Okay, we made it. 2014! Dang that sounds weird. Did you party like it’s 1999? Anyone else remember where you were then? I do, and it’s hard to believe it was 15 years ago. Sigh…
Anyway, today is the first day of 2014! I’m OPEN and READY for it. Hope it’s full of love and luck! Speaking of luck, did you know that there are foods other than black eyed peas that bring good luck in the New Year? I had no clue, till now.
Here are 7 Foods (and easy recipes) to bring you luck on New Years.
I’m thinking one per day for the next week would work, yes?
1. Cooked Greens – Colllards, Cabbage, kale, chard, etc. Apparently these cooked greens look like folded money. Which is always good—> and lucky! So eat up. We loved slightly steaming Collard greens and filling them with eggs, salsa, and sautéed veggies.
2. Lentils and Black eyed Peas – These little guys are symbolic of money, yet again. Their seed like appearance resembles coins that swell when cooked. So eat up for more financial rewards, right? How about a batch of BBQ Lentil Stew tonight?
3. Pork– all I can think of is bacon. And yes, I am thinking that is LUCKY! MMM… bacon. But here’s what I learned. Pigs symbolize progress because they push forward, rooting itself in the ground before moving. These Banana Bacon Cups will do, right?
4. Fish – Of course fish is lucky!! It so good for you! Actually, in many European countries, fish is like our turkey –> A Holiday staple. I like that idea. How about Honey Lime COD for the win!
5. Cake– You know I’m all about celebrating with Cake, so that’s lucky, for sure!
But since I just posted that recipe, I’ll share another gluten free cake you need to make THIS YEAR! These would be my Raw FUEL Patty Cakes. And I’ll be posting the recipe Friday so stay tuned. I promise they will bring you luck in training. 
6. Grapes– You mean wine, right? Hello, my name is Wino Cotter. But in all seriousness, New Year’s revelers in Spain eat twelve grapes at midnight—one grape for each stroke of the clock. I wonder if 12 oz of wine would work? LOL! Just kidding. You can put 12 grapes in this Creamy Grape and Green Bean Salad instead.
7. Fermented Food– okay, this one isn’t really on the list I found, but I think it should be. Fermented foods take time to grow, but once they do they bring good health and flourish. I think that’s lucky! Here’s my Kombucha tutorial. Start brewing.
For more info on these traditions, go here.
So, what will you start with?
[Tweet “@LCCotter shares 7 Foods (and Recipes) to Bring you Luck in the New Year #fitfluential #glutenfree “]
Cheers and Happy New Year!
LC
I haven’t cooked at all this year due to being incredibly sick. Luckily Nicks mom made us a bunch of food, including a batch of lentils. Yum.
Oh no! Are you better now? xxoo
Ha- I hope you drank 12 oz of wine for luck!
I actually never heard of eating black eyed peas on New Year’s until I started reading blogs. I wonder if it’s an American or Southern thing?
haha i think it is a southern thing. But it’s vegan for ya! xxoo
Wine counts as fermented food and grapes, right? 😉
I am making pork tonight! I actually LOVE boneless pork chops from Costco. So easy to prepare and yummy. Taste buds are still out of whack, so I’m thinking of making a crazy sandwich with it tonight. 🙂
My first homemade meal of the New Year was Chinese Congee. It did my tummy just right. So warming in all senses 🙂
Happy New Year my dear friend xo
Haha. I sure did not party like it was 1999, that NYE I was 19 and having the time of my life. This year I was pregnant and sleeping by 10 🙂 Happy 2014!!
haha my how things have changed, but in a good way!
I had never heard that about pork, and I agree that cake is always lucky & happy.
Well I did eat some grapes yesterday (completely oblivious to the fact that they were lucky) so I guess I’m all set for 2014. 😉
you are lucky in 2014 for sure! Keep it up friend. Grapes galore
A client shared black eyed peas and collard greens with us – YUM!!
I definitely need to eat more fish this year! And maybe some cake too… : )
Looking forward to the recipe on Friday!
i say kill to birds with one stone and make salmon cakes! hehe. Happy New Year friend
Love this!!! I think fish should be more of a holiday tradition too 🙂 Happy New Year, Lindsay!
yes, like salmon or crab cake! hehe
I must be one lucky girl – I eat all these foods!! We do eat fish on Fridays amd Sundays here in Switzerland – a religious thing. And cake – can never go wrong with cake! Can not wait for that recipe.
see, another reason to come visit! gah…
Happy Happy New Year! We’re starting with cooked greens, grapes and fish among other things. I wish that we also started with some bacon! Happy New Year my friend!
love the cake is listed 😉
and we are so bad at remembering to use that click to tweet…seriously need like a cheat sheet when we go to write a blog post haha
Happy New Year!
haha and you two are the ones that showed me the click to tweet! I’ll remind you to post it. But either way, i share your posts quite easily. Because i LOVE to! <3
No joke I have looked high and low for collard greens here- It’s like a four leaf clover in the supermarkets. Actually, scrap that- it makes the four leaf clover seem as common as tap water.
Why can’t I handle legumes.. that lentil stew sounds so good!
so the trick to eating lentils is to let them soak for 4-6 hrs first. It helps with digestion. Kinda like sprouting them. I can finally have them after 5 years. But a little goes a long way, haha, if you get what i mean. The kiwi can eat bowls and bowls, no prob.
Happy New Year love!! I plan on waiting until you post that recipe Friday so I can use it for my fuel! I signed up for Rock The Parkway in Kansas City April 12th! I haven’t run more than a few miles since I broke my foot in 2011, so this will be pretty emotional for me, but it’s a new year!! Here’s to stepping outside of our boxes! Love ya xoxo
I’m so stinking excited for you!!! you can do it! i wish i could come cheer you on and sherpa! love you
Well, hooray!! I made Puerto Rican Pork tacos for dinner and didn’t even realize pork was on the list. And, I’m going to count my wine as grapes and something fermented so it’s a triple win!!!
