An easy Lemon Parmesan Popcorn Recipe with infused Meyer lemon algae oil and cracked pepper. Makes a guilt-free healthy snack!
You might be surprised to know that I have a full-time job outside of A Side of Sweet doing something completely unrelated to blogging! I actually work nights in the pediatric ICU here in San Francisco as a pediatrician. It’s a busy job, but one that is super rewarding.
With shifts that average 13 hours, I need high quality food to keep me going. Part of my routine is popcorn for a midnight snack every night. It’s high in fiber, low in calories and I don’t have to feel guilty eating it.
When I first acquired my popcorn habit, I knew I needed to stop eating microwave popcorn. If you look at the label, it’s full of strange chemicals and unpronounceable additives. I switched to making it on the stove, but much to my dismay, using olive oil blackened the bottom of our nice pans. It just couldn’t stand up to the high heat needed to pop popcorn!
Then I switched to Thrive® Algae Oil. It’s the perfect balance of versatility and goodness. I love that it’s high in monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs). Replacing saturated fat with sources of monounsaturated fat can help maintain heart health. It also has a high smoke point of up to 485° Fahrenheit, which means it won’t burn at high temperatures. No more blackened pans after making a batch of popcorn.
Thrive® Algae Oil also tastes great. It doesn’t taste a bit like seaweed – it doesn’t even come from the sea! The algae used to make Thrive® algae were actually originally sourced from the sap of a chestnut tree. It has a light, neutral taste that is perfect for popcorn and pretty much any food you can think of – I even use it for baking. This light and fluffy Meyer lemon cake is one of my favorite dessert recipes. The cake also uses the Meyer lemon-infused oil that you’ll make for this lemon parmesan popcorn recipe.
Infusing oil is super easy and you can use it for everything from popcorn to salad dressing. Make a big batch and it will keep for weeks! It’s a great way to add an extra kick of flavor to your daily cooking. I love pairing it with a bit of cracked pepper and parmesan in this popcorn recipe. So good.
If you’re in the San Francisco Bay area, you can find Thrive® Algae Oil at Costco in Mountain View, Novato, and now Santa Cruz. They’ll be doing in-store demos sampling Thrive® Algae Oil at the Santa Cruz store on Saturday, July 1st and Saturday, July 8th this month! Don’t miss the chance to stop in and try the oil for yourself. You can also find Thrive® Algae Oil on their website or on Amazon.
P.S. – If you need some more inspiration for using your infused lemon oil, check out this video:
Thanks so much for reading! For more Sweet in your life, you can find me on Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube, or subscribe to receive a weekly email with new posts and musings from me.
PrintLemon Parmesan Popcorn with Infused Algae Oil
An easy Lemon Parmesan Popcorn Recipe with Infused Meyer Lemon Algae Oil and cracked pepper. Makes a guilt free healthy snack!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Snacks
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Lemon Parmesan Popcorn Ingredients:
- ⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 12 cups popcorn
- 3 tablespoons of Meyer lemon infused algae oil (recipe below)
- Zest of one lemon
Meyer Lemon-Infused Oil Recipe: (makes extra)
- 2 medium Meyer lemons
- 1 cup Thrive Algae Oil®
Special Equipment:
- Microplane (optional)
- Fine mesh strainer
Instructions
Make the Lemon Parmesan Popcorn:
- In a small bowl, combine parmesan cheese, black pepper and salt.
- Drizzle popped popcorn with Meyer lemon-infused Thrive Algae Oil.
- Toss parmesan cheese mixture and lemon zest into popcorn and serve.
Make the Meyer Lemon-Infused Oil:
- Use a vegetable peeler or microplane to remove peel from Meyer lemons. Avoid taking the pith or white part of the peel. If using a vegetable peeler, you may need to use a sharp knife to gently shave off any pith.
- Combine in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer on medium-low heat. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and strain through a fine mesh strainer. Let cool and transfer to airtight bottle. Will keep at room temperature out of direct sunlight for several weeks.
Notes
Traditional lemons will work for infused oil if you can’t get your hands on Meyer lemons.
Thanks so much to Thrive Algae Oil® for partnering with me to share this easy lemon-infused recipe! Wondering why I do sponsored posts? Read more here.
P.S. – Need more inspiration for your Meyer lemon-infused oil? Check out this amazing recipe for a light-as-air infused lemon cake!
This popcorn looks like exactly what I’d like to snack on after a long day! Wish I had all the ingredients now to enjoy it before this evening’s festivities.
You should think about making a batch of infused oil ahead of time so it’s easy to whip up when you have a last minute craving!
I love flavored popcorn. I’ve never tried lemon. Such a creative idea!
Yes, it’s such a nice way to add that extra something special!
Flavored popcorn is the best… love this lemon version!
Thanks! You should definitely try it!
I love lemon anything, so this popcorn sounds perfect to me. Love that it’s healthy, too!
Awesome! Check out the video for more lemon inspiration!
I am definitely going to check out that oil. Perfect for popcorn! And as for you – you are a superwoman with that schedule!
Haha, I definitely don’t feel like superwoman, but good food is so important on keeping me going!
What an interesting idea to use algae oil! I’ll have to check it out! The flavors of this popcorn look delicious – and I’m amazed that you thought it up while managing that schedule!
You definitely should check out Thrive as an alternative oil option!
Different way of making popcorns, never tried it with anything but salt, lol. Gonna give this one a go, for sure!
You’re kidding! There’s a whole new world of popcorn ahead of you friend! I have a bunch of recipes on this site including white chocolate! You have to check them out!
I am so excited to try that oil! So many uses!
Yes! I use it in everything!