Homemade Rosemary Popcorn
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One of the best cooking fragrances by far is the scent of corn kernels cooking in coconut oil and rosemary. This is an aroma that has become quite common in my household, since I come from a family of fanatic popcorn lovers. This recipe was created to provide my family members and patients with a much healthier (and tastier) alternative to microwave popcorn, which typically contains genetically modified corn kernels, homogenized dairy, and diacetyl (which is a butter flavoring associated with inflammation and scarring of the airways). If you are a heavy microwave user, now is the time to start using your stovetop, since the radiation from microwave cooking destroys the nutritional quality of the food and is harmful to the human body. In fact, I recommend all patients start heavily weaning down on their dependance of microwave cooking for this very reason.
The three standout ingredients that make this recipe so delicious are nutritional yeast, coconut oil, and rosemary. Nutritional yeast is created by allowing a naturally occurring yeast called Saccharomyces Cerevisiae to ferment and grow using a natural sweetener such as molasses or cane sugar. Once the yeast has grown in sufficient amounts, it is deactivated with heat to stop it from further growing. The yeast is then fragmented into flakes that provide a delicious cheesy flavor that is dairy-free. Nutritional yeast is an excellent source of B Vitamins (which play a major role in metabolism and energy production) and a trace element called molybdenum (which is necessary in aiding the body’s removal of waste products including sulfites). When purchasing nutritional yeast, it is very important that you buy the “non fortified” version, since many nutritional yeast products on the market are fortified with synthetic vitamins. The nutty flavor from the coconut oil and the lemon-pine flavor from rosemary combine to create a wonderful aroma as your popcorn is cooking. In addition, they provide a delicious complementary taste to your new favorite crunchy treat. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
Serves 2
1/2 cup non-GMO popcorn kernels
3 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried rosemary
Sea Salt to taste
Nutritional Yeast for topping
Instructions (stovetop)
1) Put coconut oil, rosemary, and kernels in a large soup pot that has a tight-fitting lid. Put heat on medium-high.
2) Frequently (careful - hot!) pick up pot (with lid tightly fastened) and swirl contents around to prevent kernels from burning.
3) When popping stops, remove from heat and keep lid on for another minute (in case a kernel is about to pop).
4) Sprinkle with nutritional yeast and sea salt. Enjoy!
