popcorn Archives • A Sweet Pea Chef

Let's hear it for the snack of all snacks! Popcorn is crunchy, savory, incredibly versatile, AND it can be healthy. This post will show you how to make this healthy homemade popcorn recipe on the stove, and with recipe suggestions too! One of the biggest struggles I hear from the men and women in my free healthy eating facebook community is...snacking. Snacking too late. Snacking too much. Snacking on the wrong foods. Snacking on too many good foods. Not knowing what to snack on. And so on. Now, I'm actually all about snacking and consider myself a snacking advocate. Sometimes I have 2-3 snacks each day in between meals because, frankly, I like food. So I've recently started making my own popcorn and seasoning it myself so I can control the ingredients and flavors. Have you ever made your own popcorn on the stove? It's ah-MAZE-ing! Every time, without fail, the little kid in me gets all giddy when I hear the first pop. I personally prefer it this way because it tastes way better than microwave popcorn (which has a ton of additives you don't really want in your system.) Plus it's so dang simple! Popcorn + coconut oil + heat = popcorn. Keep reading to learn how to make the best tasting and healthiest popcorn possible. Is Stovetop Popcorn Good For Weight Loss? Yes - I'm pleased to report that popcorn is good for weight loss! Out of all the snacks that you can eat while on a fitness journey, popcorn is one of the healthiest...when it's not drowning in butter and salt, of course. Just always keep in mind that moderation is key. This healthy homemade popcorn recipe works so well with our bodies because, when homemade and unflavored, it is low in calories, fat, and sugar. But higher in fiber (yay fiber!). As a matter of fact, around 100 grams of popcorn contains 15 grams of fiber which more than enough to satisfy your required daily intake. Did you know that fiber is actually linked to weight los s and digestive health? Do I Need Oil To Make Popcorn? Nope! You don't really need oil or butter to make popcorn kernels pop. You can actually just use water and it will still pop the same way. Adding oil or butter to your popcorn is mainly for flavor and to act as grease to prevent it from burning. So if you want to try water, just pour enough to keep the kernels covered but not floating. If the kernels haven't popped and the water has already evaporated, feel free to add just a tad bit more. Which Oil Is The Healthiest For Homemade Popcorn? Personally I would use coconut oil (as y'all already know!) whenever I make my popcorn. Alternatively, you can also opt for avocado oil, walnut oil, or sunflower oil. Just remember that if you're planning to use some other oil, make sure that it has a smoke point that is at par with what's needed to make your popcorn, basically pop. Because burnt popcorn is no fun! How To Make My Healthy Homemade Popcorn Recipe Dairy-free Vegan? Popcorn in its unflavored form is generally vegan. But when you start adding animal products - found in butter and cheese - it no longer qualifies. So if you want dairy-free popcorn, make it at home with oil instead of butter. I've made several different toppings so far, like cinnamon and coconut sugar, cilantro and lime, and this parmesan and sea salt popcorn. Let me tell you. The flavor is super fresh and vibrant -- SO different than your typical microwaveable popcorn. How To Make Stovetop Popcorn So enough talking, here's the lowdown on how you can pop your own popcorn! Use a heavy-bottomed pot: I strongly recommended that you use a good quality and thick pan. Why? When making stovetop popcorn you need to make sure that the heat is evenly distributed. Otherwise you might end end up with burnt corn.Choose the right oil: I've already said this earlier, but just in case y'all forgot, you need to use an oil that has a high smoke point.Cover it with a lid: Guys, I know this seems like common sense, but I've seen a lot of funny popcorn gone wrong videos. So, just a friendly reminder, don't forget to cover it with a lid!Use 4 kernels for temperature test: To make sure your pan has the right temperature, add 3-4 kernels first and cover the pan with a lid. Once they've popped take them out, and pour the remaining kernels into the pan.Tilt the lid slightly: No one wants soggy popcorn. So once the popping stops you need to tilt the lid just ever so slightly so the popcorn doesn't get steamed.Listen closely: Once the popping starts to dwindle down with around 2-3 second lulls in between, that's when you know it's time to take it off the stove. Get seasoning: After transferring your popcorn into your go-to bowl, add your preferred seasoning. And voila-healthy homemade popcorn! How Do I Make The Salt Stick To The Popcorn? If you aren't planning to use any butter, one way to go make sure that your salt doesn't end up at the bottom of the bowl is to use superfine salt. TIP: You can use a mortar and pestle or run regular salt through your food processor making it more of a fine dust than granules. How To Store Healthy Homemade Popcorn? Stovetop popcorn is always best enjoyed fresh! But if you're like our family that tends to make quite a big batch this healthy homemade popcorn recipe (more than we can finish ever!) then you'll need this hack... Drumroll, please! The best way to store your homemade popcorn is to seal it in an air-tight container then set it aside in your freezer. This might come as a shock for you ( as it did for me!) but freezing the popcorn will keep it fresh for a longer period. And some trivia! Popcorn never fully freezes, so you don't have to worry about the texture changing. Just make sure that you don't refreeze it once you've taken it out of the freezer. Every time I made this homemade popped corn, I always felt like it satisfied my cravings while keeping my body happy. Plus, you can add in whole, clean foods to flavor the popcorn, to make it extra good. Overall, this is a big win for us snackers looking for healthy snacks. Enjoy! More Healthy Snacks Recipes If you're craving for more healthy snacks that you can easily whip up, here are some of my favorites that I'm sure you'll enjoy! High-protein snacks for weight lossHealthy after school snacks Easy homemade baked pita chips Parmesan & Sea Salt Popcorn This Parmesan & Sea Salt Popcorn is the perfect healthy snack to meet your crunchy, savory cravings! 1/4 cup coconut oil2/3 cup popcorn kernels (divided)1-2 tsp olive oil1/3 cup finely chopped italian parsley2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese1/2 tsp sea salt Heat a heavy-bottom pot with a lid over medium high heat. I use my Dutch oven, but any big pot will do.Add the coconut oil plus just 4 popcorn kernels into the pot.Cover and cook for 4-6 minutes, or until all 4 of the kernels have popped - you’ll be able to hear them pop.Remove the lid once the 4 kernels have popped and take out the popped popcorn. Doing this ensures the temperature is perfect when you add the rest of the kernels.Add the remaining kernels.Cover the pot and cook, shaking frequently, for 2-5 minutes or until the popping dies down quite a bit.Once you can only hear just a pop or so every second, remove the pot from heat and take off the lid. This will allow the popcorn to dry out a little from releasing the moisture.Take 4 cups of the freshly popped popcorn and toss with the olive oil, finely chopped italian parsley, grated parmesan, and 1/2 tsp. sea salt.Store in an airtight container. Clean, Healthy, Kid-Friendly, SnackEasypopcorn salt, salt popcorn, sea salt popcorn This post contains affiliate links for products I use regularly and highly recommend