The Popcorn Weekly - Coconut Oil

For this weeks popcorn recipe I decided to use coconut oil.  Coconut oil is a heart healthy food and has so many amazing health benefits.  According to Dr. Oz coconut oil helps "our bodies mount resistance to both viruses and bacteria that can cause illness...it can also can help to fight off yeast, fungus and candida. [Coconut Oil also] boosts thyroid function helping to increase metabolism, energy and endurance. It increases digestion and helps to absorb fat-soluble vitamins."  I've also heard that it can be used to help prevent wrinkles, is amazing for dry skin and hair and can even be used to shave your legs!  Coconut oil has a high-heat point so it is also ideal when frying foods.

I use organic coconut oil for a good majority of my cooking, so I thought Why not popcorn?!?  I know what you are thinking, Doesn't it make everything taste like coconut?  It actually doesn't!  I've cooked everything from chicken & sausage to eggs using coconut oil and it NEVER had a coconut flavor!  I think it can be interchanged in a lot of recipes that call for oil (keeping in mind its high heat point)  Now if you were to taste the coconut oil by itself, then yes, of course it tastes like coconut!

With that being said, I was expecting the popcorn to hold some of the coconut flavor since popcorn tends to really absorb the flavor of what it is being cooked in.  Since I wasn't quite sure how this popcorn recipe was going to turn out, I decided to make a smaller batch...just in case!  I scooped a small spoonful (approx. 1.5 tbsp) into a medium sauce pan.  Once melted, I covered the bottom of the sauce pan with popcorn kernels and began cooking the same way I did HERE.  It did cook differently than any other time I have ever popped popcorn.  Usually once the first couple kernels pop it goes pretty quick with the rest of the kernels.  This time, the first couple kernels popped and then a few more and then it was stagnant for about a minute and a half / two minutes.  I was about to give up and call this recipe a wash and all of a sudden they started popping like crazy!  I think the reason for the inconsistent popping was due to the coconut oils high heat point. Once the popping was finished I sprinkled with some sea salt.

More than anything else, I was worried the popcorn may be burnt because of the weird popping...but it wasn't at all.  Overall, I really enjoyed this popcorn recipe.  It did have a unique flavor...not necessarily a coconut flavor, but it was a little sweet.  I really liked the sweetness from the coconut oil mixed with the sea salt...it was perfect for an after dinner snack!  

I will definitely be making this again and would highly recommend trying this recipe out and using organic coconut oil as a substitute while cooking in general!  Enjoy!