Toasted Coconut Limeade + SkinnyPop Popcorn

Friends! How has your August gone? Kyle and I have started to call this month "Chaotic August". It's been nothing short of chaotic in our lives, and we are both looking forward to the vacation we have scheduled in October. 

We've been doing our best to come up with ideas to just relax on the weekends, and one of our favorite things to do is EAT! Duh! We really like to just relax with a movie and some really great snacks, and that's what I'm sharing today!

One of our favorite snacks while movie-watching is popcorn (revolutionary, I know), but we like to ramp up the flavor with exciting popcorn and drink combos. One of my personal favorites? This tangy, coconut limeade paired with the Naturally Sweet Popped Popcorn from SkinnyPop. The tangy limeade is the perfect pairing with the subtle sweetness of the popcorn. SO GOOD. 

The folks at SkinnyPop have come up with a few pairings of their own that are a little more high octane than my pairing. I'm super interested in trying the coconut margarita paired with the new jalapeño flavor. What pairing sounds good to you guys? (PS - scroll down for the limeade recipe!)

Toasted Coconut Limeade

Lightly Adapted from The Kitchy Kitchen Cookbook by Claire Thomas

1 cup sweetened coconut flakes, toasted 

10 limes, halved and juiced (keep the halved rinds)

1 teaspoon coconut extract

1/2 teaspoon mint extract 

2 1/2 cups boiling water

1 1/2 half cups coconut water

1/4 cup agave

Place the halved lime rinds into a large bowl along with the toasted coconut and extracts. 

Cover rinds with boiling water and allow to steep for 10 minutes. 

While the rinds steep, place lime juice, coconut water, and agave into a pitcher. 

Strain the lime coconut mixture into the pitcher with the lime juice. Using an immersion blender, pulse a few times to ensure the mixture is fully combined. 

Chill for an hour and serve with extra lime, coconut, and ice. 

Happy snacking! 

cinnamon sugar kettle corn with spiced chocolate drizzle

A few weeks ago I bought a few bags of this popcorn and fell madly in love. I really wanted to recreate it at home, but I woke up one night with an ingenious idea - a spiced chocolate drizzle. I absolutely LOVE the flavor of chocolate with the heat of cinnamon and cayenne pepper mixed in. You get a nice extra hint of sweetness from the cinnamon, and a nice kick from the cayenne. 

Making and personalizing your own popcorn at home is so simple, and you can make it as healthy or as decadent as you want. I used a mixture of coconut oil and butter for this recipe, but you could easily use all coconut oil to make it a little less naughty. I also used dark chocolate for the drizzle so this is practically a health food! 

Cinnamon Sugar Kettle Corn with Spiced Chocolate Drizzle

2 tablespoons coconut oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup popcorn kernels

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

In a large saucepan with a tight fitting lid, melt the coconut oil over medium heat. After the coconut oil has melted, increase the heat to medium-high and melt the butter.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine the sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.

Once the butter and oil have melted, add the popcorn kernels and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture as evenly as possible and cover with the lid.

Once the kernels begin to pop, remove the pan from the heat and gently shake so the sugar doesn't burn.

Move pan back to the heat and shake continuously until the kernels begin to pop.

Once the popping begins to slow down, turn the heat off, and crack the lid to release the steam. 

Once the popping stops, remove the lid and sprinkle with salt.

Immediately pour onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Be careful not to touch the popcorn since the sugar sill be really hot.

For the Drizzle

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

While the kettle corn cools, melt the chocolate chips in the microwave. Add the ground cinnamon and cayenne pepper to the melted chocolate and stir to combine.

With a spoon, drizzle the melted chocolate over the cooled popcorn. 

Let the chocolate set for several minutes before enjoying. 

Popcorn will keep in an airtight container for 2 days.

PS - spicy and sweet make a good valentine treat. 

white cheddar ranch snack mix.

Sometimes when I sit down to write in this little internet space I have so much to say that I don't even know where to begin. Maybe the thoughts should come tumbling out, but they just stay stuck! One day I'll start writing and never stop. 

This snack mix is SERIOUSLY delicious. Cheez-its, popcorn, pretzels, goldfish crackers - it's all in there mixed together with buttery oil and ranch dressing mix. I will warn you though - this recipe makes a lot of snack mix - enough to share with people you like! 

White Cheddar Ranch Snack Mix

Makes at least 10 cups of mix

16 oz bag waffle pretzels

21 oz box Cheez-Its

6.6 oz bag parmesan goldfish crackers

8 oz bag bagel chips

1 oz packet ranch dressing/seasoning mix

16 oz bottle Orville Redenbacher's butter flavored popping oil

6.5 oz bag white cheddar popcorn, halved 

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

In a large baking pan combine pretzels, Cheez-its, goldfish crackers, and bagel chips. 

In a large bowl whisk together popping oil and ranch dressing mix until combined.

Pour ranch mixture over the crackers and pretzels. Mix to ensure everything is evenly coated in the oil.

Bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes to make sure everything gets evenly browned.

Remove from oven and allow to cool in the pan. Once the mixture is cool pour popcorn over the top and mix gently to distribute. 

Store in an airtight container.

peppermint hot chocolate popcorn.

Hi folks! I'm here again with another peppermint recipe. Today, it's popcorn…my newest favorite snack. Popcorn is so versatile you can add sweet ingredients for a decadent snack, or things like taco seasoning for a more savory one. Either way, you can't go wrong!

This popcorn is made with hot chocolate mix and crushed candy canes. If you use bagged popcorn this is just a three ingredient snack! Make this on a cozy winter evening, turn off all the lights except for the Christmas tree, and watch a good holiday movie…I suggest White Christmas. 

I will also mention that I made homemade marshmallows to go in this mix and realized as I was chowing down on it later that I forgot to add them. I'll be sharing that recipe later this week. Please add marshmallows to this mix they make it super delicious. 

Peppermint Hot Chocolate Popcorn

adapted from this recipe by Tracy.

• 2 tablespoons hot chocolate mix, I used this one
• 4 candy canes, crushed to fine powder
• 1/2 cup popcorn kernels
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 2 cups mini marshmallows
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
• salt

In a large bowl mix together the hot chocolate mix and candy cane powder. Set aside.

In a large saucepan on medium high heat add in the oil and popcorn kernels. Cover with the lid and swirl until the kernels start to pop. Swirl the popping kernels until the slowing begins to stop and remove from the heat. Immediately remove the lid (this helps keep the popcorn from getting soggy) and sprinkle with lots of salt. 

Spoon out popcorn 1/2 cup at a time into the hot chocolate mixture. Stir until popcorn is coated. Add in the marshmallows and chocolate chips. 

Eat it!