Hurray for popcorn! The guilt-free, crunchy goodness that is oh-so-satisfying when paired with a good movie, and an even better with a friend. My longtime friend Alexa treated me to this amazing combination for my last Christmas gift, with the popcorn kernels in a cute mason jar and the toppings alongside to accompany them. This recipe has been a lifesaver during these dreary January nights. After an overload of chocolate and Christmas treats, what could be better than a night in with your best gal a bowl full of guilt-free Nutritional Yeast and Dill Popcorn.
“Nutritional yeast offers a cheesy flavour and is commonly used as an alternative to parmesan cheese. It is also fortified with vitamin B12 so can be a vital ingredient in many vegan diets or for those who limit their intake of animal products”
I used organic popcorn kernels to avoid Genetically Modified corn. Fresh dill would work great when in season, you will need to use more of the fresh herb. If you have a popcorn maker at home, you can reduce the calorie load by omitting the oil. If you haven’t tried Nutritional Yeast before, now is your chance! It is the perfect amount of savoury and is high in glutamates which trigger the ‘fifth basic taste,’ known as umami or savoury taste.
Recipe for Nutritional Yeast and Dill Popcorn [100 Calorie Snack]
Ingredients
- 1/2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil and 1/2 tbsp. organic butter or coconut oil optional
- 1/4 cup organic popcorn
- 1 tbsp. organic butter or coconut oil
- 2 tbsp. nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp. dried dill
- dash of sea salt
Instructions
- If you have a popcorn maker then woohoo, life just got easier. If you are like me and have to cook your popcorn on the stove top here is a fail-proof method:
- Heat the olive oil and butter or coconut oil together in a large flat bottom saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 3 popcorn kernels and cover with a lid. Wait until the three kernels have popped - your pan is now hot enough! Remove the three kernels and pour in the rest of the kernels, ensuring they are in a single layer. Remove the pan from the heat for about 30 seconds. This ensures that the kernels are all at a near-popping temperature so they will pop evenly. Now put the pan back on the heat and cover with a lid, once the kernels start popping start to shake the pan gently. Once the popping slows down to once every few seconds, remove the popcorn from the heat and pour into a large bowl.
- While the popcorn is cooking heat the butter or coconut oil in a small saucepan to melt it.
- Once the popcorn is finished drizzle half of the butter or coconut oil onto the popcorn, followed by half of the nutritional yeast and dill. Give the popcorn a good mix and shake, then pour on the remaining ingredients. Mix until the popcorn is well and evenly coated. Season with salt. YUM!
Notes
Cut the calories: Use an air popcorn maker, or pop in a brown paper bag in the microwave
Use fresh dill: Substitute with 1/4 cup chopped fresh dillNutrition Analysis done using popcorn maker method.
Nutrition
Rachel Dickens, The Conscious Dietitian, is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator. She graduated with her Masters in Nutrition and Dietetics in 2010 from Griffith University. She strives to provide evidence-based nutrition information with a focus on plant-based nutrition, and share some of her favourite seasonal recipes and sustainable eating tips.
Kelsey M
January 13, 2015 at 4:11 pmAw man this looks like an awesome healthy snack! Love nutritional yeast!
Rachel
January 25, 2015 at 4:26 pmHey Kelsey! How good is nutritional yeast! It goes on everything!!
Camille K
January 20, 2015 at 5:13 amDill is one of my favorite herbs! Yum!
Rachel
January 25, 2015 at 4:19 pmI agree Camille! Dill is one of my favs as well!