This salad is a great “lucky food” to eat for New Years, or any other time of the year! This New Years, I realized that people have never heard of eating lucky foods on New Years Day. This was so interesting to me because in my family, we always ate pork and sauerkraut. The reason for this is because my Dad is from PA and it is in the Pennsylvania Dutch tradition to eat Pork on New Years. Pork or the pig signifies “always moving or looking forward” suggesting progress and prosperity in the new year. The sauerkraut signifies abundance. It is said to eat the kraut because you will want as many riches as there are layers in the kraut and the green hue also resembles the green color of money.
However, this year I wanted to try a different tradition because the pork never really worked for me. Unbeknownst, the Pennsylvania Dutch aren’t the only ones that believe in lucky foods…many other cultures do as well. In Asian cultures, it is said to be lucky to eat long noodles without cutting them. This food signifies a hope for a long life based on the long length of the noodles. In the south, black eyed peas are eaten. This food also signifies prosperity to the southern people and is usually served on a bed of green collard greens.
The two foods that I chose to eat this year are lentils and pomegranates. Lentils are an Italian “lucky food”. They signify coins signifying money and good fortune in the new year. The pomegranates are from the Turkish and this fruit signifies abundance and fertility. Not that I want a child right now…but abundance sounds nice to have in the new year (haha).
This salad is easy to make and can be eaten hot or cold! It also does not only have to be eaten on New Years, it would go great as a side during the week with chicken steak and fish! Lastly, this salad is gluten free for those that cannot eat gluten products. Enjoy a new tradition to your New Years Day side dish :)
Recipe:
Serves: 6-8 as a side
Ingredients:
1/2 Pomegranate
1 cup Green Whole Lentils
1 Small Green Apple - diced (1 1/2 cups diced)
1/4 red Onion - diced (1/2 cup diced)
1 - 3.5 oz Container Crumbled Goat Cheese
Dressing Ingredients:
Juice of 1 Lime (2 tbsp juice)
1 tbsp Light Oil
4 Dashes of Salt
1 tbsp Honey
1 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
1 tbsp Balsamic Glaze
Directions:
1. Cook lentils to package directions, drain and reserve for later.
2. Using a spoon or your fingers, de-seed 1/2 a pomegranate in a large bowl (so you can retain the juices that come out of the pomegranate). Try to also remove all of the the white rind inside the pomegranate that may end up in the bowl.
3. Add the lentils, onions, apples and goat cheese to this bowl.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients and pour over the salad. Mix well until the dressing is fully incorporated. Serve warm or chilled.
Cited:
1. Dugger, Victoria. “A Tasty Superstition: Food Traditions Purport to Bring Luck and Prosperity in the New Year.” Wtol.com, 1 Jan. 2021, https://www.wtol.com/article/life/food/new-years-day-good-luck-food-pork-sauerkraut-black-eyed-peas/512-64baa153-f66c-4a85-a2d8-e2a1ff0f8eab.
2. Garrity, Amanda. “8 New Year's Good-Luck Recipes to Bring Health, Wealth, and Happiness in 2022.” Good Housekeeping, Good Housekeeping, 3 Nov. 2021, https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/g1960/good-luck-foods/.
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