Healing Lifestyles & Spas

Retro Food Trends That Aren’t Going Anywhere.

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By on Healing Blog

Each and every year I eagerly await the predicted food trends for the year ahead. And they’ve gotten progressively more fun each year! This year your food will be garnished with pretty yet edible flowers, tacos are no longer just for Tuesdays and there are some fun ways to enjoy the health benefits of charcoal . . . in your food.

1. Edible Flowers 

Ever taken a moment to appreciate the delicate beauty of a flower? Well, now you’ll be able to admire them from your very own plate. This year you can expect a real floral infusion when it comes to the food you’re consuming; think lavender coffee, lilac lemonade and elderflower cocktails. And it’s not just our drinks getting spiked with flowers; expect to find everything from salads to cakes topped with pretty petals. Although FYI: you may want to make sure the petals you’re using are edible before you go on a rampage in your garden. Nature’s Blossom make it easy to grow your own edible flowers from home; a safe and fun place to start.

Try Me: Spring Salad with Edible Flowers

A little dubious about chowing down on the contents of your garden? You might want to start off with something simple like a salad. Whilst the flowers may add a delightful vibrancy to any bowl of leafy greens, they won’t add much in terms of flavour, so it’s a great way to introduce them slowly.

Get the recipe here.

2. Mushroom Love

Mushrooms have been in the background for some time, yet this year they’re set to take centre stage. We’ll see recipes like mushroom coffee become more popular and the supermarkets will be rife with functional mushrooms such as reishi, chaga and cordyceps. So why are we getting to excited about fungi? Edible mushrooms are considered to be medicinal due to their ability to assist in anti-stress and even anti-cancer treatments. From broths to coffees and shakes, get ready to embrace those shrooms! Brands like Four Sigma Foods create sachets of mushroom coffee that can be added to beverages easy, or if you prefer to make your own concotions, Terrasoul Superfoods have created a resishi mushroom powder.

Try Me: REISHI CHOCOLATE LATTE

Not a fan of mushrooms? You might want to ease in with a sweeter variation like this hot chocolate recipe. The dash of cinnamon, coconut oil and maple syrup add the perfect amount of sweetness against the savory reishi powder and pinch of salt.

Get the recipe here.

3. Super Powders

Matcha and turmeric lattes dominated the health world in the 2000s and they never really went anywhere. Maca root and cacao have been on many of our radars for some time now, yet they’re expected to become more mainstream in 2018 as people look for quick ways to incorporate powdered superfoods into their smoothies, lattes and even oatmeal.

Try Me: NOURISHING BUCKWHEAT BREAKFAST PUDDINg

Maca is great for boosting energy, so including it into breakfast recipes like this buckwheat porridge is a great way to get the day started. It’s also a wonderful superfood to consume pre-workout due to its natural abilities to boost performance and is also great for maintaining healthy skin and hair, bonus!

Get the recipe here.

4. Upcycled Foods

Many of us are guilty of food waste, despite the small steps we’re taking to resolve the issue such as composting, meal planning and doing a whole heap more with the produce that we do buy. The root to stem trend that is going to become more popular this year will do wonders to boost the zero waste approach to the foods in which we throw away, but there are also some great companies helping the movement by recycled food scraps and turning them into edible products such as Forager Project, who make delicious chips made from the veggie pulp left over from their cold-pressed juices.

Try Me: ReGrained Supergrain Granola Bar

ReGrained bars are made from upcycled brewer’s malt that has been used in the beer-making process. These delicious bars don’t taste like beer and contain absolutely no alcohol, but it does fight back against food waste and allows a highly delicious and nutricious product to be made from what would essentially be thrown away. They’re also non-GMO, fair trade and wrapped in a compostable wrapper.

 

5. All Kinds of Tacos

I know what you’re likely thinking; when were tacos ever not trendy? And it’s true. I am a self-confessed taco fanatic, I could eat them for breakfast, lunch or dinner which is actually pretty much where the taco trend is moving this year. Forget classic tacos; we’re not going to be able to enjoy them for breakfast and dessert time, too, and you can even see a brand new type of taco . . . the sushi taco!

Try Me: Breakfast Tacos 

Don’t just wait for dinner to roll round before you get your taco on. Why not whip up these breakfast tacos, filled with all kinds of goodness? This recipe is vegan, and uses tofu and avocado for a healthy boost of fat essential for glowing skin, but you could easily use paisture raised eggs if you’d prefer alongside some spinach and fresh tomatoes.

Get the recipe here.

6. Middle Eastern CUISINE 

Our taste buds are set to explore new cuisine’s in 2018, and the flavours of the Middle East are going to really shine this year. Spices such as cardamon and za’atar are going to heavily influence our cooking, alongside harissa if you’re a fan of spice! Persian, Israeli, Moroccan, Syrian and Lebances influences are all going to find their way onto our plates, and I can’t wait!

Try Me: Manakish Zaatar

New to the world of za’atar? Start off with this traditional Lebanese recipe that is very similar to pizza. Soft pitta bread is used as the base, and then topped with the super aromatic za’atar spice. This is a popular breakfast recipe in the Middle East, yet I’d serve this as a snack with some hummus or even as a side dish.

Get the recipe here.

7. Charcoal Food

In 2017 we dabbled with the idea of cooking with charcoal, but this year we’re set to embrace it fully. But what can be gained from chowing down on black hued foods? Charcoal is celebrated for its ability to draw out toxins from the body, so it’s a great way to detoxify the body from things such as heavy metals and even chemicals that end up inside of us. Charcoal can be added to quite a lot of things, so why not have some fun with it this year?

Try Me: SAVORY CHARCOAL WAFFLE SANDWICHES

A little scared by the idea of turning your food a dark shade of nothingness? Well, don’t be! These waffles still look totally scrumptious, and recipes like bread and pancakes are a really great place to start when cooking with charcoal. Before long, you’ll be turning your smoothies and ice cream black, too . . .

Get the recipe here.

8. Root to Stem Cooking

Not only are these food trends set to be popular this year, food waste is hopefully on the decline, too. Which is why this new trend of zero waste cooking is going to help. Following in the steps of nose-to-tail butcheries, this veggie equivilent is all about using ALL parts of produce, stems and leaves includes. It means less food going into our bins and more food going onto our tables.

Try Me: Pickled Watermelon Rind

One way to kick-start root to stem cooking is by using parts of a fruit that you likely always thought were inedible; watermelon rind! If, like me, you’ve been emptying your watermelon rinds into the bin, you’ll be delighted to know that you can now turn them into delicious and tangy pickles!

Get the recipe here.

9. Bubbly Beverages 

Sparking beverages are set to take over this year, and nope, I’m not referring to soda. Sparking waters are the new trend in drinks, and theyre great for those of us more adverse to getting our daily take of h20. With a little more flavour than plain water, they’re heaps lower in sugar than sodas, and will make a refreshing beverage as summer nears.

Try Me: Spindrift Seltzer Water

Spindrift is a popular brand that has been promoting sparkling water for some time now, and with lots of thirst quenching flavours to try such as blackberry, orange + mango, to the slightly more unique flavours of cucumber, this is a healthy alternative to soda.

Lora O'Brien
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