Update: Since writing this post, we’ve upgraded to an air popper to avoid oil all together. Here is why you may want to consider reducing or eliminating oil in your diet too. Now back to the original post….
Some of the best recipes are accidental. My daughter was enjoying her garlicy Italian seasoned popcorn while I was enjoying my garlicy nutritional yeast popcorn when the two collided. What happened was the most delightful discovery: compassionate pizza popcorn!
Here’s how to make it on purpose.
Making homemade popcorn on the stove in a pot is quick and easy. Here’s how I do it.
1. For years I have used unrefined, dark peanut oil. You can find this at Whole Foods or you may have to order it from your local health food store. It is generally not a stock item in ordinary grocery stores. DO NOT confuse this with just any peanut oil…it has to be dark and unrefined. Look for “unrefined” on the label.
Recently I tried popping corn in red palm oil, however I think the dark peanut oil tastes MUCH better. The red palm oil left a strange coating in my mouth which I didn’t like, plus the dark peanut oil makes the popcorn taste buttered…which it’s not. The red palm oil didn’t give it that flavor.
I know many people use coconut oil for popping corn. I’ve not tried that but will one day when I find myself unexpectedly out of my favorite peanut oil.
Most popping corn, at the store or in the movie theater, is by variety non-GMO. However, if the option is available, still purchase organic popcorn kernels to be extra safe.
2. Cover the bottom of a pan with kernels and pour dark peanut oil over it enough to cover all the kernels. To get the best pop, you need to use ample oil to fully heat each kernel. Every kernel should be generously coated in oil.
3. Put on the pot lid and allow the kernels and oil to heat. (The below photo was taken right before I did that.)
4. Then let the magic happen! Be sure to slide the pan back and forth so that kernels do not stick and burn. If you use ample kernels like I do, you will probably need to unload some of the popped corn into a bowl and let the remaining kernels have space to do their popping. This all depends on the size of your pot.
5. After the corn is popped, transfer it to a bowl and immediately & generously sprinkle it with sea salt, garlic powder, Italian seasoning blend (oregano, marjoram, thyme, basil, rosemary, sage), and nutritional yeast.
6. Enjoy your compassionate, whole grain vegan pizza popcorn! Often!
Additional Resources
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
YUM! I absolutely love my popcorn covered in brewers yeast! I can’t wait to try this variation. :):)
I hope you like it as much as we do Christina!
Brewer’s yeast and nutritional yeast are two different things. And it looks delish!!!
Yes! Thanks for adding that!
“The difference is that with nutritional yeast, the Saccharomyces Cerevisiae is not obtained from the brewing industry but is grown on molasses or some other medium. As is true with making Brewer’s Yeast into a nutritional supplement, Nutritional Yeast is deactivated, dried and made into a powder or flakes.”