I’ve been taking advantage of these summer nights by sticking my nose in various books that I set aside and never finished. Summer means staying up late to read good books and watch good movies, right? Late nights, however, seem to go hand in hand with pangs of hunger. How many of you have stayed up late and felt your tummy rumbling? Well, hold off on that bag of chips or package of cookies. Believe it or not, the healthiest late night snack you could have would be POPCORN!!!
No, I’m not talking about salty, butter drenched popcorn that you get at the movie theaters. I’m talking about air popped popcorn that you can make over the stove in the comforts of your own kitchen. My sister used to make it all the time when she was in middle school (it was the only useful thing she’d learned from her Life skills class). It is also the reason why our home currently has 2 unused popcorn makers, courtesy of our cousins and aunts.
Okay, let’s get on with all of the health reasons why you should choose popcorn over other snacks as a light night treat.
Health Reasons: Popcorn is high in fiber and protein while also being low in calories and fat. It’s also naturally sugar and salt free! Since popcorn is mostly air and fiber, it’s also filling. This makes it a great snack to stave off those light night cravings without causing any harm to your diet. If you’re not sold on why should reach for the popcorn when you’re hungry and it’s nearing your bedtime, well, you should be. Popcorn is incredibly versatile. You can season it with some salt, dried herbs, or even drizzle some melted chocolate on top of it. Munch away with no guilt!
Ingredients:
- 2 Tbsp canola oil (or olive oil)
- 1/2 cup popcorn kernels (Got mine from Trader Joe’s)
- Optional: salt, dried oregano, dried thyme, dried rosemary
Instructions:
- Over high heat, heat up a large pot with the oil, toss two kernels into the pot and cover it with a lid. When the two kernels pop, pour the rest of the kernels in the pot and cover. As the kernels pop, shake the pot to keep the popcorn on the bottom from burning. When the popping ceases, turn off the heat. Wait a few seconds and remove the lid.
- Pour the popcorn into a bowl. You can drizzle some olive oil over the popcorn and toss it with salt and some dried oregano and thyme (my favorite!)
So curl up on the couch, grab a good book, and stick your hand in a bowl of popcorn. No guilt, just healthy yumminess. I’m currently eating some as we speak. Late night blog post and all.
Note: A good summer read for anyone who hasn’t read this book would be The Handmaid’s Tale. It’s a Dystopian type of novel, but its world chillingly represents what ours could become. Check it out if you haven’t! A friend of mine reminded me about it and I’m so glad that I dug it up and finished it. Look at that, I’m feeding my body and my brain at the same time. Score!
I really liked it when you pointed out that popcorns are high in fiber and protein but low in fat and calorie making them amazing health foods. To think that a snack can be so healthy really got me. If that is true, then I might as well add it to my diet. Though it probably wouldn’t hurt if I add a little taste to it. Maybe the gourmet flavored popcorn that I saw will do. Thanks for sharing!