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Did you know a superfood could be this tasty? Free from gluten, dairy, and filled with nutrients. Spirulina popcorn is ready in 15 minutes and can be brought on airplanes, put in a school lunch box, or make the perfect addition to at home movie nights.
I first discovered Spirulina Popcorn when I was at a cookout in Ghana. I saw green popcorn and my immediate thought was, who would eat that??
It wasn’t until I got really hungry and decided to try the Spirulina popcorn and soon enough, I found myself buying 4 bags! This easy to make kid- friendly snack is an easy hack to include more nutrient dense superfoods into your diet.
Want more yummy and easy to make plant based recipes? Check out all the snacks on the Ital Eats and Treats Food Blog
The perfect back to school snack
If you don’t want to send your kiddos to school with unhealthy and preservative filled, nutrient lacking potato chips, try this recipe! Spirulina is packed with protein and may help to boost the immune system. Don’t worry if you’re afraid of the over bearing algae taste, the other ingredients in this recipe pair for a match made in heaven and provide a delicious and healthy savoury snack.
Have kids who are picky eaters? This Spirulina popcorn recipe is a great way for them to get their greens in while actually enjoying what they are eating.
Some links may be affiliate which means I may earn a small commission from any items purchased at not extra cost to you. (:
Spirulina Popcorn: What you’ll need
Making spirulina popcorn is quite simple and should be a breeze for beginners. There are only a few ingredients required and can either be purchased through amazon or a local health food store.
Popcorn kernels
Of course you can’t make a banging popcorn without kernels! Be sure to purchase un-seasoned or un-buttered, organic kernels.
Spirulina
You can’t have Spirulina Popcorn without the Spirulina! There are many places to get your hands on this superfood but the most convenient for was purchasing a well rated brand from amazon. Here is the kind I used.
Grapeseed Oil
Any oil can be used for this recipe but since we’re trying to keep this as healthy and low fat as possible, I used graspeseed. It is alkaline in nature, neutral tasting and has an extremely high heating point, much higher than coconut oil or olive oil.
Nutritional Yeast
The star of this dish is surprisingly not the spirulina but nutritional yeast. This is an ingredient loved by many vegans to imitate a “cheesy” flavour. Grab a bottle of my favorite nutritional yeast here.
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Black Pepper
Adding a pinch or crack of freshly ground Black pepper makes for a nice taste without adding too much spice!
Cayenne Pepper
If you’re afraid of a little heat this ingredient can be skipped but I feel the cayenne gives the popcorn the kick that it needs.
How to make Spirulina Popcorn
This snack that tastes like it should cost ten dollars from Whole Foods is actually ready in under 20 minutes!
1. Heat a pot with oil
2. Add in the popcorn kernels
3. Cover pot and allow the kernels to pop
4. Once majority or 75% of the kernels have popped, turn the stove to low heat or completely off
5. Combine the remaining oil and dry ingredients into a bit bowl and add the popcorn stirring evenly.
6. Eat while warm or save it for later. Enjoy with friends or snack on them by yourself!
See how easy that was? This snack that seems complicated is actually SO easy to make and can be in your mouth after just a few simple steps.
Health benefits of Spirulina
Spirulina is a superfood algae that offers an insane amount of benefits.
The green is packed with antioxidants, may help to improve the immune system, contains high amounts of copper and iron, and even help to fight against anemia.
Served on its own, the taste can be quite strong with a sea-y smell but paired with other ingredients and thrown into smoothies or tossed into popcorn, spirulina powder can have such an unforgettable taste (in a good way).
All the more reason to make this powerful (yet tasty) back to school snack!
How to store Spirulina Popcorn
Be sure to keep the popcorn in an airtight container as soon as the batch is finished. Freshly popped popcorn can absorb the moisture in the air making it soggy after a few hours. Best bet is a container that lets no air in or a tightly sealed plastic baggy.
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