Happy 2014!!
Your BBQ and lentil stew is SO awesome (without the sausage for me, of course). I LOVE it :).
yay! i think it’s great without the meat too. I’ve even added tempeh before.
We had pork and cabbage today. I’m hoping for tons of good luck in 2014 🙂
Happy New Year to the both of you. xoxo
ohhh that sounds perfect!
We were just reminiscing about NYE 1999 last night! I seriously can’t believe it’s been 14 years. Makes me feel as old as the hills.
I am still excited to make that cocoa cake! We just need to get rid of a few goodies still lying around first ;). And I had some sautéed greens for lunch, having sauerkraut for dinner (yum). And how about some wine, er, fermented grapes with dinner? Kills 2 birds with one stone. Happy New Year and blessings galore to you and James! I know He’s got BIG things on store for you! (And, selfishly, I kinda hope that doesn’t include leaving Austin!) xoxo
My lunch smoothie was PACKED with healthy greens, so I like the sounds of that! 🙂
i call that the POT OF GOLD
LOVE!!!! I did not know this either till I saw it pop up yesterday on IG! 🙂 I will eat some of those for sure – I don’t like all of them… That 5 for $5 at Whole Foods can fill up a lot of them though & who doesn’t like cake!!!! I am eagerly waiting for that Friday recipe!!!!
BLACK EYED PEAS are always on the New Years Day MENU!!!!! ALWAYS. I would feel 100% naked if I didn’t have my spoonful or 5. Now you better eat some too, I want you to have all the luck in the world this year too! 🙂 xoxo love you – Happy New Year!
you can eat peas? YAY!! Eat em with ketchup. 😉
I will start with fermented! KOMBUCHA is my BFF as you know. Love some kraut too! I’ve never been able to find black-eyed peas around here. Not sure what is up with that. Happy New Year!
I’ll start with wine, thanks 😉 Happy 2014 friend! XOXO
My cabbage, blackeyed peas and ham are cooking now! Bring on the money and luck for 2014! Happy New Year to you and James! xoxo
We should have won the lottery now, the way my family eats grapes. Happy New Year!
Love these! I’ll have them all… except the pork.. Not a fan. xoxo
Happy new year to you and your husband, Lindsay! 🙂
I must admit I don’t know anymore how I celebrated in 1999, but this year was definitely better! It was the best NYE I’ve had so far, because I had so much fun and felt so well! Hubby and I went to a local bar where we a funny band was playing and we met lots of nice people from our city quarter. Dancing and singing and drinking sparkling wine! 😀
Today I’ve started with sleeping until later morning and then made bread rolls for the hubby. I used whole wheat flour and yoghurt (hubby can eat that and likes it, and wheat just works better for baking than gf flour) and they turned out very well! I also made strawberry and cherry jam for him to go along with the bread rolls.
you are a good wife and i am sure he appreciates you! I know i would. Cheers to a good year friend. xxoo lots of healing.
Well I started with Kombucha this morning (trying to get my guts back in shape after the last week!) I had your pumpkin super oat bake for breakfast also, which tastes like CAKE! I’m planning on having kale & fish for lunch & Maybe some wine after dinner?! 😉 I think we should be good… Happy New Year…Can’t wait for another awesome year with “you”!
oh same here friend. Love that i have gotten to know you better too!
i need some lentils today!! those patty cakes look awesome. happy new year pretty girl!
eat up buttercup. Does chick-fila have a lentil burger? just kidding
So fun! We actually do pork and sauerkraut every year, and this year I am also including black eyed peas into the mix!
i love that dish!! good eatin friend
Great post Lindsay, many great ideas there…and ways to start the year off right! Happy new year! I look forward to reading many more of your lovely posts this year 🙂
My family is Polish so fish is a staple for a lot of our holiday meals… and I’m pretty sure you can guess how I feel about that 😉 I’d much rather be celebrating with cake.
Happy New Year to you, my friend <3
haha oh you and your NON love of fish. I shall come and eat your fish, you can eat my cake. It evens out, right?
We always have black-eyed peas and collard greens (cooked in hamhock) at my mammaws house today!! best way to start the new year!
can i come to mammaws house with you?
grapes! lol! you crack me up! happy and healthy new year to you my friend! 🙂 🙂
Yum! We eat a ton of good luck food on New Years. As a southern family, we will have hop-n-john (black eyed peas), collard greens, and ham (though I am not a big ham fan)… and because Dan is a northern boy, I always make a big pot of lentil soup since thats what he grew up eating!
And this year I am adding split pea soup to the table too, just because my husband is addicted to it and asked for it. Not sure if they’re good luck but should be!
Happy New Years!
mmm i love that soup too! and so does the kiwi
So I started with grapes without knowing how lucky they are – love that tradition and hope to remember it for my next NYE!
We grew up with pork and sauerkraut, so there’s one fermented food that is a PA Dutch tradition! Not sure that it means luck, but maybe…? So that’s on our menu today.
COFFEE CAKE!
in the oven
now
🙂
Happy New Year! I love that cake is on here 🙂
Great list! I’m traveling today but am hoping my hotel will have some of these, especially some good greens options, for dinner tonight. Cheers to a New Year! 🙂
Grapes – Check; Collard Greens – Checka; Fish – Check… I should have quite the luck this year already =)
p.s. i’m kind of sort of sad you decided to tease us with those raw patties. lol