As you know, we’re registered dietitians, personal trainers, veggie lovers—and we have a sweet tooth. Yes, you know we have a thang for chocolate (remember these yumsters? Microwave Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookie, Skinny Chocolate Chunk Cookies, Skinny Oreo Balls, and Chocolate Drizzled Granola Balls. And growing up, although our mom cooked all of the meals she served us from scratch, using wholesome ingredients and she insisted that we had three nutritious meals daily, with vegetables, protein and high fiber carbohydrates, she also allowed us to have a small serving of dessert after dinner, daily. Phew—and thank goodness! Thanks for keeping us sane, Mom! 🙂
We still keep this habit to this day. We believe if you eat healthfully all day and leave a little room for a small treat, it’s perfectly OK to have one. It keeps us and our clients on track, prevents feelings of deprivation and it reminds us to savor and enjoy some of our favorite foods. Our mom would usually give us the choice of one of her homemade baked goods (she always baked and cut the sugar in half from original recipes—thank goodness they still tasted delicious), some ice cream, fruit or popcorn. With our killer sweet tooth, you may be surprised to know that we often chose her air-popped popcorn for dessert. We loved popping it in our mouth and the crunch. And apparently, we’re not the only popcorn fans. Our clients tell us that they love having popcorn for a snack and that it feels like a real treat. The truth is popcorn is actually really healthy—and we can’t wait to share this crunchster with ya! 😉
Popcorn is delicious and kale is the hot kid on the block—and we’re huge fans of both. Since not everyone loves kale the way we do, we’ve got an intimidation-free way for you to get some of this nutrient-packed food into your life. We’ve put popcorn and kale together in this amazing snack! For those of you who don’t like kale, you might find that you will like it after trying this recipe. This is a unique way to get in your leafy greens and a great dose of fiber from popcorn. This smart snack is light in calories (only 126 calories in 3 cups!), but high in flavor.
Believe it or not, popcorn is a whole grain—so just like oatmeal and brown rice, it’s packed withfiber and antioxidants. Throw out those chips and cookies and bring on the popcorn! Recent studies have shed light on the multiple health benefits of this delicious snack. And just like other whole grains, including popcorn as one of your three daily whole grain servings helps to lower your risk of diabetes and heart disease. (Just make sure your popcorn isn’t smothered in high calorie, artery clogging butter.
Another bonus? Most people have trouble getting their greens. The kale in this snack sneaks some vitamin C (plays a role in collagen formation–helps to promote healthy, younger looking skin) and vitamin A into your day. .
Cajun & Kale Popcorn
This crunchy yummy snack includes Cajun spice which is a great way to kick up the flavor, and it sneaks in kale which when roasted, loses the bitter flavor so it’s a great way to get your greens for those who don’t typically love them. This popcorn is a whirlwind of rich flavor.
Makes 1
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup popcorn kernels or 3 cups air popped popcorn (non-GMO)
- 1 cup fresh kale
- Olive oil in a spray container
- 1 tsp. Cajun spice
- 1 tsp. lime juice
Directions:
Put ¼ cup popcorn kernels in air pop popcorn maker and place prepared popcorn in a large bowl. (If you don’t have an air popper, buy Skinny Pop popcorn (it’s 35 calories per cup). Spread kale on a baking sheet, spray olive oil spray and lime juice over kale. Bake kale in oven at 350 for 10 minutes or until crispy–as if you were making kale chips. Add kale into the popcorn and add the Cajun spice. Isn’t that easy? Enjoy 🙂
Nutritional Information:
Per 1 Serving (about 3-1/2 cups)
Calories 126; Fat 1g; Saturated Fat 0g; Carbohydrates 26g; Protein 5g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 30mg; Fiber 5g
- ¼ cup popcorn kernels or 3 cups air popped popcorn (non-GMO)
- 1 cup fresh
- Olive oil in a spray container
- 1 tsp. Cajun spice
- 1 tsp. lime juice
- Put ¼ cup popcorn kernels in air pop popcorn maker and place prepared popcorn in a large bowl. (If you don’t have an air popper, buy Skinny Pop popcorn (it's 35 calories per cup). Spread kale on a baking sheet, spray olive oil spray and lime juice over kale. Bake kale in oven at 350 for 10 minutes or until crispy--as if you were making kale chips. Add kale into the popcorn and add the Cajun spice. Isn’t that easy? Enjoy 🙂
