Krupa’s Korner – (12/26/2022)

New Year’s Foods

New Year’s Eve is a festive time celebrated around the world with friends, family, and fireworks. The holiday season is full of long-standing traditions, but our favorites always tend to center around eating. Many people believe what you do or specifically what you eat on January 1st can set the tone for the entire year to come. Certain dishes known as the New Year’s “good luck” foods have been known to cause health, happiness, and wealth for centuries.

Black-Eyed Peas

There are a variety of myths as to the tradition behind eating black-eyed peas comes from, but they all say the beans will bring good luck in the form of money in the New Year.

Try out the Black-Eyed Pea SaladBlack-Eyed Pea Bruschetta, or Southern Black-Eyed Peas

Greens

The color green symbolizes luck. Think about four-leaf clovers, dollar bills, and jade jewelry. As if that’s not enough, eating a plate full of greens (kale, cabbage, green beans, and brussels sprouts) will start your year off on a healthy note.

Try out the Winter SaladSweet Pea Risotto, or Brussel Sprouts with Pepitas and Figs 

Cornbread

Sweet or savory cornbread is said to bring prosperity in the New Year. The golden hues of the cornbread represent gold and other riches. As the Southern saying goes, “Peas for pennies, greens for dollars, and cornbread for gold.”

Try out the Classic CornbreadBacon-topped Jalapeño Cornbread, or Honey Cornbread

Pork

Eating pork is supposed to inspire progress throughout the year to come because pigs root forward rather than backward like chickens. On New Year’s, pork is often paired with cabbage in the form of sauerkraut, but we say, anything goes.

Try out the Oven-Roasted Pulled Pork, our Sausages and AauerkrautPork Chops with Bloody Mary Tomato Salad, or Pork and Veggie Stir Fry

Noodles

Super long noodles are thought to lengthen their life, especially if you can eat them without breaking them. Any noodle will do, as long as it’s long, so bring out the rice noodles, the Italian pasta, and the ramen noodles… the sky’s the limit.

Try out the Tofu Pad ThaiRed Curry Shrimp and NoodlesCreamy Steak FettuccineMiso Bolognese, or Tagliatelle with Bacon and Mushrooms

Lentils

Lentils are round like a coin, therefore they represent good luck around the start of the New Year and beyond. They’re also a symbol of abundance since they increase so much in size when cooked. Lentils will not only bring you luck but are also packed with tons of fiber and protein.

Try out the Seared Salmon with Lentil SaladVegan CrunchwrapsLentil Dal, or Coconut Curried Lentils



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Krupa is our onsite registered dietitian and she is available to help Gatorcare members achieve a healthier lifestyle! It’s not about dieting or counting calories but rather building a healthier relationship with food.

krupa in the kitchen