5 Lucky Foods for a Nourishing New Year!

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At Nourish Network, we love the power of fad-free, sound nutrition strategies that have stood the test of time and nourished generations of people around the world. And we couldn’t help noticing that many foods traditionally eaten for good luck and prosperity in the new year will also get your year off to a healthy start.

Ring in the year with grapes. In Spain and parts of Latin America, revelers gobble 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight to ensure a sweet year ahead. According to Epicurious, this practice was started in the early 20th century by Spanish grape growers to encourage people to consume surplus fruit. Nonetheless, it’s a nourishing start–and it would give Lia and me a head start on our resolution to eat more fruit in 2011.

Legumes for prosperity. These swell as they cook and are thought to represent coins–and therefore good fortune in the new year–so they’re a classic new year’s food from Japan to Europe to the American South. Make a pot of our Southern-style Nourishing Hoppin’ John for a down-home celebration or our All-Purpose French Lentils (lentils being traditional in Italy, Germany and Brazil). Split Pea Soup with Spanish Chorizo and Sherry Vinegar is another option.

Greens–show me the money. Could the prosperity connection be any more obvious? Around the globe, people will be gobbling greens tomorrow, from collards in the South to kale in Denmark to sauerkraut in Germany. Try our Quick Collards or our White Bean and Kale Ragout with Turnips and Sausage, which also features lucky legumes.

Progress with pork. Pigs move ever forward as they forage for their food, so they represent progress in cultures all over the world. It’s also rich in fat, which signifies wealth. You’ll find it in many forms in New Year’s dishes–sausage, bacon, roasts. Since pork is so flavorful, we like to enjoy it in smaller portions surrounded by sumptuous veggies. Serve it up in our Super Succulent Five-Spice Pork Shoulder, Carnitas de Lia or Spiced Pork Roast.

Move forward with fish. Like pigs, fish are always moving ahead, and eating fish will help you get ahead in the new year. Cod is traditional in Europe, so try our Pan Seared Harissa-Rubbed White Cod. Or make a batch of our Hot-Smoked Sablefish to add to a Scandinavian-style new year’s smorgasbord.

Whatever combination of these foods you choose will begin your year on an auspicious–and nourishing–note. Happy (and Nourishing) New Year!

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Nourishing Hoppin John

Making a big ole pot of hoppin John is New Year’s Day tradition in the South and features two good-luck foods to start the new year: pork and legumes. Our version calls for brown basmati rice so you’ll start the year with a healthy whole grain (and because the rice swells as it cooks, it’s also thought to boost prosperity). This time of year, you can find containers of presoaked black-eyed peas in the produce section of many supermarkets. You also can substitute 2 cups cooked peas or thawed frozen peas. Serve with our Quick Collards (due to their color, greens are thought to bring money in the new year) and Skillet Corn Bread with Tomatoes and Sage.

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Nourishing Hoppin John

Yield: Serves 10-12

Nourishing Hoppin John

Ingredients

  1. 4 ounces slab bacon, chopped
  2. 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  3. 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
  4. 1 carrot, finely chopped
  5. 1-1/2 cups brown basmati rice
  6. 6 cups water
  7. 1 teaspoon sea salt
  8. 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  9. 1/4 teapoon cayenne
  10. 1 bay leaf
  11. 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled plum tomatoes, drained
  12. 1 (11-ounce) container refrigerated presoaked black-eyed peas (such as Melissa’s)
  13. Hot sauce (optional)

Instructions

Cook bacon over medium-low heat in a Dutch oven 10 minutes or until the bacon renders its fat. Increase heat to medium. Add onion, celery and carrot; cook 5 minutes or until tender. Add rice, and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add water, salt, black pepper, cayenne and bay leaf. Use kitchen shears to cut up the tomatoes; add the tomatoes to the pan. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer 40 minutes. Stir in black-eyed peas. Cover and cook 10 minutes or until the rice and peas are tender. Remove pan from heat, and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Serve with hot sauce, if desired.

http://nourishnetwork.com/2010/12/31/5-lucky-foods-for-a-nourishing-new-year/