Planning dinners, zoom parties and fun family activities have been a source of happiness for me lately. While some of my ideas are more popular than others, I continue to try in lift spirits in our every day life. I created this recipe for a family game night but my addition of Chinese Five Spice powder was not loved by all. Maybe next time, I will make a few different flavors and we can vote!
Ingredients:
8 cups popcorn (1/4 cup unpopped kernels or 1 bag microwave popcorn
3/4 maple syrup (or a mix of honey and maple syrup)
3/4 cup cup roasted almonds, peanuts or cashew nuts
1/4 cup sunflower seeds or pepitas
5 tbs. almond butter, peanut butter or cashew butter
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. Chinese Five Spice powder (or cinnamon) OPTIONAL
Method of Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Line a sheet pan with foil and grease. Place the popcorn, nuts and pepitas into a large mixing bowl.
- To make the maple caramel: use a heavy bottomed sauce pan and heat the maple syrup to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Watch the syrup to make sure it doesn’t burn or over flow.
- Take the pan off the heat and add the nut butter, vanilla extract, salt and spices if using.
- Pour syrup over popcorn/nut mixture. Stir to combine.
- Dump the mixture onto the prepared sheet pan.
- Bake for 5 minutes, stir mixture, and rotate pan. Bake for another 5-7 minutes. Sprinkle with more salt depending on your taste.
