Here are this week’s Thursday Things:
1. I rarely use my dehydrator anymore.
Aside from once a year dehydrating bananas…
Or making chocolate coconut kale chips once in a blue moon, it unfortunately collects dust. I just can’t plan 8 to 12 hours ahead of time.
So I use the oven because the only planning involved is the amount of time it takes to preheat.
2. Here are 10 Creative Uses for a Dehydrator in case you have one.
Or in case yours collects dust and you want to dust it off or stop using it as a place to store your unused cookie sheets and backup boxes of aluminum foil and parchment paper.
3. If you don’t have one, I’d buy something else with the 200 smackers instead.
Like a refurbished KitchenAid Stand Mixer
Watch the KitchenAid refurbished store site because there are rotating deals, sometimes daily, that can be incredible on everything from stand mixers to food processors to toasters.
Or just enter this giveaway. You may get lucky and win one.
4. The same holds true for refurbished VitaMixes. Keep an eye on this site if you’re in the market for a Vita and want to be in the $300 range rather than the $500+ range.
Yes, this is a life-changing appliance and well worth the money.
5. New research suggests that popcorn has more antioxidants that fruits, vegetables, and is The Perfect Snack.
“Antioxidant substances called polyphenols are more concentrated in popcorn, which averages only about 4% water, while polyphenols are diluted in the 90% water that makes up many fruits and vegetables. Popcorn may be the perfect snack food. It’s the only snack that is 100% unprocessed whole grain. All other grains are processed and diluted with other ingredients, and although cereals are called ‘whole grain’, this simply means that over 51% of the weight of the product is whole grain. One serving of popcorn will provide more than 70% of the daily intake of whole grain. The average person only gets about half a serving of whole grains a day, and popcorn could fill that gap in a very pleasant way.”
6. I love popcorn and rarely a day goes by without 3 tablespoons of kernels into a brown paper lunch sack, folded over at the top, and microwaved for about 90 seconds.
Fast, easy, and makes my house smell like a movie theater, nightly.
7. Have you tried chocolate coconut oil (protein) popcorn?
The popcorn is tasty even if the pictures aren’t.
8. While I eat popcorn, I like to lay in bed and watch anything from Bravo that’s on my DVR.
Bethenny, Million Dollar Listing, Shahs of Sunset, Khloe and Lamar, the Real Housewives, your standard issue trashy tv lineup.
Crunching on popcorn, getting nutritional yeast that should stay on the popcorn all over my sheets, and watching mindless tv after Skylar’s asleep is about as good as it gets for me.
Ahh, the simple things are usually the best.
9. Homemade food could be thought of a simple thing and a good thing. California is preparing to legalize homemade food.
How do we feel about this?
10. I feel great about this type of homemade food.
White and Dark Chocolate Cream Cheese Chocolate Cake Bars
What are your Thursday Things? Anything new, noteworthy, fun? Have you made anything delicious? (links welcome in the comments)
What do you think about homemade food, popcorn, trashy TV?
Talk to me.
P.S. Thank you for the entries in the KitchenAid 7-Quart Stand Mixer Giveaway. My inbox has never been so full.
If anyone is running out of breakfast ideas, I compiled some today and it’s made my Thursday GREAT!!!! I ate one of my creations before I took the GRE this morning. Here’s the link to breakfast paradise: https://digintobooks.wordpress.com/2012/04/05/breakfast-brain-power/.
I’m obsessed with all things Bravo as well. It’s my vice ;)
i adore popcorn. kettle corn is my favorite. i sprinkle cinnamon all over it :) i’ve never made my own banana chips, but i’m tempted! i also want to make my own apple chips sometime too.
If you have a dehyd, make ’em! That’s one of the best things to use the dehyd for :) And if not, the oven works!
Averie,
Made your https://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/2012/03/orange-glazed-chilean-sea-bass-with-dill-cucumber-orange-champagne-relish.html last night………..oh my! So light and fresh and yummy!
Thanks so much for the recipe!
And thanks so much for blogging about it, with the stevia, and giveaway!
I am so bummed about the popcorn! It just makes me wish I could eat it that much more. But really I just want a Vita-Mix. I need a website that tells me when one is in the $100 range. You know on this side of NEVER. ;)
Yep, sadly, my dehydrator has been collecting dust for quite some time too. Using the oven is just so much easier…not a very smart purchase on my part. Oh well!
Girl, me too. I had SUCH high hopes. Bought it early on in blogging when it seemed like everyone had one and I jumped off that bridge, too. Along with my juicer :)
I’ve been dying to try that popcorn trick with the brown paper sack! I had no idea that worked until I saw it on another blog a month ago!
Yes it really does work. Quite well; nightly for the past 5 yrs or so :)
Thanks for that link to the dehydrator! yes, I do have one that collects dust :P
glad to hear I’m not alone!
I’ve been wanting to make banana chips for a long time! I’m doubly craving them now :) I love Bethenny!
They make your house smell soooooo good, too!
I bough a bag of popcorn that does not get cooked in the microwave for the first time in years. Your chocolate coconut popcorn may be an awesome reason to break out the bag.
LMK if you make it!
I’m totally a bravo junky. And I love popcorn…I’m all for the combo :) I never thought about buying a refurbished vita….hmmm something I may need to look into. Nothing too exciting and new going on over here. I’m sick so…blah!
Girl you would LOVE it…and so easy for Kay, too, for food/smoothies, etc for her!
i loveee trashy tv :) Bravo all the way!! Did you catch ‘watch what happens live – all star party’ last night? They’re apparently adding on 5 new shows this year! Not that I really need to add any more tv shows on to my current watch list/dvr…
I also love homemade popcorn! So easy and can be whatever flavor i’m feeling that day. I was so excited to see that article the other day about popcorn having more antioxidents than fruits and veggies :p
It’s on my DVR to watch and 5 new shows? That may cut into my Pinterest time :)
I have had the worst luck trying to pop my popcorn in a bag….. It seems like I only ever get a few kernels that pop and if I put it in for longer the ones that did pop then burn. I have even tried taking out the popped kernels and putting the bag back in with no luck. I am thinking its just my microwave? But I LOVE nutritional yeast on my popcorn (even if I only get 5 pieces, lol). I was skeptical at first as I am not a true vegan and really do enjoy the flavor of real cheese, but the flavor is so unique its great! I haven’t tried your chocolate coconut recipe yet, but once I figure out how to get a full serving of popcorn (or get a new microwave……) I have a copy printed out and ready to go.
brown paper bag 2 to 3 tablespoons of popcorn kernels, high power, 90 secs. Towards 75-90 secs is when most of the popping happens, by 95 secs in my micro it’s done and by 100 sec it’s too black. Play around with it and yes, could also be your micro…
I couldn’t agree more about the VitaMix. That thing has changed my life. It’s only just getting warm, but I can promise that I’m making sweet potato protein ice cream alllll summer long.
Popcorn and trashy TV go together like peas and carrots. ;)
Yes, it’s a life changer for sure!
Every so often I wish I had a dehydrator. I think it’d be wasted space for me mostly. I can really get suckered in to the Real Housewives (mostly of OC or Beverly Hills) when they have those Saturday or Sunday marathons.
Yes it’s HUGE! For the once or twice a year you really want to make something using it, I’d say oven roast it :)
I was just thinking about a dehydrator this morning because I want to make banana chips. I think I am going to try them in my oven!
Use the oven! It will make them more crispy than more chewy, but seriously it’s very large box and if you have limited space or budget, you may want to think twice about it…but I know some people love theirs. I like mine…it’s just the planning thing :)