Popcorn is one of my favorite snacks.  This all natural treat often tides me over in the late afternoon, when lunch is long digested but dinner’s still a ways off.  As a kid, for a fun night every couple months or so when my dad worked late, my mom and sister and I would have popcorn and sliced apples for dinner.  The combo of sweet and salty was just right! And I’ll admit…every once in a while when I find the pantry and refrigerator all but completely bare, I’ll even indulge in popcorn for breakfast!

But not to worry, popcorn (not the kind you find at the movies) is better for you than you might think.   It’s very high in fiber, just like oatmeal, so gives you a satisfying feeling of fullness.

I recommend banning the bagged microwaveable popcorn from your kitchen.  (In fact, I recommend banning your microwave altogether, but that’s a whole other story.)  Instead, stock up on a big bag of loose kernels from your local co-op or health food store, a bottle of high-heat oil and a stainless steel pot.  Yep, that’s right, stove top made popcorn’s the best!

To play it up a bit I often like to add a combo of ingredients to create what I call “superhero popcorn” because not only do they add delicious flavor, but lend nutritional benefit as well.  Nutritional yeast has a sweetish nutty flavor that’s also high in B vitamins, unrefined sea salt is naturally full of essential trace minerals, and a pinch of cayenne gives it a healthy heat and that’s also good for blood circulation and aiding digestion.

As always, I encourage you to use all organic ingredients.  In fact, it’s especially important to buy organic popcorn kernels, as corn is (unfortunately) one of the most widely grown GMO crops in the US today.  And GMO corn is not the healthy kind!

ingredients:

organic popcorn kernels

organic high-heat oil (like sunflower, safflower, etc.)

nutritional yeast

organic dried cayenne

fine sea salt

Prepare popcorn on stove top.  Pour into a bowl and sprinkle with the nutritional yeast, sea salt, and a pinch of cayenne. Yum!