Some notable healthy food trends into 2019 included the rise of plant-based and keto diets, dairy alternatives and a surge of food delivery apps, making these available at our fingertips.
While all of the above is expected to move into 2020, there are some new trends simmering away that’s expected to take hold in the new year. If you’re looking to start the new year with a health kick, you have to try these recipes that are taking the food scene and people’s kitchens by storm.
Bone Broth
Coined as a miracle drink that can reduce joint pain, help your gut and give you a better night’s sleep, bone broth has been around for centuries, with some people thinking of it as stock. The difference with this is the length of time it takes to make. With homemade stock usually taking a couple of hours, bone broth usually takes longer — we’re talking up to a whole day. You can use either beef bones or chicken bones to make a delish batch. Blanch your bones before roasting and boiling with your choice of veggies (carrots, celery and onions are the most popular), salt and herbs like rosemary or thyme.
The benefits are worth it though — a cup of bone broth a day provides a great source of protein, is good for leaky gut syndrome thanks to the gelatin from certain joints like knuckles and feet and also contains collagen, which we all know is great for our skin’s elasticity. Although it is worth saying there hasn’t been any concrete studies to show ingesting bone broth can have this effect. Experts are torn but with so many other benefits, it doesn’t hurt to incorporate it into your diet, even if it’s just the one cup!
West African Cuisine
One trend that has been popping up across a number of food sources, is the rise of West African cuisine, which we’ll start seeing more of on menus. If you’re already familiar with the famous jollof rice, often served with stewed meat or fish, then prepare yourself for more specific grains like fonio and teff, as well as superfoods like tamarind and moringa. A popular West African dish is Egusi soup, made from melon seeds and usually consists of leafy greens and meat. This stew/soup can be made plant-based by simply removing the meat and is usually eaten with pounded yams.
Cauliflower Pizza
We definitely saw a lot from this one ingredient in 2019 with cauliflower rice, cauliflower pizza bases and even mashed cauliflower for those on keto diets! Well, guess what? Cauliflower is staying put into 2020 with its versatility to replace carbs in a number of forms. What you may notice more mention of is cauliflower flour. Bakers are seeking out alternative flours which provide more protein and fibre. So now you can make those pizza crusts without it falling apart and even venture into sweet territory with cakes and brownies!
Happy Hour Mocktails
Forbes and Popsugar have declared that non-alcoholic happy hours will be a thing in 2020. With more people choosing to forego the alcohol, expect to see more bars advertising zero-proof drinks. Happy hour without the hangover? Doesn’t sound too bad to us! Try making some non-alcoholic classics at home like the ‘Safe Sex on the Beach,’ which blends orange juice, cranberry juice and peach schnapps, and finished with a Maraschino cherry.
Oat Milk
It’s already available in stores and as an alternative in some coffee shops, but the success of oat milk throughout 2019 means we can expect to see more dairy-free, oat milk products. Not only is it a good lactose alternative, but it’s also packed with nutrients like fibre, plant-based protein and B vitamins.
Alternative Spreads
Who doesn’t love peanut and almond butter? They’re great on toast and add delicious flavours to smoothies. But there are new healthy spreads and kinds of butter set to gain popularity in 2020 made from nuts and seeds that are also vegan-friendly. Chickpea butter is one example of this, which is also easy to make at home. Simply drain and roast chickpeas for 20 minutes. Let them cool before blitzing in a high powered blender until they resemble a fine powder. Add your honey, cinnamon, salt and ghee. Blend again and taste. Depending on consistency, add ghee one tablespoon at a time. You can also make this recipe vegan-friendly by substituting the ghee for extra virgin olive oil and maple syrup instead of honey.
Plant-Meat Balance
In the U.K. bakery chain, Greggs launched their vegan sausage roll which sold out nationwide. An alternative to a well known British bake peaked people’s interests. It’s now a fixed part of their menu and continues to sell well. More fast-food chains and restaurants have adopted plant-based alternatives and this looks set to continue in 2020. Burger King unveiled its Impossible Whopper while Dunkin’ now offers a Beyond Sausage Breakfast Sandwich. However, butchers are curious to know if people will consider burgers made of less meat. The Blended Burger Project, a movement started by the James Beard Foundation, takes classic burgers and blends them “with at least 25 percent of plant-based foods such as fresh mushrooms” according to Forbes. It’s only a matter of time whether this takes hold as an alternative to limit our meat consumption.
