12 Easy Recipes to Make This the Year of the Pot Roast

No really, hear me out. If you’re like me, the term “pot roast” revives memories of sulking at a dinner table, unable to be excused until you choked through some grayish beef of questionable texture where even the usually fail-safe potatoes had been cruelly adulterated by having been cooked in the same pot. Did the adults even like this stuff? Or was this some sort of harrowing rite of passage for the kids and they were totally going to bust out the pizza and chicken nuggets after we sulked our way through until bedtime?

As an adult, I begrudgingly admit that I kind of get it now. When handled lovingly, pot roast takes the humblest, and often least-expensive of ingredients and transforms them into a rustic, hearty meal with minimal effort, capable of dancing with all of the taste buds while triangulating soundly among richness, brightness, and starchiness. A good pot roast is the very embodiment of “cozy,” which is definitely what we will be craving during those blustery January days.

Being no longer bound solely by the encrusted pages of our mothers’ most reliable cookbooks now, pot roast also need not be limited to one flavor profile. So let us shelve those mysterious “sauce packets,” inaugurate the newly acquired Airpot or Dutch oven, and usher in a new year with a renewed commitment to semi-nostalgic Sunday suppers replete with pot roast, hold the sulking.

Why not roast your way through 2018 with these 12 pot roasts for each month:

January: Garlicky Pot Roast

Chowhound

We’re not taking any chances with starting off the year right, so we’ll ward off the evil eye and all the other devils right out of the gate with this aromatic preparation featuring no fewer than eight heads of garlic, plus beer and gingersnap cookies because we want 2018 to know what we’re about. Get our Garlicky Pot Roast recipe. 

February: Slow-Cooker Chinese Pot Roast

Your Home-Based Mom

Invite your friends over for a “Year of the Monkey” celebration! Watch “12 Monkeys,” listen to The Monkees, choose a Monkey-themed beer for the occasion like Victory Golden Monkey, and serve up this Chinese-inspired pot roast with root vegetables and Chinese five spice powder. (No monkeys were harmed in the making of this recipe.) Get the recipe. 

March: Grandma Flanigan’s Pot Roast in Guinness Gravy

The Spice House

Because we are outgrowing the need to bar-crawl our way through St. Patrick’s Day, but we still like to nod to the occasion and corned beef is so everyone’s-doing-it. Get the recipe. 

April: Moroccan Pot Roast with Ras el Hanout

Serious Eats

We resolved in January to be more adventurous and to cook with new ingredients, and this spicy-sweet Moroccan dish featuring the underutilized spice blend Ras el hanout is just the thing to prove you are no April Fool. Get the recipe. 

May: Pot Roast Tacos

Hispanic Kitchen

Pot. Roast. Tacos. Cinco de yes, please. Get the recipe. 

June: Slow Roasted Oven BBQ Beef Brisket

House of Nash Eats

The only difference between what we think of as brisket and that which we think of as pot roast is the particular cut of meat, but the process is otherwise identical, and who wouldn’t rather spend their backyard barbecue chilling on patio chair with a brisket sandwich rather than schvitzing over a hot grill? Get the recipe. 

July: Shiitake Ginger Pot Roast

Otaku Food

Because not every summer evening needs to be about hamburgers and hotdogs, and this Japanese-inspired pot roast is the perfect dish with which to sip cold sake on the patio. Get the recipe. 

August: Jamaican Pot Roast

Genius Kitchen

As if you need another reason to host a summer party, Jamaican Independence Day is Aug. 6 and is a perfect opportunity to weed out those of your friends who are unable to handle scotch bonnets. Get the recipe. 

September: Italian Pot Roast

The Pioneer Woman

Throw your own San Gennaro festival by throwing roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, and sun-dried tomatoes into the pot, then pass the cannoli and await the goodness. Get the recipe. 

October: German Style Pot Roast (Sauerbraten)

TSG Cookin

Because, Oktoberfest. Get the recipe. 

