NO-Sugar & Spice Popcorn

Beautiful Monday morning! This is my favorite kind of weather: sunny but not too hot. This is why I love autumn. Unfortunately, by the end of the week, we are supposed to be back up to summer temps. Guess I better enjoy this while it lasts...

We are into the second week of the new school year and so far so good. Packing Big A lunch and snacks every day hasn't been as painful as I expected, but we are still working with a narrow variety of approved menu options: along with the requisite fresh fruit and veggies, she is okay with: cheese and crackers; hard boiled eggs and home-made muffins; tuna-cheese quesadillas; and veggie dogs. Thankfully, the school offers a pizza day on Fridays featuring organic, whole grain pizza from a local business. That leaves me off the hook one day a week at least. As far as snacks, I've been avoiding the usual packaged/processed items and I've been packing her home-made cookies or other baked goods and home-made microwave popcorn.

Usually when I make her popcorn, I just add a bit of melted Becel and some Herbamare sea salt, but I decided to try doing a sweet version and both she and Little A absolutely LOVE IT! I love that it's so easy to make and healthier than most snack-food counterparts.

NO-Sugar and Spice Popcorn

1/4 cup popping corn
1 tbls extra virgin coconut oil
1 tbls xylitol, erythritol, Splenda or liquid stevia, to taste
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Pour popcorn in a paper bag and fold over opening. Place in the microwave and cook on high for 90 seconds. Remove and dump into large bowl. Put coconut oil, sweetener and cinnamon in a microwave-safe bowl and cook for about 30 seconds, or until oil is melted. Pour over popcorn and toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle with additional cinnamon, if desired. Store in an airtight container.

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