Spices are the key to great cooking year round, but especially during the holiday
season. What would apple cider, gingerbread cookies or pumpkin pie be without their distinct spicy flavors? Bland! Spices, whether subtle or bold, make the difference between an average meal and a memorable one. Fall is an earth-toned season filled with a pallet of warm colors, so it’s fitting that we also connect the season with “warm” spices.
Warm spices are known for their strong and fragrant flavor and include cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and cardamom. Variations of these spices are mixed together and sold as pumpkin spices, gingerbread spices and garam masala. As the weather cools, try combining
these warm flavors with another fall favorite—popcorn. Popcorn is a whole grain that provides carbohydrates and fiber to the diet and is naturally low in fat and calories. Consuming at least 3 or more ounce equivalents of whole grains per day can reduce the risk of several chronic diseases and may help with weight maintenance. That’s good news for your waistline. As health- conscious cooks look for ways to add taste appeal to snacks like popcorn, pairing them
with warm spices is a great solution.

Cinnamon-Spice Berry Popcorn
6 cups air-popped popcorn
3 tbsp. brown sugar
3 tbsp. light corn syrup
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. cloves
1 1/2 tbsp. light margarine
1/2 cup Craisins

• Combine brown sugar, corn syrup, spices,
  and margarine in microwave-safe bowl;
  cook on HIGH heat for 2 1/2 minutes
  until bubbly hot.
• Add Craisins to popcorn; toss with hot sugar
  mixture until well coated. Cool mixture
  before serving or store in airtight container.
  Serves: 4
  Maple Pumpkin Spice Popcorn
  2 tbsp. brown sugar
  2 tbsp. maple syrup
  1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin spice mix
  1 tbsp. butter or margarine
  1/2 cup chopped pecans, optional
  5 cups popped popcorn
• In a large saucepan or pot, heat brown sugar,
  maple syrup and pumpkin pie spice mix
  over medium heat. Cook, stirring, 3 minutes
  or until sugar is dissolved and mixture is
  bubbling. Stir in butter until melted and well
  blended. Add pecans, if desired, and popcorn
  and stir until well coated.
• Allow mixture to cool before serving. Serve
  immediately or store in an airtight container.
  Yield: 5 cup

Pop Up a Celebratory Snack
Popcorn lovers rejoice: October is National Popcorn Poppin’ Month, a seasonal celebration of one
of America’s oldest and most beloved snack foods.
As farmers head into the fields to harvest crops, families and friends gather to enjoy this ever-
popular treat. Whether it’s prepared on the stovetop, in the microwave or ready to eat from the
bag, Americans consume 14 billion quarts of this whole grain each year.
Celebrated for its seed-to-snack simplicity, popcorn is also non-GMO, vegan, gluten-free, sugar-
free and naturally low in fat and calories, which makes it an easy fit for dietary preferences – and
it’s budget-friendly.
Add in popcorn’s irresistible smell, taste and versatility, and it’s easy to understand its
popularity. With so many different ways to eat it –plain, buttered or blended with the irresistible
flavors of this French Onion Popcorn recipe – popcorn fits many moods and occasions.
Pop up a bowl and join the Popcorn Poppin’ Month celebration with more recipes at popcorn.org.
French Onion Popcorn
Ingredients

• 10 cups popped yellow popcorn
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 cup finely grated Gruyère cheese
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
  Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300°F. Line large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set
   aside. Place popcorn in a large bowl, removing any unpopped kernels.
2. Melt butter in small saucepan or microwave safe bowl. Remove from heat and stir in
   onion powder, garlic powder, dried thyme, dried parsley, dried rosemary, black pepper
   and salt until combined.
3. Drizzle popcorn with seasoned butter and toss well until evenly coated. Add Gruyère and
   Parmesan, tossing again to distribute cheese evenly.
4. Spread popcorn in an even layer on prepared baking sheet. Bake, stirring halfway
   through, until cheese is melted and popcorn is lightly crisp, about 8 to 10 minutes.
5. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Taste and season with additional salt, if desired

(Feature Impact) When students open up their lunchboxes in the cafeteria, it’s fun to be greeted with something bright, colorful and fresh. Pasta salad is a summer picnic staple, but once the weather starts to cool and kids head back to school, there’s nothing to say you can’t send a taste of summer with them.

The beauty of pasta salad is it’s totally customizable, ideal for eating cold and easy to make ahead of time. That means you can spend the evening before school dishing up jars then pop them in the fridge for a quick morning grab-and-go lunchbox filler. Adults in the household can take one to work while kids have their own at school – and if anyone wants a different dressing or no olives, it’s an easy accommodation.

If you’re making this Pasta Salad in a Jar recipe as the main course instead of a lunchtime side, up the protein by adding beans, chicken or cubed cheese to keep kids energized for the second half of the day. Choose whole-grain or high-protein pasta for an extra nutritional boost, and pack in vitamins and fiber with plenty of crunchy fresh produce, from cucumbers and carrots to tomatoes and olives.

Find more school-day recipes at Culinary.net.

Pasta Salad in a Jar

Recipe adapted from Best of This Life
Prep time: 10 minutes
Servings: 1

Dressing:

• 2          tablespoons olive oil
  
• 2          tablespoons red wine vinegar
  
• 1/8       teaspoon dried basil
  
• 1/8       teaspoon oregano
  
• 1/8       teaspoon parsley
  
• salt, to taste
  
• freshly ground pepper, to taste

• 1/4       cup canned chickpeas, rinsed
  
• 1/2       cup halved grape tomatoes
  
• 1/2       cup diced cucumber
  
• 2          tablespoons sliced Kalamata olives
  
• 1          cup cooked pasta of choice, cooled
  
• 1          cup chopped spinach

1. To make dressing: In canning jar, combine olive oil, vinegar, basil, oregano, parsley and salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in chickpeas.
2. Layer tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, cooked pasta and spinach over dressing.
3. Refrigerate until ready to serve. To serve, flip jar over and lightly shake to combine dressing with other ingredients. 

Photo courtesy of Unsplash

SOURCE:

Culinary.net