November: Slow Cooker Korean Beef

Dinner Then Dessert

Once the palate fatigue from all of those starchy-savory Thanksgiving leftovers sets in, you’ll be ripe to switch things up. This gingery, spicy Korean pot roast will be just the thing to rejuvenate your taste buds for the continuation of holiday eating in December. Get the recipe. 

December: Pot Roast with Porcini and Beer

Chowhound

Forget the ham and close out the year with this elegant umami-explosion pot roast as a symbol of your commitment to a year of thematic eating. Get our Pot Roast with Porcini and Beer recipe. 

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How to Host a Spa Lunch to Kick Off a Healthy New Year

The holidays are a time of indulgence but they can also be a time of reflection and self-care where intentions are set to lay the foundation for a vibrant and dynamic new year. After too many weeks of rich food, imbibing, and late nights, there’s nothing better than dialing back the debauchery in order to keep that promise you made to yourself to make the year ahead an epic one.

Whether you’ve decided to party into the wee hours as the clock ticks down to 2018 or plan to duck out early for a good night’s sleep, marking the new year with a healthy lunch is a way to restore balance following an indulgent month, reminding your mind, spirit, and body that it actually likes healthy eating, calm moments, and libations that don’t include alcohol.

Here’s a plan to help you execute a spa lunch that’s as restorative as it is healthful.

1. Encourage your guests to wear comfy clothes that encourage relaxation and are easy to move around in.
2. Keep your color palette light and energizing.
3. Prepare a music playlist that includes songs that are easy to listen to but also lively enough to keep the energy level up.
4. Clean and prepare your serviceware and linens the evening before the event. If you’re using cloth napkins, roll them up and tie them with a decorative ribbon along with a flower, eucalyptus sprig, or tiny pine bough.
5. Arrange flowers in vases throughout the space or opt for pots of fresh herbs.
6. Select candles that have invigorating aromas, light them just before your guests arrive.
7. Serve non-alcoholic drinks to align with the spa theme. Omitting alcohol from a beverage does not mean it can’t still be interesting. Spritzers that combine sparkling water and freshly squeezed juices garnished with edible flowers or herbs are both colorful and refreshing. Keep your juice selection interesting by swapping the usual orange or pineapple juices for pomegranate, hibiscus, or blackberry.
8. Serve ice water that has been infused for at least 12 hours with herbs such as basil or lemongrass or citrus such as kumquats or limes. Keep the botanicals in the water during service for a pop of color.
9. Set up a tea station offering herbal teas.
10. Fill small, decorative bowls with a variety of nuts, seeds, and berries. Arrange them throughout your serving table.
11. Skip greasy, heavy, or bready items and opt for light and healthy soups sans cream, smoked salmon, fresh vegetable pickles, salads packed with flavor and nutrition, lettuce wraps, and fresh fruit for dessert.  
12. If you have a fireplace, be sure to light a fire before your guests arrive. Top your logs with eucalyptus branches to fill the room with a restorative aroma.
13. Send your guests home with a gift to remind them of their commitment to filling the year ahead with mindful action. Ideas include a box of energy balls, an invigorating tincture, or a pretty journal where they can document their intentions for the year ahead.

Oatmeal Protein Energy Balls  

The Healthy Maven

This easy no-bake energy ball recipe is as tasty as it is healthy. Prepare them to serve in a bowl at your spa lunch or pack them up to send home with your guests as a parting gift. For an extra dose of nutrition, add a tablespoon of flax seeds or finely chopped pumpkin seeds. Get the recipe. 

Quick Pickled Vegetables   

Feasting at Home

Quick pickled vegetables are fantastic for a spa lunch for myriad reasons: They’re colorful, invigorating, and can be prepared ahead of time. Serve them right in the jars arranged throughout your spa spread for splashes of color; make extra jars to send home with your guests if you’re so inclined. Get the recipe. 

