Responsible Popcorn

Friday night means one thing in our house: MOVIE NIGHT!  Our movie nights are always the same...the sleeper sofa is pulled out, popcorn is made, and Sprites are poured.  It's a tradition we started years ago, and now, the boys won't let us miss it!  We ALL look forward to relaxing after a busy week of activities.

Popcorn and Sprites are in no way healthy, but everybody deserves a treat!  And even a treat like popcorn can be made naturally.  Here's how we do it:

First, we use an air popper.  An air popper is not only healthier, but it also adds a lot of excitement to the popping process.  The boys go crazy watching the popcorn puffs shoot out of the machine!

We love our Presto Poplite air popper!

Also, we choose natural, unflavored kernels.  (If you can find organic, great!)

Organic kernels are a wise choice.

If plain ol' popcorn is too boring for you, there are many natural ways to flavor it.  The boys' favorite topping is melted organic butter and a touch of sea salt.  My favorite topping is a tiny bit of extra virgin olive oil and ground peppercorns.  If you like a sweet kettle corn, try a little coconut oil, a touch of sea salt, and a little sugar (all organic of course).

So I debated on whether or not to go into why microwave popcorn is so bad for you since all I could really do is copy information from other websites.  But I didn't feel right about NOT spreading the information either, so here's the quick list of reasons to NEVER make it again:

1. The bags are lined with perfluorooctanoic acid

2. It contains chemical flavorings (such as Diacetyl)

3. It contains chemical preservatives (such as TBHQ)

4. It has more calories and trans fat

Furthermore, naturally cooked popcorn is more eco-friendly.  You can make just the amount you need, and there's no bag to throw away.  

Now, go enjoy some natural popcorn and don't forget to post your favorite popcorn topping recipes in the comments section.