: Erin Dishes Nutrition

Ingredients

1/2 tablespoon canola or olive oil
1/3 cup popcorn kernels
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
garlic powder and celery salt to taste

Instructions

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 1/2 tablespoon of nutrition yeast over popcorn and lightly sprinkle garlic powder and celery salt.
Add the remaining contents of pan to bowl. Add remaining 1/2 tablespoon of nutritional yeast and sprinkle with garlic powder and celery salt.

Notes

Sometimes I use 1/2 tablespoon of coconut oil instead of canola oil. Coconut oil is a saturated fat so enjoy in moderation.[br]Not a fan of garlic powder and/or celery salt? Add your favorite spices!

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