You may or may not know I’m a HUGE popcorn lover -even more so now while I’ve been pregnant. The salty (I’m more of a savoury kinda girl), slightly buttery taste and light, airy but slightly crunchy texture… Ahhhhh, so addictive.
When Metcalfe’s got in touch about trying their lipsmackingly good, lightly seasoned popcorn offerings – made without artificial flavours or colours and with less than 125 calories per serving – well, it would be rude to not accept the offer.
Starting with the Sea Salt variety, simple but oh-so moreish and to be honest, my favourite of the bunch. It achieves just the right balance of saltiness without being overpowering plus there’s no trace of grease on your fingers after enjoying a handful (or 5 in my case).
Then there’s the Sweet ‘n Salt flavour, mixing together a hint of both. Metcalfe’s have once again got the ratio bang-on right and with only 115 calories per serving you don’t have to feel too virtuous. This one is great for those looking to satisfy a slightly sweet tooth.
If you’re a sweet popcorn lover, the Cinema Sweet variety is ideal for those looking to cut down on sugar while still offering deliciousness in every mouthful. The first to introduce this unique popcorn, Metcalfe’s have sweetened this with a carefully-concocted Stevia blend – although it still contains sugar, it has 67% less than the average sugar content of other sweet popcorn varieties on the market and has only 93 calories per serving!
The ground-breaking new Maple Bacon flavour – ‘freshly popping butterfly corn blending smoky sweet flavours for a lighter twist on a popular savoury combination’ – had me intrigued and slightly nervous; I’ve never really been a fan of this combination but was willing to give it a try. I’ll be honest – the flavour wasn’t that strong and if you hadn’t told me beforehand, I probably wouldn’t have guessed. However fair play to Metcalfe’s for their creativity and also using their Stevia blend in this variety, offering a lower sugar alternative.
For those looking for a tasty, high fibre snack made from natural ingredients, Metcalfe’s Skinny popcorn packs are a great option. Most are gluten-free and also suitable for vegetarians (apart from the Maple Bacon) so next time you’re craving something crunchy, sweet, salty (or both!) – it’s worth checking out their bags of deliciousness.
RECIPE: ROCKY ROAD POPCORN BARS
Ingredients:
- 30g Metcalfe’s Skinny Popcorn (Sea Salt, Sweet ‘n Salt or Cinema Sweet – your choice!)
- 3 tablespoons mixed seeds (I used Good4U Orange Super Seeds)
- 3 tablespoons goji berries
- 4 tablespoons desiccated coconut
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil (I used The Groovy Food Company)
- 3 tablespoons your favourite nut butter (I used Pip & Nut)
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup or agave nectar (I used The Groovy Food Company)
- 2 tablespoons cacao or cocoa powder (I used Bioglan)
Get making!
- Mix together the popcorn, seeds, goji berries, coconut and cinnamon in a bowl.
- Gently melt the coconut oil, nut butter and maple syrup in a small pan then remove from the heat and whisk in the cacao/cocoa powder and vanilla to form a sauce.
- Tip the dry ingredients into the chocolate mixture and stir really well to coat everything and until combined.
- Spread this out in a small lined rectangular tin, pack down well and smooth out evenly. Place in the freezer for at least 1 hour.
- When you’re ready to serve, carefully remove the whole thing and place on a chopping board. Using a large sharp knife, cut into bars or squares. Now enjoy!
Keep any remaining bars or bites in the freezer for up to 2 weeks and simply pop out of the freezer when chocolate cravings hit!