New Traditional Peanut Butter Popcorn

I do love living in Brisbane - but I so miss autumn. A real autumn, where the leaves turn and the nights get frosty ... and in just a couple weeks the kiddies will dress up and prowl the streets for chocolate and candy corn and lollipops and tootsie rolls and maybe even the random homemade goodie.

Halloween.



Here in Australia, Halloween just isn't that big. Though you do see a child or two out, our door has never been knocked on for treats, and we live in the city. I'm torn between being a little bit sad, and also a little bit relieved ... because Halloween is the epitome of a conflict I feel all the time. How do I balance between letting my kid be a kid and making sure she doesn't eat too much of the icky stuff? Every time she asks me for a piece of cake I debate this to myself.

And sometimes I just eat the cake myself, to protect her.

So my very temporary kind of solution is to make Nelle a Halloween-ish type of treat that actually has nutrients and fats and proteins in it. Good ones. Maybe it'll become part of our own Halloween tradition.

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New Traditional Peanut Butter Popcorn

Serves 4-6
Adapted from Wholefood for Children

Ingredients
1/2 c popcorn
2 Tbs coconut oil

The topping
1/3 c rice malt syrup
2 Tbs maple syrup
1/4 c peanut butter

*As always, try to use organic when you can

1. Preheat the oven to 180C (350F)

2. Heat the coconut oil in a large, heavy pot over med-high heat. Make sure the pot has a lid. When the oil's melted, add your popcorn and swirl it all around so all the kernels get coated in oil. Then put the lid on and wait to hear popping.

3. Keep swirling your pot around periodically as you hear the kernels popping - you don't want any to burn. When the popping has slowed down significantly and you can't hear many unpopped kernels in the bottom - remove the popcorn from the heat and set aside.

4. Put all the topping ingredients in a small saucepan and stir over med heat until everything has liquified. Mix well, and remove from heat. Then let the topping cool for a few minutes (so you don't burn your hands in the next step!).

5. When it's cooled down a little, pour the topping over the popcorn and mix it all around with your hands to make sure it's evenly distributed. Then pour the peanut butter popcorn out onto a lined baking tray and put it into the oven.

6. Bake the popcorn for 10-15 min until it's golden brown. You'll have to stir it frequently so it doesn't overcook on any one side. When it's all ready, remove the tray from the oven and spoon your popcorn into whatever bowl you feel up to.

This popcorn seems to store well in an airtight container, if you have any left.




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How much did this cost me?

My batch was all organic - and cost me around $3.50. And didn't cost me an ounce of guilt. Yay!

Amanda xx

Comments

  1. Ahh. Luckily for my parents, I was never a huge fan of sweets but I went trick-or-treating for the dressing up and the whole going out at night fun. MM! I feel sad that I've kind of gotten too old for that but this is a snack that is so much better for you than my favorite BUTTERED+SALTED popcorn but this is Peanut Buttered. :)

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  2. Karen, you will NEVER hear me say that butter is not good for you. :)

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  3. very heroic of you to eat the cake to protect Nelle.... If only I had such a good excuse !!
    great pic!
    oh and the popcorn looks very yummy too.

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  4. It just goes to show we can ALL be heroes!

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  5. "And sometimes I just eat the cake myself, to protect her." Preach it, sister! I do the VERY same thing.

    This popcorn sounds wonderful. I make a traditional caramel corn (and then I have to work overtime to protect my children), but I think I'll have to give this one a whirl. Thanks!

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  6. Hi Jennifer - I'm so glad I'm not the only one! I also fill her up on bran muffins before birthday parties ... do you do that, too? (Please say yes)

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Thanks for commenting! Amandaxx