Homemade: Kettle Corn

Popcorn used to be my favorite snack as a kid, definitely being eaten daily after school, and sometimes willingly being subbed out for meals. Did anyone else have such an obsession with the kettle corn microwavable packs? Seriously, I love popcorn. I was heartbroken after reading Food Babe's article on Why Microwave Popcorn Is An Absolute Health Nightmare, so I quickly made the switch to air popping my own.  It took some time to get used (i.e. burning a lot of batches), but have finally been able to reproduce microwavable kettle corn on a healthier, tastier level.

Popcorn is a great low calorie snack, quick to make, and easy to take on the go or smuggle into movie theaters.  Make sure the kernels you purchase are Non GMO & Organic.  If you haven't seen & rented the documentary Genetic Roulette, it's amust watch. 

Using coconut crystals keeps the sugar content low on this kettle corn, with only 4 grams per tablespoon.  Feel free to use more or less, depending on your own body's response to sugar. 

Homemade Kettle Corn 

Ingredients:

+  1/3 c. non-gmo popcorn kernels

+  2 tbs. coconut oil  (use more as drizzle after popped, if desired)

+  3-4 tbs. coconut sugar crystals

+  salt, if desired

+ large saucepan & lid

1.  Heat coconut oil in pan w/ lid on

2.  Pour kernels in oil after its warm

3.  Wearing oven mitts, hold pan and gently shake the kernels, making sure they don't burn.

4.  Continue shaking as they pop.

5.  Turn off heat before the last kernel pops & drizzle in melted coconut oil or grass fed butter.

6.  Sprinkle coconut crystals and a dash of salt.

7.  Shake some more.

Be sure to also try Food Babe's Superfood Popcorn and let me know what other combinations to try. Happy Snacking!

Go-To Veggie Dish

I recently went through an extensive candida cleanse, which pretty much included eating only vegetables for a good number of weeks.  I literally had no cooking experience at this point, and this dish became my go-to for nourishment and kicking the candida.  This dish is one of my favorites, and far too quick & simple to make.  Not only is it jam packed with crazy amounts of preventative medicine, but also tastes quite unlike any vegetable stir-fry I've tried before.

1. Gather & chop your favorite mixture of veggies. I use (lots) of organic broccoli, carrots, onions, mushrooms and green peppers.

2. Heat 2 tbs. coconut oil in a medium plan. Once melted, add turmeric and let sit in oil as it heats.  (This maximizes the health benefits)

3. Add carrots, cook 2 minutes.

4. Add onions & peppers, cook 2 minutes.

5. Add broccoli, mushrooms, & chopped garlic, cook 2 minutes.

6. Turn heat off & sprinkle with hemp hearts, if desired.

I also like to season this dish with the season salt from The Real Salt Co, pictured in the first photo above.  This company sells unrefined, all natural sea salts, as well as addicting seasonings. Real Salt makes sure you get trace minerals back in your body, which are critical for heart and brain function, and are always missing from traditional table salt. I buy mine locally from my hometown in Southern Nevada @ Wellness 2000 Int'l, my go-to health store.

Hemp Hearts are my favorite source of magnesium, and I've been sprinkling them on everything lately (to help my sleep).

If you're looking for ingredients to help fight your candida, look no further than coconut oil, garlic, and onions. Coconut oil contains caprylic acid, which is a powerful anti-fungal and actually kills the cell walls of candida.  Garlic is also a great anti-fungal, but really helps with stimulating the liver & colon in detoxification and boosting good gut bacteria.  Onions are anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, AND anti-parasitic, making them beneficial on many levels.

Feel free to mix & match different vegetables, spices, and toppings for the benefits you're looking for in your own health.  Be sure to share what mixtures are your favorites!