Fourth of July Popcorn | Popcorn & Chocolate

Popping 4th of July

Fourth of July Popcorn | Popcorn & ChocolateHello popcorn lovers! Can you believe it’s already almost the 4th of July? What are all you doing? For me every year is different. When I was little, my family used to go to the local park and watch the fireworks with our close friends. I always loved this since they set up a carnival and rides beforehand. My dad and I used to bike down early in the day so I could play on the rides. I always remember one year he bought me a balloon and just as we left, the balloon popped because it was so hot out! I was sad so we went back and got another. We got half way home on the bike with this balloon before, POP! We ended up just going home, and my dad drove back later and got me a new balloon. I kept this one until it got small and pruney. Thanks dad :)

Strawberry Pie Flavored Popcorn | Popcorn & Chocolate

Holiday Popcorn | Popcorn & Chocolate

More recently I prefer to grill up some good food, make a refreshing drink, and watch the Macy’s fireworks on TV. I know that’s lame, but it’s always fun to watch! Plus, then you can pop up a huge fresh batch of popcorn and eat it right out of the bowl. And lately I’ve been dreaming up this delicious red white and blue inspired sweet treat for your 4th of July get-together. This strawberry pie popcorn is sweet and decadent without being too over the top. The best part is that it’s not too messy, so you could pack it up in tupperware with your picnic and bring it to share with whoever you watch the fireworks with. But be warned, you might want to hoard it all for yourself. It’s that good. Plus, it’s very allergy friendly – there’s no dairy, nuts, peanuts, shellfish, or gluten here! Just freeze dried strawberries, coconut butter, coconut oil, salt and sugar. Simple and delicious! What are you waiting for? Let’s get popping!

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Ingredients: Serves 2 hungry popcorn lovers or a group of 3-4

  • 1/4 cup Freeze dried strawberries  (we bought them at Target, but Trader Joes also has a good selection)
  • 1.5 tablespoons slightly melted Coconut butter
  • 1.5-2 tablespoons melted Coconut oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla sugar (if you don’t have vanilla sugar you can just use the sugar of your choice)
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1/4 cup kernels

Instructions:

  1. Pop up your kernels either on the stove top or in an air popper and then lay out on parchment paper on top of a baking sheet
  2. Preheat your oven to about 200 degrees Fahrenheit
  3. Grind the freeze dried strawberries, the vanilla sugar and the salt together in the food processor for a couple of seconds or until the strawberries are a fine powder
  4. Mix together the coconut butter, 1.5 tablespoons of the coconut oil, and about half of the strawberry mixture in a small bowl
  5. Drizzle the remaining coconut oil over the popcorn and then sprinkle the remaining strawberry mixture on top of it
  6. Drizzle the coconut butter mixture on top of the popcorn
  7. Pop in the oven for about 5 minutes – you don’t want it to burn!

Strawberry pie fourth of July popcorn | Popcorn & chocolate

Strawberry Pie Fourth of July Popcorn | Popcorn & Chocolate4th of July popcorn recipe | Popcorn & Chocolate

Salted Caramel Popcorn

Caramel Popcorn

Oh popcorn how I love thee. I love it when you are buttery. I love it when you are kettle-y. I love it when you are cheesy. I love it when you are spicy. I love it when you are sweet. Oh but I especially love it when you are sweet. I will just eat you up I love you so.

Caramel Popcorn

Do you like my ballad to popcorn? I figured it was about time I let them know how much I do truly love them. I mean I did name part of our blog because of them…

Salted Caramel Popcorn

Recently Rose and I have been popping all sorts of delicious popcorn creations in the kitchen. We thought in case there was anyone else out there who possibly loves popcorn as much as us two that we would share one of said recipes for you.

Caramel Popcorn

We created a caramel-melt-in-your-mouth-sweet-and-delicious popcorn. It only seemed right what with all the salted caramel drinks popping up everywhere. Plus, caramel is pumpkin pie spice’s lesser known cousin that sometimes get a bit neglected. (Don’t worry pps lovers we have some recipes for you soon too!) But right now it’s time for the caramel corn.

Caramel Popcorn

Bring on the crunchy sweet deliciousness!

Salted Caramel Popcorn

Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup popcorn kernels
  • 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
  • 3/4 tablespoon butter (I’m sure you could use coconut oil too, but we used butter here)
  • salt

Steps:

  1. Pop the kernels. We used an air popper but you could also do them on the stove. This will make about 5 cups of popcorn so if you have an air popper, be prepared with a big bowl!
  2. In a small saucepan, heat the sugar and the butter on low heat, stirring frequently so the butter melts into all the sugar and doesn’t burn. Stir frequently but not constantly until all the sugar is melted into the butter – about 5 minutes. You want the mixture to stay runny and not start to clump because once this cools, it will start to harden together quickly.
  3. While the mixture is hot, drizzle over your popcorn. I used a spatula to help drizzle.
  4. Salt the popcorn to your liking. We used pink himalayan sea salt and used less than a teaspoon since we wanted a sweeter treat.
  5. Let cool and enjoy!

Salted Caramel popcorn

Salted Caramel Popcorn | Popcorn & Chocolate

What We Ate 8/2/15 – 8/8/15

Hello my friends! This past week has been pretty low-key for us; nothing too exciting going on now. We were back in Cape Cod the previous weekend and are headed to New Hampshire to visit my family this upcoming weekend. It has been a busy summer but a great one so far! I can’t believe it is already August and stores are putting out all their back to school stuff. I also can’t believe I haven’t been in the back to school rush for 2 years now. These years after graduation really fly by! At least we have good food to enjoy them!

Egg dinner

Sunday: Breakfast for dinner. We had just driven home and didn’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen cooking up dinner so we threw together some scrambled eggs and steamed veggies. I always love eggs for dinner for something quick and easy.

Vegan creamy pasta with veggies

Monday: Easy Vegan Alfredo by the Minimalist Baker. We were craving some cheesy pasta but since Rose has recently decided she thinks she is lactose intolerant we skipped the cheese and made a vegan alfredo instead. The recipe was good and we of course added some veggies to ours because that’s what we love to do!

Vegetables

Spring rolls

Spring roll

Tuesday: Spring Rolls with Carrot-Ginger Dipping Sauce from Martha Stewart. We tried a new spring roll recipe and this one did not disappoint! Something about the summer just makes me want fresh raw veggies. The carrot-ginger sauce was messy but oh so good.

Wednesday: Leftover pasta!

sweet potato falafel

Thursday: Sweet Potato Falafel Pitas from Sweat Peas and Saffron. These falafels came out so well. I love sweet potatoes in pretty much anything so I was dying to try this recipe and I’m so glad we did. It was delicious and we now have plenty of leftover falafels for the week!

Friday: Leftover falafels- yum yum!

Zucchini bread pancakes

Saturday: Vegan Zucchini Bread Pancakes by The Vegan and The Chef. Apparently breakfast for dinner was the theme for this week because we couldn’t resist making these scrumptious pancakes after I saw the recipe online. I know zucchini pancakes might sound a bit odd but you must try these they are so delicious! Caroline also has a beet pancake recipe that we are going to try next.