Ringing in the Superfoods of 2014

Happy New Year! Hopefully by now we've all recovered from the NYE debauchery and we're getting on track for a healthy new year.
As with anything, "superfoods" follow clear trends. In 2013 we were bombarded with everything coconut and kale. Let's take a look at what's in store for 2014.
An article endorsed by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics gathered opinions from RDs around the country to pinpoint which foods will be on trend in the coming year. Here's the cliffnotes version:

1. Hemp Hearts (shelled hemp seeds)- High in protein, omega-3, and iron. Hemp hearts are crunchy with a nutty flavor and are a great topping for cereals, salads, soups, and more.



2. Microgreens- Basically just very young greens, microgreens are very nutrient dense foods. Use them on salads, sandwiches, burgers- you can make these work with anything.


3. Coconut flour- Sounds great, but apparently cannot be substituted for other flours. I'm not much of a baker, so I won't pretend to know what I'm talking about here. If you figure out how to use it, let me know!
 
4. Nutritional Yeast- A vegan staple, this has a creamy, cheesy taste. Don't let how creepy it looks deter you. Try it in salad dressing.



5. Freekeh- By far my favorite on the list. Freekeh (freak-ah) is an Egyptian grain. It's low in gluten and high in protein and fiber. Substitute freekeh for rice, quinoa, or any other grain that you find yourself eating often. Freekeh is a fantastic grain to incorporate into your diet. I hope that it gets some time in the spotlight this year.
 
6. Chia Seeds- I love chia, but I would have counted them as one of last year's superfoods. Regardless, chia seeds are a versatile source of fiber. When wet they become gelatinous and expand slightly, allowing waste to move quickly and smoothly through the large intestine. They're great for sprinkling on cereal or virtually anything else for that matter. Make sure you buy the white seeds- the black kind of look like little bugs crawling on your oatmeal.