I am so looking forward to the new year. I love the celebration with friends and family, followed by time spent on deciding my intentions for the year ahead. Once I know my goals, I love finding ways to kick start the new year. As you ring in 2014, here are some new recipes and traditions that I hope will bring you health and prosperity.
For your New Year’s Eve Celebration, Pomegranate Champagne Punch is a great starter. When hosting a dinner or celebration, I like to greet my guests with a special drink. I love this one because it is delicious with or without alcohol, plus it just looks so festive! Another bonus is that pomegranate juice is loaded with antioxidants.
This year for New Year’s Day, I am going to partake in the southern tradition of enjoying black-eyed peas, greens and cornbread. These southern classics are said to provide luck and prosperity. Who doesn’t need that, right?
According to folklore, this New Year’s Day tradition dates back to the Civil War, when Union troops pillaged the land, leaving behind only black-eyed peas and greens. Rich in nutrients, these were the humble foods that enabled Southerners to survive and offered renewed hope for good things yet to come.
Today, the tradition of eating black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day has evolved into a number of variations and embellishments of this theme including:
- Served with greens (collards, mustard or turnip greens, which varies regionally), the peas represent coins and the greens represent paper money.
- Cornbread, often served with black-eyed peas and greens, represents gold.
Whether you choose to follow the Southern New Year’s tradition or not, black-eyed peas are a good source of nutrition. Low in fat and sodium, while high in potassium, iron, and fiber, black-eyed peas contain no cholesterol. A one-half cup serving of cooked black-eyed peas counts as one ounce of lean meat.
I like the Collard Greens and Black-Eyed Peas recipe adapted from Terry Walters because it’s simple and comforting, and paired with my Gluten-free Corn Bread, it’s a healthy way to kick off the new year.