This year’s trend focus is again on healthy food

The wide variety of specialty kitchen appliances seems to support the notion that food trends are fleeting. Your fondue pot, vegetable spiralizer or jalapeño popper grill could all qualify as candidates for yesterday’s good idea. Every January, food companies, ad agencies and media outlets offer predictions on what foods will be in fashion during the year ahead.

 

Yet, if you compile a list based on every trend quoted by the restaurant industry, grocery trade groups and lifestyle bloggers this month, there really isn’t anything new. From exotic ingredients to international flavors to hyper-local sources, this year’s list doesn’t seem much different from those we’ve seen in the past.  Once again, the focus is on healthier foods, sustainable production methods, and a handful of “new” fruits, flowers or spices. As you can guess, the word new is hardly accurate, as most of these items have been around for centuries and were only recently introduced to the American palate. 

 

Ancient grains are a good example: They are so-called because unlike modern wheat strains, these have existed without hybridization for millennia. They are typically high in protein, high in fiber and an excellent addition to your diet. If you haven’t already discovered them, consider trying quinoa, amaranth, spelt or kamut for a change of pace from potatoes and rice.

 

Flowers appear on many 2018 food lists, although they’ve been included in recipes since ancient times. Today, edible petals appear as garnishes or candies, and floral infusions form the basis of many artisanal cocktails. According to the pundits at Whole Foods, this year will also bring flower flavors to fruit pops, granola and chocolate marshmallows.

 

One trend that has emerged and re-emerged in different forms over the years is meat replacement. Packages of tofu turkey and dairy-free cheeses have long been common sights in the grocery store aisles. And although they don’t always perform exactly as the originals, they’re manufactured as popular options for vegans and vegetarians.

 

The newest addition to this trend is pea protein that has been skillfully engineered to look and taste like ground beef, sausage and chicken. Beyond Meat is so confident of its product, the burgers  are sold in the butcher section of supermarkets. Reviewers quoted on their website seem to approve, applauding the texture, flavor and juiciness of the cooked patties (beet juice approximates the bloody drip of medium-rare beef).

 

As we started the new year last week, the Houston branch of our family (in town for the holidays) reminded me that a few trends never go out of style: coffee and chocolate chip cookies. Our son, Dave, intrigued by the cover of Parade magazine, assembled his version of a chocolate-coffee drink garnished with coconut and blueberries. Instead of chopped dates, he substituted vanilla yogurt for a hint of sweetness and gave the mug a few minutes in the freezer to thicken (see photo).

 

Our granddaughter Nicole baked a batch of her vegan chocolate chip cookies, which vanished as soon as they came out of the oven. She replaced butter with coconut oil and eggs with almond milk, creating fluffy, tender cookies. I’ve included both recipes here and will let you know when I try anything from Beyond Meat. In the meantime, if you’re trying to lose weight, remember this simple formula: consume fewer calories than you use each day.

 

Combine coffee, yogurt, almond butter, cocoa and cardamom in a blender. Puree until smooth. Pour into a cup and place in the freezer for 10 minutes. Garnish with coconut, blueberries and shaved chocolate. Yield: 1 serving. *adapted from Parade magazine.

 

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat. In a mixing bowl, cream together coconut oil and brown sugar. Mix in the almond milk and vanilla; set aside. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add dry ingredients to the oil and sugar mixture; fold in chocolate chips. Roll dough into tablespoon-sized balls and set them 1 1/2 inches apart on the cookie sheet. Bake for 8 minutes. Cool several minutes before removing cookies from the pan. Store in an airtight container (if you have any to store). Yield: 2 dozen cookies.