Chilled Cucumber, Avocado, and Mint Soup

The Feed Feed

There are so many things to love about this soup recipe. Let’s start with the way the avocado and yogurt makes it creamy without the cream. The cucumber’s detoxing power aligns so well with a spa lunch and the mint infuses the soup with an energizing flavor. Get the recipe. 

Thai Chicken Peanut Lettuce Wraps

Skinny Taste

These lettuce wraps feel filling and substantial without weighing you down. The ginger is excellent for detoxing and the Sriracha adds a hint of heat. Swap the chicken for firm tofu for a vegetarian option and feel free to substitute the peanut butter for your nut butter of choice. Don’t forget to serve with a bowl of limes alongside. Get the recipe. 

Classic Green Juice   

With Food and Love

This juice recipe is loaded with healthful ingredients that are as detoxing as they are invigorating. Blend the juice right before your guests arrive so it’s at its freshest and most flavorful and vibrant. Get the recipe. 

Three-Ingredient Honey Berry Sorbet

Sweet and Savory By Shinee

You can’t go wrong with a colorful dessert that includes only three ingredients but tastes so much more substantial and satisfying. The honey sweetens the berries and the lemon adds an lively zing. The sorbet is made ahead of time so requires nothing but serving on the day of your spa lunch. Get the recipe. 

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What Is Za’atar and How Do I Use It

Like food, spices go through trends in cooking as well. They might not be as popularized as the unicorn fad or black ice cream, but spices quite often go in and out of style. Za’atar, for instance, has been having its time in the spotlight recently. While it can traditionally be found sprinkled on pita bread, it’s becoming more ubiquitous, popping up on menus and even landing on top of the innocuous avocado toast. With all its popularity lately, you’ve probably been curious about what exactly za’atar is.

Simply, it’s the name for a Middle Eastern spice blend featuring oregano, sumac, cumin, sesame seeds, black pepper, and salt. The blend tends to change depending on what part of the world it’s being made; in Palestine, caraway seeds are added, while in Lebanon sumac berries are thrown in, giving it a distinctly dark red color. Either way, the spice is most commonly eaten with pita bread: Just dip the pita in olive oil, then in za’atar, and eat. Often times, za’atar is also used as a seasoning for meats and roasted vegetables, sprinkled on top of hummus and labneh, and it is even used to make herbal tea.

The blend is quite easy to make yourself—just use a mortar and pestle to crush all the ingredients together into a powder —but you can also buy it pre-made and put it on pretty much everything for an added nutty and herby flavor.

Za’atar Spice Mix

Whisk Affair

This easy recipe walks you through the process of making the spice blend. It calls for sumac, dried thyme, sesame seeds, dried oregano, sea salt, and marjoram, which get mixed together in a blender. Get the recipe.

Three Pepper Shakshuka Pita with Feta and Za’atar

Smitten Kitchen

These portable, hand-held pita pockets get stuffed with baked tomatoes, eggs, sauteed peppers, feta, and finally garnished with za’atar. If you’re looking for something different to make for brunch, these are a real crowd-pleaser. Get the recipe.

Za’atar Roasted Cauliflower with Dates, Pine Nuts, and Thyme

Downshiftology

Roasted cauliflower gets an upgrade when it’s roasted with za’atar, along with the usual salt, pepper, and olive oil. Finish it off with toasted pine nuts, chopped dates, and sprigs of thyme. Get the recipe.

Grilled Eggplant with Za’atar and Herby Lentil Salad

Happy Hearted Kitchen

Thick rounds of eggplant get coated in za’atar and olive oil before being grilled, which are then piled on top of warm lentils mixed with pine nuts, golden raisins, mint, parsley, and lemon zest. Get the recipe.

Za’atar Flatbread

The Sugar Hit

Dreams of warm bread topped with za’atar can be a reality at home and not just in your neighborhood Middle Eastern restaurant. Making the dough for the flatbread is easy—it’s waiting for it to come out of the oven, hot and coated with za’atar, that’s the hard part. Get the recipe.

