When most people think about entertaining at home, their minds turn to cozy winter gatherings or summer barbecues. But in Las Vegas, entertaining isn’t tied to just one season. Thanks to the desert climate and a culture that embraces both indoor and outdoor living, many homeowners in Southern Nevada enjoy hosting family, friends, and neighbors […]
Looking for the perfect snack that is healthy, simple and has plenty of available toppings? Popcorn clearly wins in each of these categories! Popcorn is versatile, full of fiber and very low in fat (at least when it’s not doused with butter and salt). Skip the “Movie Theater Butter” and get creative when flavoring plain popcorn! Rather than butter, use a healthy oil substitute such as vegetable or coconut – this will help your choice of toppings to stick to the fluffy kernels.
Are you in the mood for sweet or savory? If you are craving sweet, mix together a dash of cinnamon to a teaspoon of natural sugar. Sprinkle the mix over top of popcorn in a large bowl, then toss. Continue to add the mixture and toss the popcorn. This will ensure that all of the kernels get an even coating of flavor. Natural vanilla extract can be used as well. If you must use butter, pair a small amount of melted butter with a couple drops of vanilla extract and pour the mix over popcorn and continue to toss the kernels to evenly distribute the flavor.
If you are craving savory then garlic parmesan may be the way to go. Sprinkle your popcorn with garlic seasoning. Next sprinkle parmesan cheese (the kind you put on top of pizza) onto your popcorn. This snack is delicious and can really help with savory cravings. Another option is to sprinkle popcorn salt (ground finer than table salt) and nutritional yeast (this can be found at a health food store and has the added benefit of containing protein and B12!)
For spicy food lovers, turn to spicy flavored popcorn! You can add spice to popcorn by using ground red pepper, spicy paprika seasoning or ground black pepper and a dash of salt. For a powerful punch, pair chili powder with paprika. For a zingy flavor mix a tablespoon of vegetable oil with several drops of lime juice and carefully drizzle over popcorn.
Get creative and think outside of the box. Search your pantry and spice racks for healthier options to flavor popcorn with. If you like a certain flavor, most likely you will enjoy it on your healthy plain popcorn snack!