Do you consider yourself lucky? For me, on a very superficial level, I’d say no: I never win contests, find money on the sidewalk, or bump into celebrities on the street. In a more visceral sense, however, I consider myself a very fortunate person. I am in good health, have a steady income, and am surrounded by friends and family who accept me as I am. Do we really need much else to be happy?
And yet, at the onset of each New Year’s, we’re not only subjected to the standard weight loss rhetoric, but we also hear a lot of (superstitious?) talk as it relates to having a hand in our prosperity in the coming year, often by making and consuming particular foods. I’ve no idea where there’s any substance to this tradition, but I do think the idea of eating “lucky” foods is a fun way to incorporate nutrition and variety to one’s diet, if nothing else!
I’ve compiled a list of some of our favorite recipes utilizing some of these special ingredients–with a vegan twist, of course 🙂 Whether or not you eat these foods in the next week, I wish you a happy, healthy new year!
Black Eyed Peas
Winter Minestrone (sub black eyed peas for kidney beans!)
Collard Greens
Dumplings
Vegan Mushroom and Spinach Dumplings
Grains
Wild Rice Stuffed Acorn Squash
Ring-Shaped Pastries
Orange Currant Muffins (bake in a donut pan!)
More for New Year’s Day: Glittery Gold NYE Party Makeup Tutorial
20 Ideas for New Year’s Resolutions to Improve Your Life
Healthiest Herbs and Supplements for Your New Year Cleanse
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Photos: Claire-Marie Harris (black eyed peas); Jessie Brown (mushroom dumplings); Lauren Sacerdote (collard roll and acorn squash); Jessica Riley-Norton (Johnny cake); Danielle Horvatin (chai cake); Peaceful Dumpling (rest)