Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Almond Joy Popcorn (healthy)


It's February . . . and love is in the air. . . . Oh wait, or is it chocolate? :) Recipe Redux decided to do the theme of chocolate. While moderation is the key with all sweet foods, you can pair chocolate with healthy foods to make a snack that both satisfies cravings and gives you a health benefit. We decided to pair our chocolate with popcorn, a la a favorite little candy bar of ours, Almond Joy.

Here are some of the health benefits of popcorn:

  • Popcorn is considered a whole grain, so it has some of the same nutritional benefits as brown rice or whole wheat.
  • Popcorn has a lot of healthy antioxidants to protect you from free radicals.
  • Popcorn contains B vitamins that can give you an extra boost of energy.
  • Air-popped popcorn only contains 31 calories per cup. (At least, before you add anything.)

You can also check out our Parmesan Basil Popcorn that we posted yesterday. We've declared this week Popcorn Week on our blog, so check back later for some of our other favorite unconventional combinations. They're delicious!

Almond Joy Popcorn

Ingredients
4 C air popped popcorn
2 Tbsp coconut oil (you could also use a different kind of your choice)
1/4 tsp almond extract
1/3 C coconut
1/2 C dark chocolate chips
1/4 C chopped almonds
1/8 to 1/4 tsp salt

Directions
1. Melt coconut oil. Add almond extract to oil (carefully if your oil is hot!)
2. Slowly pour oil over popcorn, tossing as you go.
3. Top popcorn with coconut, toss again.
4. Add dark chocolate chips and almonds. You don't really need to toss it at this point, because the almonds and chips are so heavy they will fall to the bottom as you eat it.
5. Enjoy immediately!

*If desired you could shake on a little powdered sugar to make it sweeter.




Check out some of our other Redux friends' posts for this month! There are lots of healthy chocolate treats!





32 comments:

  1. I just saw Nicole @ WholeHealthRD tweet about making popcorn in coconut oil but you definitely take it to the next level! I make popcorn almost every day and I can't wait to try out this version.

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    1. Fantastic. I hope you like it. That is wonderful you eat it every day. It is a great snack. :)

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    2. I was just going to comment about that tweet! This looks amazing!!

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  2. I'm always looking for new ways to use coconut oil (read: I have a jar that's taking forever to finish). We'll definitely try your popcorn for the next movie night at our house!

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    1. Coconut Oil is wonderful, I use it in everything. I am glad that you are enjoying too.

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  3. What a great idea! I love almond joys (but never eat them... for the obvious reasons.) This is a wonderful healthy twist on a classic flavor. Yum!

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    1. I am on the same page as you. It is fun to find a healthy alternative.

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  4. love popcorn. love chocolate. love almonds. love this!

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    1. Thank You! It is hard to lose when you add great ingredients. :)

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  5. Yum! What a perfect combination, can't wait to try it!

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  6. This looks fantastic! Great way to satisfy your sweet tooth but with a healthy twist. Love it!

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    1. Exactly! A little bit of sweet but not over the top.

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  7. All of my favorite ingredients all put together!:)

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    1. I agree with you. You can't lose when you put them together.

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  8. I'm loving popcorn week! This looks like my favorite so far, but I'll have to do an informed taste test and let you know the results. :)

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    1. We will look forward to your report. :) Thank You!

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  9. Popcorn= whole grain + antioxidants in dark chocolate? Yes please!

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    1. Thanks You! It is a great way to enjoy a snack and still keep it healthy.

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  10. love the flavor combination... who wouldn't want a bowl?

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    1. Thanks You! I Hope you enjoy it. :) A guilt free snack. :)

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  11. Mmm sweet and salty popcorn. Sounds heavenly!

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    1. Thanks! I'm with you I love sweet and salty foods. :) Especially salty lately.

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  12. What a great idea, and I love the name. Much healthier than almond joy candy :-) I definitely want to make this, along with your basil parmesan popcorn. Hip, hip hooray for popcorn week!

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    1. Thanks You!It is fun to achieve a healthy treat that has some yummy flavors we all love. :)

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  13. I love sweet and savoury popcorn, this is a great recipe, thank you!

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  14. Ooh, this sounds delicious. Perfect for my daughter to take for a snack at school. I've not used coconut oil much so this is a good excuse to use it!

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    1. I am with you. I love sending healthy snacks with my family too. I hope you enjoy Coconut oil I think it is wonderful. So many health benefits.

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  15. I can't wait to try this! I might melt the chocolate and drizzle it over the cooled popcorn spread on a cookie sheet, then sprinkle that with sliced almonds so the goodies are evenly distributed. Thanks for the inspiration!

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    1. You can see how it works for you. We tried the drizzle method first, and decided it made it really messy. So we decided on the chunks. It looked really pretty drizzled. Good luck! With these ingredients you can't miss. It will taste great! :)

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  16. Yum! I love popcorn but always forget it as a snack option. I've never tried popping it in coconut oil, sounds delicious.

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