Food trends for 2017

TACOS

These traditional Mexican tortilla wraps are everywhere this year. But not the greasy cheese-laden, US fast food versions you see in the movies. Instead think fresh and healthy – 2017’s tacos are packed with fresh, zesty flavours, and filled with the likes of raw tuna with lime and coriander, or authentic combinations of shredded pork and mole. Trendy taco destinations, such as Breddo’s, Temper or Taqueria, have already sprung up in London, but the beauty of this trend is how easy they are to make at home. Lean on beans, raw fish or avocado to embrace this trend without sacrificing healthiness. Find some seriously tasty but healthy taco recipes here.

BOOZE-FREE COCKTAILS

For fitness fans, especially those that rise early to train, an invitation to evening drinks is most often declined – alcohol really doesn’t sit too well within a fitness regime, thanks to its abundance of calories and high risk of a hangover. But thanks to this year’s fad of booze-free drinks bar across the country are adding ‘mocktails’ to their menu. Taking things one step further, Seedlip, the world’s first non-alcoholic spirit company, have made an alcohol-free gin that is both as tasty and stylish as any of the trendy “proper” gins on the market.

POSH PIZZA

Pizza has steadily been climbing the ladder of gastronomic respectability, casting aside its stodgy, fat-laden past. In London, the likes of SoDo, Pizza Pilgrims, Zia Lucia and Homeslice have ushered in a more culinary pizza era with their sourdough crusts, vegan cheese and organic, free-range toppings. The very latest in pizza innovation is charcoal dough, which is fermented for five to six days, free from gluten, contains active ingredients good for the stomach, and said to help cure that awful hangover you got from not drinking mocktails…

MORE VEGGIE CARBS

If you’re swerving carbs for health and fitness reasons, you’ll already be well acquainted with courgetti and cauliflower rice. But they’re old news in the veggie-carb world. This year, beetroot is getting in on the rice action, sweet potato in on the spaghetti action, while sliced swedes are replacing just about everything from burger buns to lasagne sheets.

COFFEE WITH NO COFFEE

Another of this year’s biggest crazes, coffee without, erm, coffee is taking over. Firstly there are turmeric lattes, thanks to turmeric’s much-touted usefulness as an anti-depressant and anti-bloating agent. But if that’s a bit beige (or orange-tinged) for you, get your hands on the next big thing: unicorn lattes. Looking like something straight out of My Little Pony, these dairy-free, caffeine-free alternatives employ algae to turn them into wonderful cups of bright blue goodness.

VEGETABLE YOGHURTS

Why should fruit have all the fun? When it comes to yoghurt flavours, strawberries, raspberries and other forest fruits may have had their heyday. 2017’s most on-trend yoghurts are filled with sweet potatoes, carrots and tomatoes. While there are definitely worse things for you than fruit, their incredibly low sugar content has seen veggies elbow their way into juices and smoothies in recent years, so yoghurts are a natural next step. Although it doesn’t sound too appetising, savoury yoghurt isn’t as crazy an idea as it sounds – we’ve been eating cucumber and mint raita for decades without batting an eyelid.

FOR DELICIOUS HEALTHY RECIPES AND MORE ARTICLES ON FOOD, SEARCH OUR RECIPES ON INSIDE TRACK.