There's a Whole Lotta' Poppin
Goin' On



Popcorn - the old American favorite snack food for movies, baseball games or just about anytime. It is quick, easy, nutritious and also fun. Corn, or maize as it is known to the original inhabitants of this continent, is the only cereal grain native to the Americas. It is a thick, tall grass that has been cultivated here since long before the Europeans arrived. Popped corn, carbon dated from 2300 B.C., has been found in New Mexico.

Popcorn is a particular variety of corn characterized by a hard hull and endosperm that seals in moisture content. About 14 percent of the kernel is water. When popcorn is heated the trapped moisture becomes steam, which builds up until the kernel explodes.

Nutritionally, 1 cup of popped corn contains 54 calories and two grams of protein, is high in fiber and has no fat - an all around healthy snack. But when we add butter and salt or caramel for popcorn balls we add calories, fat and sodium which are less desirable nutritionally. There are a variety of alternative seasonings however. You can get a spray bottle, fill it with a mixture of olive oil and tamari and spray your popcorn for a delightful treat. Sprinkle it with garlic granules, cayenne, Cajun Spice, nutritional yeast, kelp or a combination thereof and you practically have a meal laid before you.

To store popcorn, be sure you keep it in a sealed jar. This will keep the moisture content up. If it does become dehydrated, place the popcorn with a sprinkle of water into a sealed jar and allow it to stand for several days to regain the moisture content.

For creative ways to use or eat this versatile grain, check out The Popcorn Lover's Book by Sue Spitler and Nao Hauser. This nifty little volume expounds on the history and origins of popcorn, various popping methods, offers many recipes for flavoring your kernels (Herbed Salts, Spiced Butters), and recipes for foods like Popcorn Granola, Popcorn Stuffing, Popcorn Nachos, and a Chili Casserole with Popcorn. It also dicusses holiday uses of popcorn, and great moments in popcorn history.

What to do with all that Popcorn
  • Use it as packaging material instead of those environmentally nasty styrofoam peanuts in boxes mailed across town or across the country.
  • Use it in rainy day art projects for the kids - jewelry, sculptures or wall decorations are just a few suggestions.
  • When the winter holidays approach, you can spray paint it, string it up after it has dried and decorate your Solstice or Christmas tree.


Pistachio Popcorn
  1. Air-pop 1 cup of popcorn and place it in a large bowl along with 1 cup shelled pistachios.
  2. Preheat your oven to 350° place 1/2 cup pecan halves on a baking sheet and toast for 7 to 10 minutes. Be sure not to scorch them. When they are done, chop them coarsely and add to the popcorn and pistachios.
  3. In a small, heavy skillet or saucepan, heat 2 Tbs. canola oil over medium heat. Add 1/2 tsp. curry powder and 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. sea salt and sauté for a few seconds. Add 1/2 cup of maple syrup and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. The syrup should boil and be uniformly bubbly.
  4. Pour the hot syrup mixture over the popcorn and nut meats and stir well to coat. Let cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
  5. To serve break into clusters. Makes 8 cups of popcorn mix.
      Note: Brown rice syrup, honey or barley malt may be substituted for the maple syrup.

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This page built by Ray Neff andDavid ResSeguie Last update: May 23, 1996