Za’atar Baked Salmon

Gather at Table

Instead of dressing salmon with mustard, or just plain old salt and pepper (again), opt for za’atar to spice it up. Just rub the blend on as you’d normally do with any kind of seasoning for fish, then bake for 12-15 minutes. Get the recipe.

Za’atar Roasted Chicken Breast

The Mediterranean Dish

The intense earthy flavor from za’atar levels up your classic chicken breast from basic to impressive. Get the recipe.

Homemade Hummus with Za’atar and Sweet Paprika

Killing Thyme

Let’s be honest: Store-bought hummus never lives up to when you make it from scratch. This version amps it up through the garnish: a sprinkling of za’atar, paprika, parsley, and extra chickpeas. There’s no way you’d find that in the grocery store. Get the recipe.

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How to Eat Less Meat in the New Year

Happy New Year! What better time to give up the things you love most than after a month-long eggnog and cookie bender? If you’re reading this, that probably means—at some point during your turkey dinner-induced coma—you decided to swear off meat for good this time. There are a number of reasons why you’d want to give up meat. Maybe you decided that the vegetarian or vegan lifestyle is for you. Maybe it skeeves you (which is understandable). Or MAYBE you (or I) just went to the doctor and he told you that bacon triggers your migraines, so now you’re faced with “Sophie’s Choice” and you really don’t know what to do. Well, we’re in this together. Here are some tips for eating less meat in the new year!

1. Do NOT go cold turkey (literally and figuratively). This should go without saying, but quitting anything on the spot is only going to make you want it more. Case in point: One particular evening I was feeling super healthy and ambitious, and I decided it was time to stop eating pasta entirely. Cut to me, exactly 72 hours later, inhaling a bowl of penne straight out of the refrigerator because I am weak and it is so hard to deny your body delicious foods. You need to slowly phase the meat out of your diet. Start by setting a smaller goal for yourself; it’s easier on the mind and the body to commit to, for example, 10 days without meat than to commit to an entire lifetime. You could also cut meats out one at a time. Maybe go a few months just without beef, then cut out pork, then poultry. You’ll feel way more accomplished if you can meet a bunch of smaller goals over time.

2. If you’re taking something out of your diet, you need to replace it with something else. There are a lot of health benefits to eating meat: It’s rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals like zinc and iron. Make sure you’re not depriving your body of these things once you finally cut meat out. Not only is this unhealthy, but it’ll make your cravings for meat way worse (I’m talking Phoebe Buffay pregnant with triplets bad). Do your research and find out how to incorporate all the health benefits of meat into your diet without actually having to eat meat. For example, eggs, chickpeas, and plant proteins like nuts, beans, and grains are amazing sources of protein—and they’re filling. Your goal of eating less meat could be as easy as throwing some chickpeas onto your salad!

3. Plan out your meals in advance. I can’t tell you how many times I was pressed for time or out of food or lazy and just drove myself to get drive-thru chicken nuggets for dinner because I had three dollars and I didn’t know what else to do. Once you’ve figured out how you can replace meat in your diet, find some tasty meatless recipes and do all your grocery shopping for the week accordingly. If you stock up on your favorite substitutes for meat, it’ll be much easier for you to cook a delicious dinner that you won’t feel bad about eating!

4. Consider keeping fish in the rotation. If you’re not opposed to eating fish, keeping it in your diet could go a long way. Not only does it contain a lot of the same proteins and minerals that other meats do, it’s actually a lot healthier for you. In addition to being rich in the same proteins as, for example, a steak, fish has omega 3 fats that seriously reduce your risk for heart disease.

