Pretty Little Apron

Snack

Garlic and Parmesan Popcorn

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garlicpopcorn

The Popcorn

I’ve discussed previously how dangerous store bought microwave popcorn is. Its infuriating to see food manufacturers using partially hydrogenated oils (trans fats!), GMO corn kernels, fake sugars, fake colors, and unknown ingredients labeled as “natural or artificial flavorings” all in a seemingly “healthy” product. These companies even stoop as low as to market their inferior products as weight loss snacks, using the weight watchers points calculations to lure in dieters wanting to make better choices. Trust me, almost every brand uses trans fats and some form of a genetically modified crop in their products!


It is super easy to make your own with real ingredients, just be sure to get corn kernels that are NON-GMO. The best thing about making your own is flavoring it yourself, to your own taste. No more overpowering fake butter taste, or “light” popcorn that is tasteless! Here is another family favorite of mine, Garlic Parmesan Popcorn.

Whole Grain Mozzarella Sticks

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mozzsticks

Who doesn’t love a good mozzarella stick once in a while? I know I do, and making them at home is simple and easy. You will not miss the fried version after tasting these, and your kids won’t either! This is a great recipe for a party, or just as a snack for your kids. You will need my Whole Grain Breadcrumb Recipe for these, which is simple and easy as well, taking only about 5-10 minutes from start to finish. I did omit the parmesan cheese from the breadcrumbs because I didn’t really think they needed any extra cheese! A batch of the breadcrumbs will give you more than enough to bread a few sticks, and save some in the refrigerator for another meal. Tonight I am making Fish Cakes so I knew whatever I had left would be used up in those. I love a recipe that is versatile and helps me plan future meals.


Recipe Rescue “Cinnabun Popcorn”

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popcorncollage Sometimes I am so utterly shocked when reading ingredients in packaged food that seem so harmless. I will never understand how the food industry takes something simple and turns it into a cocktail of dangerous chemicals and unhealthy fats. Microwaveable popcorn is no exception. The sad part is most people don’t read the ingredients because they think its obvious… corn and butter. Once I started recognizing harmful ingredients in packaged foods I stopped letting my children eat microwaveable popcorn. It wasn’t a staple in my pantry but unfortunately it is in many homes. This unsuspecting highly processed popcorn has got to go! Luckily for us it is so incredibly easy to make your own that tastes even better then some of the packaged stuff.

What’s in the Packaged Stuff and Why is it Dangerous?

Ingredients:

Popcorn Bag Contains: Orville Redenbacher’s Gourmet Popping Corn, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Less than 2% of: Cinnamon, Salt, Natural and Artificial Flavor, Butter, Color Added, Sucralose. Pouch Ingredients: Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Sugar, Less than 2% of: Natural and Artificial Flavor, Caramel Color, TBHQ and Citric Acid to Preserve Freshness.

  • Hydrogenated Oils: Highly processed synthetic fats. Cheap to produce and extend shelf life. Raise levels of bad cholesterol (LDL). High levels of LDL can result in heart attack, stroke, diabetes, and heart disease. These scary fats are the 2nd ingredient and appear twice on the list!
  • Artificial Flavor: This is a huge unknown and the reason I do not eat packaged products with this ingredient. It could be anything but it isn’t called artificial for no reason. Also appears twice on the list.
  • Sucralose: Fake sugars that just wreak havoc on our bodies. This surprises me because nothing on this package makes claims of being “diet”. Just another reason to read every ingredient.
  • Carmel Color: Controversial color additive. Commonly found in sodas, and may be linked to cancer.
  • TBHQ: tertiary butylhydroquinone….. enough said!

 

How to Make Your Own

Making microwave popcorn is so simple. As with other products I have found, I can’t believe I have gone my whole life without knowing you don’t need their chemical laden bags to pop popcorn in the microwave. All you need is a brown paper bag! Yes… those brown paper lunch bags pop popcorn the same way the prepackaged ones do. Thank goodness for Pinterest on this one! When I started popping my own I realized it was fun to come up with new combinations of toppings and my children gobbled it up like it was something really special. This Cinnabun recipe was a favorite all around. I prefer a topping that is not completely overpowering so I went on the lighter side, however you can easily add more if you find you want more sweet goodness.