Caramel Apple Popcorn Nachos

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Loblaws Canada Inc.  All opinions are 100% mine.

Delicious sharing plate of Caramel Apple Popcorn Nachos - a perfect movie time snack.

You know how it is: you spend all week sticking to plan and eating right, then it comes to Saturday night...You just want to kick back, put on a movie and eat some snacks.

The temptation to go off track is huge, and it's so easy to think, "it's just one night" and to let rip with whatever is on hand.

Popcorn is probably one of the most favourite movie time snack foods.

When you consider that a large popcorn at the Cinema can easily be in excess of 1,000 calories, it's easy to go overboard on snacks.

The temptation to go off track is huge, it's so easy just to think "it's just one night" and to let rip with whatever is on hand.

You just want to grab something fast and get the movie going, you don't have a lot of time to prepare a snack, that's why I have a great recipe for you.

You love popcorn at the Cinema, you love nachos at the Cinema, so what I have for you is: Caramel Apple Popcorn Nachos!

Wait a minute, you're thinking "that doesn't sound very healthy?", but it's easy to make a delicious, tasty yet healthy snack if you're sensible about the components and portion sizes.

Popcorn doesn't need to be off bounds for snack time if you are sensible about how you prepare it and what you serve it with.

This recipe uses air-popped popcorn and apple slices as the nachos, which make for a very sensible choice.  Don't have a popcorn machine? You can easily air pop popcorn in a microwave.

Just place your kernels into a bowl, cover with a plate and hit 5 mins high power on the microwave. You need to listen to the pops, and once you have about 3-4 seconds between popping, it is done. I use a glass bowl, that way I can see what's going on inside. Clever, eh?

Including apple in the snack is an easy way to get a portion of fruit into your day.

Sweet and salty style popcorn is my favourite, and it's so easy to make a lighter version at home with a little bit of coconut oil spray, a pinch of salt, and some sukrin (my preferred choice because it's natural and not artificial), which is great for adding some sweetness and zero calories.

For the caramel, I use clean ingredients - just maple syrup, a little drop of milk and some water is all you need for a great caramel drizzle. Who would have thought caramel could be created so easily at home? Add a few chocolate chips and you have a great sharing plate without going too crazy on the calories.

For variation, try drizzling about a tablespoon of warmed peanut butter over the popcorn and apple. Delish!!

Once you have plated up, all you have to do is sit down, enjoy the movie, and dig in.

If you are looking for advice on nutrition, sometimes it is useful to go over your eating habits with a dietitian. Here, in Canada, Loblaws stores have Loblaws Dieticians on hand (at select stores) who can answer any dietary questions you might have. An appointment can be made for any day of the week.

What recipes do you have for easy snacks that take 20 mins or less?  Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

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