Let me start off by saying I LOVE LOVE popcorn! I remember my dad taking me to the movies in middle school, oddly enough I always had to sit in the front row and had to have the largest tub of popcorn that I finished all by myself! Today even if I wanted to, I know my stomach won’t hold that much popcorn. Since I stopped eating popcorn at theaters awhile ago, I try to consume a healthy version of it at home.
Remember the Jiffy Pop popcorn you’d make on the stove? That’s how I made popcorn as a kid. Then at some point switched to microwave popcorn in this orange microwave my family had.
A whole year ago I went to girls night in party at a friends apt and she made stovetop popcorn with truffled salt. I thought wow you made popcorn on the stove?! Growing up in a microwave generation I didn’t even think that was possible. lol I think the popcorn industry convinced me that popcorn was too complicated and messy to make the old-fashioned way. The idea to make stovetop popcorn has been logged in the back of my head for awhile now as something I wanted to try but was scared to, how crazy! lol
As you know I’m pretty much against all things artificial, especially when it comes to what I am putting in my body. So I wanted to get away from microwave popcorn because it comes with chemically altered oils, artificial preservatives and flavors, plus some weird chemical coating on the inside of the bag. That’s the quick explanation; the long scientific one is this:
Popcorn is one of the top ten foods most contaminated with pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, and fertilizers, and that means that it’s best eaten as organic. The amount of chemicals that are added to popcorn will blow your mind. First the bags are lined with perfluorinated chemicals to prevent sticking and grease leakage. A study published in January 2012 in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that nonstick chemicals in popcorn bags significantly damage the immune system. Workers in microwave popcorn factories have actually developed an extremely rare form of lung cancer from inhaling fumes. And an ingredient used in artificial butter flavoring for popcorn may worsen the effects of an abnormal brain protein that's been linked to Alzheimer's disease.
Studies have shown that organic popcorn can help prevent cancer because they have large levels of polyphenols, the antioxidant compounds that help reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease. Just to be clear, that does not mean movie theater popcorn is a healthy choice! lol Organic, air-popped, in coconut oil is the way to go. Why coconut oil? Read this old post by me.
So I finally bite the bullet and bought organic popcorn from the bulk foods bin at Whole Foods and boy was it cheap for the volume of popcorn it makes! I couldn’t believe I had been buying this overpriced pre-packaged snack for so long! You should know that not all popcorn kernels are created the same, so be sure to buy corn products that are GMO-free and organic.
I should say that I love mushrooms and love truffle oil even more, that I put it in my scrambled tofu. I bought this amazing good quality Italian Truffled Sea Salt by Casina Rossa. Would be a nice housewarming gift for someone I bet! The truffle salt just makes it insanely delicious! Between the coconut oil and the truffled salt the popcorn has so much flavor I don't even need butter, honestly!
Here’s how I make my favorite tasty, easy-to-make snack that you can whip up yourself for cheap for your next movie night.
Ingredients:
2 TBS. virgin coconut oil
1/4 cup organic popcorn kernels
Truffle salt
Directions:
Take a large pot with lid (I use a 3 quart pot) and place over medium heat on stovetop. Add oil and kernels. Place lid on. As popcorn starts popping, shake pot. When popping slows to a couple of seconds in between, turn heat off and pour popcorn into large serving bowl. Salt to taste. This recipe makes enough popcorn to fill a large bowl.
You can sprinkle on some fresh shredded parmesan on top, it will melt on the hot popcorn.
You can sprinkle on some fresh shredded parmesan on top, it will melt on the hot popcorn.
So now when I’m craving a crispy and salty snack, I don’t have to reach for something that’s unhealthy with toxins and overpriced. This is the most delicious popcorn I've ever tasted!
If you don't want to make this on the stove you have two options that don't require the use of oil a microwavable container or a stand alone unit.
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On a somewhat related not, because I watched this recently, if you want a small glimpse into what's it's like to grow GMO corn, watch the movie At Any Price staring Zac Efron,Heather Graham, and Dennis Quaid, released in 2012.
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