5. Find a loophole. This is especially important if you find yourself eating particularly bland meals and needing the flavor of meat. You’re not weak for feeling this way! I promise there are little tricks for incorporating meat without eating it. You can cook a fatty meat, like bacon or pancetta, and use the fat to flavor your meatless dishes. Or you can incorporate a small amount of bacon or prosciutto as a garnish on one of your favorite soups or pastas (for real, tell me a butternut squash soup with the tiniest bit of bacon doesn’t sound like the most amazing thing in the world). But if that feels too much like cheating, embrace the umami. Umami isn’t just a word that “Chopped” judges say to make you feel stupid; it’s the word we use to describe foods with savory, meaty tastes. I think you know where I’m going with this now. I’m telling you to literally trick your body into thinking it’s eating meat. Incorporating earthy and nutty flavors, especially mushrooms and eggplants, can actually trigger the same responses in your body that eating meat does. Rather than garnishing your pasta with prosciutto, you can use eggplant, miso, or roasted tomatoes.

6. Reward yourself…not necessarily with meat, but you should give yourself something to look forward to as you’re working to change your diet. Maybe treat yourself to your favorite dessert or a new outfit every month you’ve successfully avoided eating meat. Especially when you’re first starting out, you’ll find that goals are easier to achieve with a little bit of incentive.

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A Sneak Peek at the Food Trends of 2018

2018, change looks good on you! And lucky it does, because the new year is going to be all about change, according to Andrew Freeman, CEO of restaurant and hospitality consulting firm, af&co—so much so that the company’s 2018 Hospitality Trend Report is entitled “Change is the New Black.” While we’ll be seeing some food and restaurant trends that feel familiar (you may recognize a few from our 2017 article about trends that will stick around), these will be gaining traction, and taking some twists and turns!

Chicken

Chowhound’s Roasted Rosemary and Lemon Chicken

Take this first trend, chicken, which af&co has declared the “Dish of the Year.” Surprising? “Everybody has challenged it,” explains Freeman. “In some respects chicken had become that standard item, that item everybody has to have. [But] it’s been a stressful year, and I think chicken is a comfort food. [It’s] that sense of a great roast chicken with mashed potatoes.”

Kara Nielsen, VP of Trends and Marketing for CCD Innovation, a food and beverage trends agency, agrees that chicken will be big:  “[We’re going to see] real growth of niche chicken restaurants—a variety of chicken sandwiches, or chicken three different ways, or natural chicken.” CCD Innovation released their 2018 Food Trends That Matter report, listing the “Chicken Conundrum” as one of the trends that is currently taking off.

Transparency

Shutterstock

Nielsen elaborates on the other side of this conundrum: “At the same time, there are chefs and chicken producers who are more interested in more flavorful chicken grown in a more humane way.” Nielsen highlights Bell & Evans as one of these producers who is focused on raising slow-growth chickens, in order to have a more flavorful product without taking shortcuts.  Transparency encompasses this idea of full-disclosure regarding food production, and slow-growth practices are a story consumers want to hear.

As Whole Foods describes in their own 2018 trend report with their “Transparency 2.0” trend, consumers want more from product labeling; they want the truth behind their food. They want to know if the products they are buying are GMO-free, Fair Trade, humanely raised, responsibly produced, etc. Where and how chickens are raised is just one piece of the puzzle—consumers are looking to be utterly informed about their food.

Veggies in the Spotlight

Chowhound’s Pan-Seared Radishes with Miso Butter

“The influence of vegetables in general [is] like never before. They’re taking center stage on the plates,” Freeman expounds. We’ll be seeing vegetarian entrees worth getting excited about, and the af&co report lists “rotisserie cauliflower, jackfruit tacos, and hominy ceviche” as some of the dishes we might find on restaurant menus.

We’ll be seeing more and more completely veggie-centric restaurants, as well. These are restaurants like Bad Hunter in Chicago’s West Loop, with dishes like Rutabaga Gnocchi or Roasted Sunchokes, or like Clever Rabbit in Wicker Park, which highlights vegetables in its drinks, too (another Carrot Margarita, please!).

