A POPPIN’ GOOD #GLUTEN-FREE SNACK

What smells like popcorn, tastes like popcorn, is popped like popcorn, contains fiber and protein like popcorn, but isn’t unhealthy like most popcorn?

It’s Mini-Pops!

If you’ve ever had a hankering for something crunchy, salty, gluten-free, and easy to pop in your mouth, I have something NEW to share with you. Something I bet you’ve never even heard of. Mini-Pops, which are made from popped sorghum, are the newest, tastiest, gluten-free snacks to hit the market. Using sorghum rather than corn, Mini-Pops lack the (popcorn) hulls that often get caught in your teeth. And, they feature numerous health benefits (click HERE if you want to learn more about sorghum).

Popped sorghum has similar nutritional values as does air popped popcorn (about 100 calories per 28g serving, 3g of dietary fiber and 3g of protein). But let’s get real – if you’re not consuming either “Made it Myself” popcorn with a healthy oil or air popped popcorn, that’s where the similarities end. Mini-Pops provide superior nutritional values when compared to typical processed popcorn. And, processed popcorn comes with a boatload of unsavory (pun intended) ingredients.

I have to admit, while I’m fully aware that popcorn is not a health food, it happens to be my favorite indulgence (I call it my personal kryptonite). There’s nothing better – to me – than an afternoon of cinema-therapy paired with perfectly popped popcorn.

The holistic health practitioner side of me, however, cringes at popcorn’s potential health pitfalls: unhealthy fake saturated fat and oils, chemical additives/flavorings, likelihood of fungus-contaminated kernels, etc. So, I do the next best thing — I make my own tasty treat. I purchase non-GMO heirloom popcorn kernels from Tropical Traditions and I use their coconut oil, as well.

But, here’s the deal — Mini-Pops are simple and oh-so convenient! Now that I’m aware of their existence, my popcorn fascination may have to take a back seat. Take a look at the ingredient list for the Sea Salt Variety of Mini-Pops: Organic sorghum grain, sea salt, safflower oil. BAM! That’s it. Only THREE ingredients, just like my “Made it Myself” popcorn. And … I didn’t get dishpan hands washing up afterward. I can handle that.

Wanna know where can you can grab your own Mini-Pops? If you aren’t as lucky as I am to connect with them on Twitter, you’ll have to hunt down your own bags. Good thing you can use their nifty Mini-Pops Store Locator and find them nearby.

I don’t know about you, but I always think of popcorn especially around this time of year — a traditional Thanksgiving treat. Odd you say? Well, Peppermint Patty may not be pleased but if it’s good enough for Snoopy, it’s good enough for me. As I’m penciling out my Thanksgiving menu, I may make a slight change. Just to make it easy, I may make it a Mini-Pops Thanksgiving this year. Who’s in?

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REMINDER: You’ve got just SIX more days to enter my Gluten-Free Calendar Cookbook contest graciously offered by Diane from The Whole Gang! Don’t miss out. One winner’s name will be drawn at random next Sunday, November 18th at noon, Pacific Time.