Clean popcorn

I am always on the lookout for healthy snacks for my kids. Like most kids, they are famished when they get home from school and need something small before dinner. Usually they split an apple and some raisins, or sometimes they split a Shakeology.

They love popcorn, but I have been hesitant about getting it for them a lot because even though popcorn is healthy, all that other goo they put inside is not.

The other day at the grocery store I used Fooducate to scan the bar code on Orville Redenbacher's "Natural" microwave popcorn, and here is what it said:

A C+! Too much saturated fat.

Next to all the microwave popcorn on the shelf, I saw plain old kernels in a jar. I scanned that, too:

Wow, an A-! Low in saturated fat, low in cholesterol, and more than 24% of your daily fiber. Plus it got high marks for being minimally processed.

Whoopee! But, um, how the heck do I cook popcorn if it doesn't come in a microwavable bag?

I'm getting on in years, but I guess I'm not so old that I remember how people popped popcorn before the handy invention of the microwavable bag. I had a vague idea that it could be popped in a pot on the stove, but I wasn't really sure how to go about it. Acquiring a popcorn popping gadget was out of the question, as I am running out of space for gadgets.

After scouring the Internet for 30 seconds (that's all the scouring it takes, apparently), I found out that you can use a plain brown paper sack to pop your own corn in the microwave. However, I saw several comments that they set the bag on fire using this method. I'd like to avoid that.

Other people commented, "Hey, why don't you just use a pot like the old days?" Sounded good to me.

All you need is a good size soup pot with a lid. Something like this:

It's cool if the lid is clear so you can watch the kernels explode, but it's not necessary.

I didn't get too scientific or anything...I just melted about a tablespoon of coconut oil in the bottom of the pan, threw in 1/3 cup of kernels, put the lid on slightly askew as per the Internet's instructions, and the three of us sat back to wait. It took about 5 minutes for the kernels to pop on the strove instead of the two minutes it usually takes in the microwave, but the time investment is worth it to shed the chemicals and goo.

In the interest of full disclosure, I melted a bit of butter and put it on top along with some salt. Truth be told I'd rather give my kids straight up butter than "buttery spread product"...at least I know it's cream and salt and that's it. Used sparingly, I don't think a bit of butter is going to put them on the road to obesity.

They thought the popcorn was great and watching the kernels pop was even better. I think it's a keeper.

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Chicken Update

The chickens are now outside full-time. They have figured out how to go down the plank to get outside, but not to get back up. 

Yesterday Kate ran breathlessly inside to declare that "NADINE HAS DIARRHEA!" I'm not sure how she knows which one is Nadine, but I'm glad she's concerned about her welfare. 

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Workout of the Day

Asylum 2: X Trainer