Vegan Meat

Chowhound’s Black-Eyed Pea Vegan Burgers

The Impossible Burger is already here, and we’ll be seeing it show up on more menus. Freeman points to examples like the fast-casual burger chain in the Bay Area, Gott’s, offering the Impossible Burger as a patty option. Kuma’s Corner, a Chicago metal-themed burger bar which topped the Daily Meal’s 2014 list of best burgers in America, has also recently added the Impossible Burger to its menu.

“The Impossible Burger is becoming cultural on menus, [but] there will be other competitors,” explains Freeman. He noted, too, the rise of vegan-themed butcher shops and delicatessens, like The Butcher’s Son in Berkeley, which offers vegan fried chicken and vegan roast beef. “I think we’re going to see vegan porterhouse steaks, vegan bologna, [etc]” Freeman predicts.

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Eco-Consciousness

Pixabay

This trend encapsulates both the movement toward utilizing wasted ingredients as well as the progression of biodynamics. Freeman describes the shift of social consciousness: “First recycling, then carbon footprint, then it went to full animal utilization, now full utilization of everything!” Whole Foods labels this trend “root-to-stem,” where foods like beet-green pesto showcase an underutilized part of the fruit or vegetable. For af&co, it’s more about highlighting wasted ingredients, like LA and Portland ice cream company Salt & Straw using surplus popcorn to create a new flavor, or San Francisco’s Project Juice dedicating a month to “ugly” produce to make their juice.

Biodynamics is another way food producers will be aligning with the trend of eco-consciousness. Nielsen explains, “Biodynamics is a type of growing practice, beyond organic—it’s a holistic practice that takes into consideration the whole environment of the agriculture of where you’re growing.” It involves use of crop rotation, cover crops, and natural compost to build a nutrient-rich soil. Nielsen notes that we’re seeing this with companies like Republic of Tea, local Oakland company Back to the Roots, and South Carolina baby-food company White Leaf Provisions. More and more food producers are embracing this ecologically mindful way of growing foods.

Mocktails

Chowhound’s Peach Melba Cooler

The mocktail selection at restaurants and bars is ever-growing. Freeman describes “sections of menu being devoted to non-drinkers,” with house sodas, tonics, tinctures, and shrubs all contributing to the creation of complex, alcohol-free beverages. DC-area’s Hula Girl Bar and Grill offers their “Shrub of the Day,” for those who want to sip on one of their daily non-alcoholic sweetened vinegar syrups, served with soda water.

We’re seeing Seedlip’s non-alcoholic spirits making rounds on social media, providing consumers with an herbal cocktail base in place of the usual liquor. An herbaceous yet alcohol-free gin and tonic? We’d try it!

Sparkling beverages are also gaining momentum, as denoted in Whole Foods’ trend report—there will be a growing variety of sparkling drinks derived from plants, based in coffee, and incorporating new and interesting flavors. Any of these are ready to mingle with the other aforementioned non-alcoholic “potions,” to help grow the mocktail section of 2018’s restaurant menus.

Emerging Regional Cuisines

Chowhound’s Cauliflower Tacos

Mexican and Mexican-American cuisine is “really coming into view” according to Nielsen, who highlights Chef Val Contu of San Francisco’s Californios as an example of an innovator of Mexican flavors. We’ll be seeing inspired use of Mexican or Latin ingredients and forms, expanding our notion of what Mexican food is, according to Nielsen.

Besides Mexican cuisine, af&co’s report also highlights Israeli cuisine, Jewish delis, and contemporary Chinese cuisine. Israeli foods exhibit ingredients like sumac and harissa (and have you tried halva?), and Chinese is evolving with trends from China itself to create “a new kind of Sichuan food.” Touting some pride in his heritage, Freeman is especially excited about “Jewish delis having their day.”

CCD Innovation’s report lists “Asian Treats & Sweets” as a trend we are currently living. Treats like black sesame ice cream, sweet dumplings, and mochi can be found on more and more menus. With regards to pandan-sweetened items, Nielsen adds that “more restaurants are putting these pandan desserts on the menu,” including at new Vietnamese café, Ca Phe Da, in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood.

