Being someone that would consider myself “a runner,” I tend to view the world in categories of people. There are three different types of runners, and then there’s non-runners. The first type of runner is the “I can’t believe I only kept a 6 minute mile pace today” runners, aka the ones that win marathons. Think Kenyans and pro runners. Then there’s the “wow, I ran a half mile this week, and I'm training for a 5K" runners. These are beginners. And then there are the middle of the road, serious but still friendly runners. This is where I fall on the spectrum.
Non-runners always treat me like I’m crazy for wanting to run for a few hours on the weekend. Well, what non-runners don’t understand is that there is a secret to the life of a runner. This secret, if better understood, might make more people want to be runners.
Food. Runners can practically eat whatever we want. So if you like chocolate chip cookies, French pastries and visits to the local taco truck, rather than complaining about not being able to eat them, just run five miles! It’s pretty simple. I love running. And I love food. Just like my husband and I, they are a perfect match. My hope is that this blog will be a space for me to discuss both of these (and probably a few other) topics all in one place.
In the spirit of starting this blog, I did two things. I prepped my water bottle for my morning run. And, I made my favorite snack. Popcorn. It's oh-so-simple, and no-less-than amazing. I always make about double a serving size and tell myself that I'll save half for the next day. It's pretty predictable that the popped, seasoned kernels barely make it through the first half of whatever movie I'm watching or chapter I'm reading. I hope you enjoy this stuff as much as I do!
This is a far cry from the microwave stuff. Lots of flavor, texture and "fresh" taste. I've been experimenting with types of popcorn. Believe it or not, there are so many! There are white, red, blue, yellow, black and probably more than I've tried. For my recipe I used a mix of this black and white. It's fun to see how they pop up differently, and you get a nice variety of textures. You can also mix up the oils you use in order to get different flavors. I used a mix of extra-virgin olive oil and canola oil. Another fun variation is adding sugar to the popped kernels, and stirring slowing on low heat for kettle corn. That will probably be a future post as we get closer to "State Fair" season. Enjoy!
Kristin's Popcorn
1/2 cup popcorn (see above note for ideas about varieties)
a few tablespoons of oil (I used a mix of olive and canola)
sea salt
fresh cracked pepper
Pour a few tablespoons of oil in a 4-quart pan. Add three kernels of popcorn, cover and heat on medium-high heat. Watch and listen for three kernels to all pop. Remove lid, quickly pour the rest of popcorn into the pan and re-cover. Stay by the stove, and when the rest of the kernels start popping, periodically shake and/or "nudge" the pot to keep the kernels moving and evenly distributed around the hot oil. The popcorn should be entirely done cooking in a few minutes. Remove it from heat when the popping really starts to slow down (you don't have to wait until it's entirely stopped). Pour into your favorite popcorn bowl, and season with plenty of sea salt and cracked pepper to taste.
Makes enough for one generous serving.
This is a far cry from the microwave stuff. Lots of flavor, texture and "fresh" taste. I've been experimenting with types of popcorn. Believe it or not, there are so many! There are white, red, blue, yellow, black and probably more than I've tried. For my recipe I used a mix of this black and white. It's fun to see how they pop up differently, and you get a nice variety of textures. You can also mix up the oils you use in order to get different flavors. I used a mix of extra-virgin olive oil and canola oil. Another fun variation is adding sugar to the popped kernels, and stirring slowing on low heat for kettle corn. That will probably be a future post as we get closer to "State Fair" season. Enjoy!
Kristin's Popcorn
1/2 cup popcorn (see above note for ideas about varieties)
a few tablespoons of oil (I used a mix of olive and canola)
sea salt
fresh cracked pepper
Pour a few tablespoons of oil in a 4-quart pan. Add three kernels of popcorn, cover and heat on medium-high heat. Watch and listen for three kernels to all pop. Remove lid, quickly pour the rest of popcorn into the pan and re-cover. Stay by the stove, and when the rest of the kernels start popping, periodically shake and/or "nudge" the pot to keep the kernels moving and evenly distributed around the hot oil. The popcorn should be entirely done cooking in a few minutes. Remove it from heat when the popping really starts to slow down (you don't have to wait until it's entirely stopped). Pour into your favorite popcorn bowl, and season with plenty of sea salt and cracked pepper to taste.
Makes enough for one generous serving.
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