Coconut Popcorn

Hello friends,

Welcome back!!!! SOOOOOOO……who likes to snack???? I have discussed snacks before but as a Dieititian,  I get this question all the time about snacking and if it is healthy?! My response is “YES”….. however, there is snacking but then there is snacking…..get my drift! Snacking is great and I actually recommend having at least 2 snacks a day keeping the total snack under 200 calories(but not advocating counting calories here, just awarness)  and I recommend it be on the healthy side!. Snacking from the vending machine or quick stops can sometimes not end up on the healthy side but with a little pre-planning and prepping, healthy snacking can help blood sugars stay stabilized, fuel the metabolism, and keep energy going throughout the day.

Snacking does not have to be expensive or complicated so I wanted to share one of my very favorite, simple snacks that involves only 2 ingredients! This little snack is so quick to throw together yet very filling and satisfying. All you need is air popped popcorn and unsweetened coconut chips….. literally ya’ll that is it!!! Of course you could totally add more wholesome ingredients to this mix like nuts or dried fruit but today I am keeping it uber simple and budget friendly. Popcorn is a whole grain and the beautiful thing about popcorn is that 2-3 cups of air popped popcorn is considered a serving…..can I get a yahoo, that his a lot of popcorn!!!!, Coconut althought a saturated fat, it is considered a “healthy” saturated fat used in moderation. The fat from coconut is made up of medium chain triglycerides that are actually broken down and converted into energy verses being stored as body fat. Coconut is also a super antiaging food that promotes that youthful glow…..yes please!!!  When snacking I always recommend combining some kind of healthy carbohydrate with a serving or healthy fat or protein. This combination offers both quick energy from the carbohydrate source and sustained energy from the fat or protein that can really bridge that meal gap. In this snack the popcorn is the healthy carbohydrate and the unsweetened coconut chips are the fat source. Two simple, wholesome ingredients, one happy body! Enjoy!

Recipe:

2-3 cups air popped popcorn- lightly salted.

1/2-1 cup unsweetened coconut chips ( I used Kroger Simple Truth Organic)

Mix together, enjoy your quick snack!!! This is great to make ahead of time, pre-bag, grab-n-go!!