Honey Butter Popcorn

Popcorn has to be, hands down one of my top ten favorite foods. It's cheap, full of fiber and can be thrown together in minutes, making a great snack or dinner option when I'm not that hungry but still want a little sumpthin' to munch on.  As much as I love the traditional butter/salt combo, I usually drizzle my popcorn with a healthier fat like flax, hempseed, or a nice extra virgin olive oil.  When it comes to toppings, I'm a huge fan of nutritional yeast flakes and sea salt. Nutritional yeast is an inactive yeast that has a nutty, cheesy flavor and as a bonus is high in protein and B vitamins.

To switch things up a bit, I'm always looking for new ways to flavor my popcorn.  Some of my favorite combinations include:
Truffle oil and parmesan cheese
Toasted sesame oil, sesame seeds and dulse or nori flakes (dried seaweeds)
Olive oil and zaatar (a blend of sesame seeds, sumac, oregano, thyme, marjoram and sea salt)
Coconut oil and curry powder

I've heard of people topping their popcorn with butter, cinnamon and sugar and the idea has never really done it for me.  When I make popcorn, it's usually because I need salt and fat, and lots of it. I recently came across a recipe for honey butter popcorn and decided to leave my comfort zone and give it a whirl.

Let's just say I've made this three times in the past week and it just might be my new favorite snack when I want something on the sweet side and there isn't a single thing in the house other than popcorn, coconut oil, honey and salt (this is only a SLIGHT exaggeration). 

This combination has everything you could want in a snack: fat, sugar, salt and crunch.

Need I say more?

Honey Butter Popcorn
From Food Loves Writing
http://foodloveswriting.com/2013/01/15/melissa-colemans-honey-butter-popcorn/

2 tablespoons coconut oil 
1/2 cup organic popcorn kernels 
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons raw honey 
sea salt to taste

Melt coconut oil in a large stockpot with a lid. Place two kernels of unpopped corn in the pot and cover it. Once you hear the kernels pop, take off the lid and add the 1/2 cup kernels. Put the cover back on and shake the pot. Cook over medium heat, shaking the pot again once or twice, until all you stop hearing popping sounds (about five minutes or so).
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt the butter, honey and a pinch of salt over low heat. When the popcorn kernels stop popping, turn off the heat. Transfer popcorn to a large bowl and toss with the honey-butter mixture.