Welcome back to my kitchen! I’m a little hot, fresh, fluffy and …….today, calls for a flavored celebration! If you would have told me two weeks ago, when I launched No Sugar Baker, that nearly 5,000 of us would become friends, I would have crackle-jacked! And we are far from stale—we continue to roast and pop every day!
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
You have sent me questions about diabetes and other health concerns, shared your encouraging hopeful journey/stories with me, and supported the blog and recipes. We are in this together!
This weekend I told The Folks I just made a sugar free caramel popcorn. I’m fairly certain their initial salty reaction was, “She can’t be eating popcorn.” Let me clarify. Over the past month, I’ve done my research. Skinny Girl’s microwave butter and sea salt popcorn has less carbs than other “light” microwave popcorn brands. And certainly, as we know, making our own popcorn is a bit tricky without “oil.” I don’t snack often now. But I’m human. I got a craving for caramel popcorn. I needed a quick fix. The Hubs was off golfing. I wanted a scrumptious challenge. Many doctors suggest popcorn as a healthy snack option for diabetics. I put on my apron and went to work—there had to be a delightful way.
Back to The Folks. In their same breath/text train, they shared how they now examine food labels. I wanted to text back, “Welcome to the Club!” But they rapidly fired off- text after text. Sort of like a popcorn machine –bursting kernels all over. The night before, The Folks purchased honey. Or they thought. They assumed honey meant ‘pure gold honey.’ Additionally, they assumed honey, being all natural, would be compliant for me. Unfortunately, this label was a lesson for them.
Their intent of pure honey was mocked. Their honey’s main ingredient was corn syrup. A burnt no-go!
When, I could get a word in– I replied,—asking, “I can have honey?” I didn’t think I could. That got me thinking.
You need to be careful on food labels. Sugar has many different names. For me, I need to stay clear away from these overrated, crunchy and bumpy fake words for sugar …….
Agave Nectar Barbados Sugar Barley Malt Beet Sugar Blackstrap Molasses
Brown Rice Syrup Brown Sugar Buttered Sugar Cane Juice Caramel
Carob Syrup Caster Sugar Coconut Sugar Cora Sweetener Corn Syrup
Date Sugar Damara Sugar Dextran Ethyl Fructose
Fresh Juice Concentrate Galactose Golden Sugar Golden Syrup Grape Sugar
HONEY Invert Sugar Icing Sugar Lactose Malt Syrup
Maltodextrin Maltose Maple Syrup Molasses Syrup Organic Raw Sugar
Oat Syrup Panela Powdered Sugar Rice Syrup Sorghum
Sucrose SUGAR Syrup Treacle Yellow Sugar
Halleluiah! The popcorn is made. Our kitchen counter looks like a makeshift candy store! The Hubs just came home. “What is this—-what are you up to now?” He grabbed a handful as his eyes widened, “This is good.”
Good?! You really mean—mouth-watering, move over butter—we got the popcorn fairy now!
Instead, I smirked. “Changing America, one recipe at a time. With my team of 5,000!” That’s you!
We’re on a roll. Life is sweet. Keep it POPPING!
All this made with LOVE and, a little corny today!
Jayne (aka The No Sugar Baker!)
The No Sugar Baker’s Caramel Popcorn
Ingredients:
2 microwave bags of Skinny Girl Popcorn
1 C butter
2 Cs. Swerve Brown
1 t. salt
½ t. vanilla
1 t. baking soda
½ C peanuts
½ C pecans
Easy Directions:
Make microwave popcorn and pour into sprayed 9 x 12 baking pan. I used an aluminum foil pan. On stovetop, in middle sized saucepan melt butter. After melted, pour in Swerve and keep stirring. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, continuing to stir for an additional 5-6 minutes. Add in salt and vanilla. Remove from heat. Stir. Add in baking soda. Stir. Your caramel mixture will nearly double and became lighter in color. Pour ¼ of mixture over popcorn and stir. Pour another ¼ of mixture over popcorn and stir. Bake at 300 degrees, watching the popcorn closely for browning. Stirring every 7-9 minutes. Bake until the popcorn is almost dry. I bake my popcorn for 20 minutes.
Pour onto parchment paper, spreading out popcorn. Add in peanuts and pecans. Let dry.
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