GET FIT! Healthy Food Trends You Gotta Taste RIght Now!

By Maureen Martin | July 19, 2016 | Fitness

The DivaGals attended the annual Fancy Food show in New York City. And we were pleasantly surprised to see many choices are healthy ones. Here’s what’s trending in food right now…

Nut butters: new emphasis on sugar free, organic, non-GMO and gluten free
Kombutcha: Flavored with natural fruits and vegetables, unsweetened, all natural
Chips: From risotto to quinoa and every imaginable grain. Natural flavors ranging from Indian-inspired flavors to Japanese
Natural sustainable and locally farmed flavored honey
Maple Syrups: Unique flavors including smoke and elderberry

The ghost and hatch chili peppers are leading the hot flavor creations. For spicy but not necessarily hot we like Harissa paste from Tunisia paired with their own extra virgin olive oil to prepare a grilled salmon. It was delicious!

The jerky category is cleaning up creating a more natural product
Cheese trends: there are many flavors, colors, spices. Premium cheeses from Scotland with┬ábold, spicy flavors┬áspreads — think pimento and dips.┬áSweet flavors with fruit inclusions pair with sturdy┬ácheeses that can be grilled (eg. haloumi).┬áThere was Cheese rolled in crepe and more┬áGoat cheeses

Beverages include a new clean Gin from Scotland and a brewable cocoa which we┬átasted and loved Crio Bru. It’s 100 percent roasted and ground cocoa beans that are brewed like coffee. We mixed our crio with french roast coffee beans. The result? A refreshing and light cafe mocha. This┬ádrink originated thousands of years ago by the indigenous peoples of Central and South America. It was served to kings and prized for its energizing and restorative properties.

We are always looking out for something to perk up our salads. What better way than to use customized oak barrel aged vinegars? California Sparrow Lane Vinegars makes wonderful vinegars including a zinfadel, champagne, raspberry and pear. You’ll find even more on their website. ┬áThey ship gift sets that are perfect for the foodie in your life.

Photo: Amanne Media