Make Your Own Healthy Gourmet Pop Corn

Do you like snacking on something with a 'crunch' when you are watching a movie, your favorite TV show, or hanging out with friends?

Have you noticed that there are hardly any healthy snacks you can buy in the supermarket that do not include loads of salt and MSG?

I have found that plain ole' popcorn is one of the best snack foods around. It's low in calories, high in fiber - which is good for helping the digestive system to function - and is a perfectly delicious, healthy and nutritious choice for between-meal snacking. It’s not only economical, it’s also fun to eat, plus you can consume a lot and not worry too much about your waistline.

I personally prefer to eat popcorn plain, made in a Hot Air Corn Popper.

It's quite tasty and satisfying.

If you feel like enjoying some extra flavor, however, 'dress it up' with some healthful toppings...

Here are a few suggestions:

• Bragg spray (Liquid Aminos - tastes like soy sauce but much healthier with natural sodium) http://www.bragg.com/products/la.html
  
• Lime - slice in half and squeeze over popcorn.
• Melt unsalted butter with cinnamon, agave (or honey) vanilla, ginger, nutmeg.
• Melt unsalted butter with garlic powder, onion powder, dill, basil, oregano.
• Olive oil - drizzled or sprayed.
  
• Sesame oil - drizzled or sprayed.
  

* If you must add a little salt, make it sea salt.

Benefits:

• It's a great snack.
• Easily affordable for anyone.
  
• Takes just a few minutes to make.
• Easy enough for kids to make.
• You don't pay for packaging.
• You control what goes in.
• No MSG, additives, preservatives or excess salt.

Tips:

• Keep plenty of popcorn kernels on hand.
• Have a big plastic bowl.
• Make sure to floss well afterwards.
• Yellow kernels make bigger 'puffs' than white kernels.
• At the bottom of the bowl you will find un-popped kernels...don't throw them away, put them back in the machine, they taste even better popped the 2nd time around!
• The air popper tends to be a bit on the 'wild side' once it nears the end of its cycle... you may have popcorn flying all over the place, and I do mean all over, so be careful to turn it off in time before everything becomes a popcorn mania.
• At the movies you pay so much for hot buttered popcorn; who knows what the actual ingredients are? By making and bringing your own you will save money and calories.

Good To Know:

• One cup of popped popcorn, eaten plain, contains about 31 calories, 1 gram of protein, 6 grams of carbohydrates and 1 gram of fiber.
• Because popcorn is a good source of fiber, it provides many health benefits and is often recommended by health and medical associations, including The National Cancer Institute, The American Dietetic Association and The American Dental Association.
• Popcorn is healthy for the wallet, too. One cup of plain popcorn costs only pennies.
• Hot Air Corn Poppers are available at stores like Walgreens for around $10...a great investment.

Create healthy eating habits starting today.

Happy Popping!