We have had the bulk oils in our Hy-Vee HealthMarket for awhile, but I am just now getting around to really testing them out. First up is the chipotle pepper-infused oil. I’m a huge fan of smokey little chipotle peppers, so naturally this was the first on my list. The description of the oil says that it is delicious on popcorn, and I was feeling a little “snacky”, so I decided to give it a try.

Ingredients for Chipotle-Infused Popcorn

Another product that I have been meaning to try, but just haven’t gotten around to is nutritional yeast. These little guys are a staple in most vegan’s diets because of the vitamin B12 content. But it’s the flavor-enhancement that I was most curious about. Nutritional yeast flavor has been described as cheesy, nutty, savory, and “umami.” Just a tablespoon or two can add richness to soups, gravies, and other dishes, and larger amounts can make “cheese” sauces and eggless scrambles taste cheesy and eggy.

Nutritional yeast is made from a single-celled organism, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, which is grown on molasses and then harvested, washed, and dried with heat to kill or “deactivate” it. Because it’s inactive, it doesn’t froth or grow like baking yeast does so it has no leavening ability. —But enough of the nerdy details, lets get to the good part…

To make this irresistable snack, we air pop a big bowl of steamy popcorn.

Drizzle with the pepper-infused oil and sprinkle with nutritional yeast and sea salt.

Chipotle pepper-infused oil

Once you have it popped and sufficiently seasoned, grab a couple morsels and enjoy! – Even the little hand of our house can’t stay away!