Thursday, July 3, 2014

Eat More [Organic] Popcorn



Just say no to microwave popcorn and say yes to air popped kernels! In your quest for wellness, eat real food. Popcorn is considered a healthy treat but only when you DIY. "What about at the movies?" you ask. Well, that's a tricky one because if you're a huge 'going to the movies' fan, it'll be a bit harder to not get sucked in from the buttery (because it's not real butter just buttery) smell of the popcorn. However, there is the once in a blue moon situation so to each their own. 

But, if you're looking for a healthy snack that will sustain you, I highly recommend popping it yourself (always choose organic, the difference in cost is insignificant in most cases) and adding some real food ingredients to flavor it! 

WHFoods advises against microwave popcorn as seen here. Get the low down on the nutrition facts of various flavors of popcorn (and this is not even accounting for the ingredients inside the ingredients!) from the Huffington Post as seen here.

I had fun making my own stove popped kernels as seen here and this can be a little tricky (watch out for burns, not enough oil, not a big enough pot)... but you can make great popcorn with an air popper.

I'm an advocate of grazing (eating small, nutrient dense snacks or meals throughout the day). It is a philosophy I teach in L.E.A.N. More on raising a grazer here, the effortless snacking on the go here, and lastly, speedy snacking solutions here

This recipe is gluten free and dairy free - yep, no butter! (But I'd only use grassfed or organic butter anyway because I do eat dairy in small amounts.)


Tools & Ingredients:

Air Popper 
1/4 cup of organic popcorn kernels (yields about 4 cups)
2 tbs of organic coconut oil (can sub olive oil)
1/4 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
1 tsp nutritional yeast (or to taste)

Directions:

Pop corn and allow to fall into bowl. Drizzle oil, toss to evenly coat then drizzle more oil (as needed). Season with sea salt then sprinkle nutritional yeast. Toss to coat evenly. Eat. Enjoy!!

I find that the nutritional yeast acts like a natural preservative in keeping the popcorn fresh for longer periods of time (just my personal experience). No one likes stale popcorn! 

What is Nutritional Yeast?

Nutritional yeast has a cheesy taste without the use of dairy. Nutritional yeast is not to be confused with Brewer's yeast as it's not alive. Concerned with candida? Check this out by Vegetarian Spotlight. Info about various yeasts including the deactivated yeast that is nutritional yeast by Veggie Atlas. I'm not here to convince you that nutritional yeast is good or bad. You need to make the decision on your own. I have chosen to consume it and like everything I choose to consume, I seek a balance, a variety, and good quality. Last post worth mentioning, with regards to the "B" vitamins found in nutritional yeast by Gnowfglins

Fiber is your friend!

Per L.E.A.N., adults need about 25g of fiber per day for basic function. 1 cup of popcorn yields 3.5g. Learn here the importance of fiber by Ask Dr Sears. Popcorn the way I shared is a brilliant way to snack healthfully while keeping blood sugar level (grazing helps with this too) and is a benefit to anyone who chooses to have corn. 

Why Organic Popcorn?

Always choose organic corn to avoid pesticides. 

A Quick Lesson on Conventional Corn

Since we're talking about corn, it's important to note that currently all popcorn is not genetically modified. But for educational purposes on the purposes of genetically modified corn, nearly 90% of it grown in the U.S. is GMO. 

If you're late to the game, learn here why you don't want to be a guinea pig, in other words, a science experiment. Corn is a main ingredient in many pre-packaged foods. Where else can you find genetically modified corn - read more with Green America here. Corn (and soy) are dominating the U.S. agriculture market. More on this here. You can make a difference in demanding that our food be labeled here and here (add your zip code to find out who your politicians are).  





Choose, eat, and live well! =) 


1 comment:

  1. Hi Jessica,
    What a delightful treat! I love to take my own organic popcorn with me to the movies instead of buying their overpriced, questionable-quality product! I love your recipe for organic popcorn with coconut oil and nutritional yeast! I am so glad you shared this recipe on the Plant-Based Potluck Party!

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