Real Popcorn

Popcorn with Baby's pumpkin hat!

Of course all pop corn is a real whole grain.  In fact pop corn is one of the easiest ways to get more whole grains into your diet.  Even smothered in salt and butter, it's still a whole grain with about 2 grams of fiber per cup.  And who eats just 1 cup.  So before you've finished a bowl, you've consumed A LOT of fiber. 

According Jolly Time there are two types of kernel shapes: Mushroom and butterfly.  Interesting.

Unpopped cob in front of popped corn

It was rather difficult to discern if the kernals on these cobs from the Farmers Market were mushrooms or butterflies.  But I can tell you that popping them was absolutely the most exciting two minutes of kitchen fun the girls and I have had!  We just threw the cob into a glass bowl and covered with plastic wrap, venting 1/2 inch.  Then we all watched the show through the microwave door as the kernals shot in rapid fire off the corn cob blowing and stretching the plastic wrap like a balloon!  (The dear farmers forgot to give us cooking directions - so it was an experiment!). 

The taste was so fresh and sweet!  It didn't even need salt. 

To find your own fresh pop corn fun, try Whole Foods or this Big Red Popcorn:  I can't personally vouch for either, but I've heard both are good.

It was fun to pull some of the remaining corn right off the cob