Nourish Paleo Foods

Happy New Year’s! photo credit: ecstaticist via photopin cc

Eat pork on New Years Day and you will be prosperous all year — so says folklore.  And while you are at it, fill your plate with a few other traditionally lucky foods, and you will also be happy, wealthy and fortunate in 2013.

Now I’m not overly superstitious but I do like to cover my bases.  No need to fly in the face of tradition, you know.  I figure, why not pick a New Years Day menu that contains “lucky” foods and perhaps set myself up for 365 days of happiness, health and success?

It is also important to me that my first meals in 2013 are paleo.  I want to launch into the new year nourished by healthy food.

So for today I rounded a list of lucky foods and included a few examples of paleo recipes that you might want to prepare.  I haven’t made all of these recipes — but I only included ones I wanted to make.

You can use this list to pull together a menu for brunch or dinner — or whip up some of the simpler dishes as finger food for a New Years Day open house.   You’ll have some good food and a fun conversation starter.  And you may even experience great fortune in 2013!

Pork

Since it used to be that you had to be wealthy to own a pig, eating pork bodes well for prosperity in the new year.  Pork also symbolizes progress since, apparently, when pig dig for food they scratch forward.  In contrast, chickens scratch backwards for food — so, avoid poultry on Jan. 1 it you want to keep moving along.

• Stovetop Pork Carnitas from The Clothes Make the Girl
• Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms from Nourish Paleo Foods
• Sweet and Spicy Meatballs from TGIPaleo
• Cumin Spiced Slow Cooked Pork from Everyday Paleo
• Garlic Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin from Multiply Delicious

Fish

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Fish symbolize all sorts of good things!  Long life, fertility, good harvest, good luck.  Who would want to miss a chance to sign up for any of those things?  Put fish on the menu, for sure!

• Almond Crusted Salmon by Nourish Paleo Foods (contains nuts too!)
• White Fish with Macadamia Salsafrom Paleo Plan (contains nuts too!)
• Black Cod with Swiss Chard Olives and Lemon from Epicurious (contains greens too!)
• Salmon and Spinach in Parchment from Martha Stewart (contains greens too!)
• Easy and Elegant Orange-Poached White Fish by Moomba

Grapes

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In Spain, partiers traditionally eat one grape per second for 12 seconds, starting at the stroke of midnight.  This is for good luck in each of the 12 months of the year.  Here are some recipes that include grapes– but be sure to leave aside a dozen extras per person for midnight consumption.

• Roasted Grape Bacon Wrapped Filet Mignon by PaleOMG
• Roasted Butternut Squash, Red Grapes, and Sage from Epicurious (just sub ghee in place of butter)
• Grape and Feta Salad from La Fuji Mama (leave out feta if avoiding all dairy)
• Spinach Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash & Grapes from The Paleo Prize
• Roasted Veggies and Grapes from What I Gather

Nuts

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OK, I didn’t see anywhere that nuts are good luck; what I read was that legumes are good luck.  They are small and round and symbolize abundant wealth.  Since paleo folks want to avoid legumes — but we don’t want to miss out on the wealth! — I think nuts are a solid substitution.

• Broccoli Cashew Raisin Saladfrom Jan’s Sushi Bar
• Paleo Spiced Nuts from Elena’s Pantry
• Spiced Pumpkin and Cashew Soup from The Black Peppercorn  (sub 1½ cups coconut milk and 1 ½ cups chicken broth in place of milk)
• Creamy Macadamia Shrimp from Mark’s Daily Apple
• Maple Cinnamon Walnuts by Three Diets, One Dinner

·         Green leafy vegetables

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This is a great one, since green leafy veggies are always a good addition to any meal!  Green symbolizes properity and wealth.  It’s like a back up in case the nut trick doesn’t work.

• Baked Kale Chips from Nom Nom Paleo
• Red Hot Greens from Food52
• Sesame and Kale Salad from HealthBent
• So Delicious Kale Salad, Paleo-ized from Nourish Paleo Foods
• Citrus Collards with Raisins Redux from Epicurious

·       Ring cakes

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Everyone seems to agree baked goods in the shape of a ring (bundt cakes, donuts, etc.) are a fortuitous  food to eat on New Years, but I couldn’t find a great explanation of why.  Something to do with a fortunate cycle in the upcoming year, or the ring of life.  Whatever.   Sounds fun!

• Holiday Bundt Cake by Paleo Parents
• Carrot Cake Donuts by Paleo OMG
• Sugared Gingerbread Cake Donuts by The Urban Poser

I’m only making three suggestions for the ring cakes.  The ones I have listed here look like the tastiest options.  And I simply can’t look at paleo desserts any more without wanting to dive head first into a cake – which is NOT how I want to start the new year.

I want to be lucky, prosperous, and paleo.  If I try out some of the recipes listed above on Jan. 1, I know I will meet at least one of those goals!