Happy & Healthy

THE FOOD TRENDS OF 2017

Just when you started to get used to those açai bowls (how to actually pronounce this you can read here), zoodles and other food trends, they come again with a new batch whose name you probably still can't pronounce. Well, don't think that I'm suddenly going to trade in those açai bowls for another hipster breakfast, because that little bowl of purple sludge has now found a very special place in my life. Metropolitain, if you want to keep a good customer, you know what you have to do.

Anyway, onto the latest food trends of 2017. What are we going to see back in restaurants and what can we start working with ourselves? I looked it up for you. Are you ready?

1. Seaweed

In America, it has been the new superfood for some time, but the down-to-earth Dutch seem not to warm up to this trend. Still, seaweed might just become the hit of 2017. It is not only the perfect substitute for pasta and noodles, but also a huge flavor enhancer for your soup. Recently, a company has launched so-called seaweed bacon. Well, good luck explaining that to your loved one...

2. Cauliflower

Cauliflower is already hipper than hip, but in 2017 this handsome white cabbage will replace even more calorie-rich dishes. The shelves of the Appie are already full of cauliflower pizza bases and cauliflower rice, so now the question remains: what's next?

3. Chickpea flour

After buckwheat flour, almond flour, and rice flour, chickpea flour is the new gluten-free variant. It is flour made from dried chickpeas, gluten-free and rich in protein. It has a unique, nutty flavor, but is also very nutritious. Great to use in bread or as a base for a savory pancake.

4. Let’s spice it up

Where in recent years we had to be happy with a fresh red chili pepper in the vegetable section, we will see more and more varieties on the shelves in the new year. And that's fun. Because if you, like me, enjoy a bit of spice, you can beautifully experiment with different types of peppers.

“I looked it up for you.”

5. Plant-based milk

Soy milk, almond milk, and rice milk; we seem to be getting more and more used to plant-based milk. In the new year, we will take another step further and see even more varieties. Cashew milk, macadamia milk, and even pistachio milk, for example. Each one is incredibly nutritious and very tasty. I can't wait.

6. Golden latte

Golden Milk has already made its entrance, yet the hype doesn't seem to have fully penetrated us Dutch. It not only has a calming effect, but also gives you a good energy boost. It's the perfect afternoon snack instead of that cup of coffee (and thus also a healthier choice). You make the Golden latte with turmeric, coconut oil, ginger, black pepper, cinnamon, honey, and plant-based milk.

7. Jackfruit

You will see this Asian fruit a lot in the new year. It's not just any fruit, because when cooked, it has the texture of meat. In terms of structure, it even resembles pulled pork a bit. The fruit is high in protein but also in sugar. So if you want to moderate your carbohydrate intake, you might want to leave jackfruit on the shelf.

8. Teff

Move over quinoa and farro. It's time for a new grain: Teff. Teff is significantly higher in protein and fiber than other grains. In terms of flavor, it resembles flaxseed and quinoa, but in terms of structure, it most closely resembles quinoa.

9. Coconut, all day every day

Coconut oil, coconut water, and coconut milk have been favorites among us foodies for some time. But this year we will take another step further. And maybe it's already in your kitchen cabinet, but coconut flour and coconut blossom sugar are now also breaking through. Coconut flour is a perfect gluten-free flour for baking, and coconut blossom sugar can be used well when you're tired of agave syrup and honey. It has a caramel-like flavor and works super well in baked goods.

10. Savory crepes

After savory ice cream and cakes with savory ingredients, we are now ready for savory crepes. Do you remember that new trend in NYC?

11. Lucuma

Lucuma is a natural sweetener from South America, made from lucuma fruit. You can use it as sugar in smoothies, desserts, ice cream, and cake, for example. It is currently mainly available in organic stores. Will this be the replacement for stevia? I hope so.