New Year's Day Checklist

The following things must be done on New Year's Day to ensure a prosperous year ahead:

1. Wear red. This brings luck.
2. Nothing should leave your house - so don't take out the garbage today - because if things leave, then that means things will be leaving you all year.
3. Don't do your laundry or wash your dishes or wash your hair because you'll wash away luck. And don't you dare sweep at all.
4. Don't use scissors today or they will cut off your good fortune.
5. Good Foods To Eat:
   • Incorporate some black eyed peas into one or all of your meals today. When eaten today, they bring enormous good luck. 
   • Lentil soup because lentils resemble coins.
   • Pork because poultry scratches backwards, a cow stands still, but a pig roots forward, ergo those who dine upon pork will be moving forward in the new year.
   • Chicken should not be eaten on the first day of the year or you will have financial difficulties for the rest of the year.
   • Any greens such as collard greens, peas, chard, cabbage, kale, spinach, broccoli, etc. (because the greens resemble money).
   • Eating cornbread is supposed to bring wealth.
   • Some good recipes can be found here.
6. Wearing new clothes today (especially socks and underwear) is extremely lucky.
7. Do not lend any money to anyone today or you'll be giving away all your money throughout the year. And try not to spend any money as well.
8. Avoid breaking anything today or crying. Again, what you do today sets the tone for your coming year.
9. Keep this in mind: Anything shaped like a ring is believed to be good luck because it symbolizes “coming full circle,” completing a year’s cycle.
10. Sleep in a bed with clean, new sheets.

So basically - whatever you do today will set the tone for your year. So sleeping in all day is obviously not the best idea since you'll have a lazy year ahead. Some ideas of things to do today for a good year?

• Phone friends of family
• Dance
• Be friendly and polite, more than usual
• Exercising, even in some small way
• Do a small amount of work, but don't go overboard
• Compliment someone

Am I ridiculous for suggesting these things to you? That's your call. I'm a firm believer in this kind of stuff and I'm also fortunate enough to feel a great deal of happiness in my life so I'll continue on with adhering to things like this. 

Happy New Year!

New Year's Day Recipes

You'll understand in a few days why I'm posting these recipes with these specific ingredients, but for now all I can tell you is that these would be extremely lucky recipes to make on January 1st. (And if you hate the following recipes? Try to eat something with these main ingredients then - if you know what's good for you.)

Crockpot Pulled Pork Chili - recipe from How Sweet Eats

Crockpot Brown Sugar Balsamic Glazed Pork Tenderloin - recipe from Food52

Cider-Dijon Pork Chops - recipe from Epicurious

Lentil Tacos - recipe from AllRecipes

Garden Lentil Bolognese - recipe from Dunaway Dietetics

Pork and Black Eyed Pea Chili - recipe from Gourmandistan

Three Bean Salad - recipe from eNourishment

Pesto Lasagna with Spinach and Mushrooms - recipe from MyRecipes

Spinach, Bacon and Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms - recipe from How Sweet Eats

Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread Muffins - recipe from Or Whatever You Do