Healthy Taco Popcorn
- Level: Easy
- Yield: Four 2-cup servings, plus leftover spice blend
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- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Calories
- 170
- Total Fat
- 11 grams
- Saturated Fat
- 6 grams
- Cholesterol
- 25 milligrams
- Sodium
- 360 milligrams
- Carbohydrates
- 16 grams
- Dietary Fiber
- 3 grams
- Sugar
- 2 grams
- Protein
- 4 grams
- Total: 20 min
- Active: 15 min
Ingredients
Taco Spice Mix:
20 large sun-dried tomatoes (not oil-packed; about 3 ounces), cut into 1/4-inch strips
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Pinch cayenne pepper
Kosher salt
Popcorn:
1 teaspoon olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup popcorn kernels
Directions
Special equipment:
A spice grinder- Make the Spice Mix: Put half the tomato strips in a single layer on a microwavable plate. Microwave in 30-second increments, checking the texture in between, until they begin to harden but are still red and slightly pliable, 1 to 2 minutes. (They may begin to brown and taste bitter if cooked too long.) Let sit until cool and completely hardened, about 2 minutes. Repeat with the remaining tomato strips.
- Transfer the cooled tomato strips to a spice grinder, and grind to a powder. Discard any pieces that won't grind. Add the nutritional yeast, chili powder, cumin, oregano, cayenne and 1 teaspoon salt, and grind to a fine powder.
- Make the taco popcorn: Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the popcorn kernels. When one pops, cover the pot, and cook, shaking the pot constantly, until the popping subsides to 1 pop every 20 seconds. Pour in the melted butter, and toss to coat. Add 2 heaping tablespoons of taco spice and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and toss again to coat.
- Store the remaining taco spice blend at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. (You'll have enough to make 3 more batches of popcorn.)