Change is definitely on the menu for 2018, and frankly, we can’t wait. Here’s to tasting every unexpected bite or sip, whether it’s veggie-forward, Fair Trade, bubbly, biodynamically-grown, or surprisingly-chicken-y!

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6 New Year’s Food Traditions from Around the World

You probably strongly associate NYE with champagne (for good reason), but that’s not the only food-centric tradition that exists to ring in the coming year. Many cultures have customs designed to bring in luck, health, and happiness before and after the clock strikes midnight. Here are a few lucky new year’s foods that you may not have heard of. Why not try one of them this year as you welcome 2018?

Grapes

Eating 12 grapes at midnight (one to symbolize each month of the coming year) is a tradition that originated in Spain in the late 19th century and is still practiced today. Chowing down on a grape with a wish for each coming month is said to set you up for a year of good luck. The jury is still out on whether drinking grapes (in the form of vino) has the same effect, though, so it’s a better bet to reach for fruit instead of your wine glass at the stroke of midnight.

Black-Eyed Peas

Shutterstock

Sure, Fergie will likely make an appearance on your television screen during the countdown, but we’re talking about another type of black-eyed pea. In the U.S., particularly in the southern parts of the country, black-eyed peas are thought to bring wealth in the coming year. Often served with ham, which also has positive connotations (more on that later), this dish definitely deserves a spot on your table on New Year’s Day.

Soba Noodles

Toshikoshi Soba is a traditional noodle dish enjoyed in Japan on Dec. 31 to help usher in the following year. Because they’re easy to cut through, the noodles are meant to symbolize breaking off bad luck from the previous year, while the long noodles represent a lengthy (and hopefully healthy!) life.

Pomegranate

the sleuthjournal.com

In Turkey and Greece, there exists one tradition where the food isn’t exactly eaten. As midnight nears, revelers smash a pomegranate on the floor near the doorstep—the harder the better. The more pieces the fruit, which represents fertility and prosperity, breaks into, the more good fortune will come your way as the calendar flips.

Vasilopita

Shutterstock

Commonly served in Greece and the surrounding area, vasilopita is a cake that contains a hidden coin or bauble in the baked good. Whoever ends up with the item in their slice can expect a prosperous next 12 months, while the ritual of slicing the cake for those gathered is meant to bring good luck to the household for the coming year.

Pig

Since pigs typically “root forward,” representing forward motion or advancement, pork, ham and roasted pig are popular New Year’s choices for a number of cultures around the globe. In Cuba, families gather around a roasted pig on a spit for eating, dancing and celebrating together. In Austria, suckling pig is the centerpiece of the New Year’s Day meal, representing good fortune in the coming year. Pig shaped trinkets, sometimes called Glücksschwein, are also common treats in Germany, Austria, and the neighboring region.

And two to skip…

On the flip side of the coin, there are two categories of foods that are probably better to skip on this holiday. You’ll want to skip chicken, because they “scratch backwards” for food (which could symbolize having to scrounge in the coming year) and have wings (which means your luck could fly away). Though you might be hankering for a fancy meal as “Auld Lang Syne” plays in the background, lobster shouldn’t be on the menu. Because these guys move sideways or backwards, not forward, eating it on New Year’s could lead you to misfortune or setbacks in the coming year. The more you know.

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All of Olive Garden’s Soups, Ranked

At just over $10, Olive Garden’s soup, salad, and breadsticks combo is a pretty darn good deal. But which version of this package is the best deal? To find out, I decided to try all four soups and report back with a ranking from fine to fantastico. Before we reveal the competition’s three medalists, meet the honorable mention: Pasta e Fagioli.

Pasta e Fagioli

Olive Garden

A stir of this soup revealed commingling celery slices, slivers of carrots, red and white beans, tube pasta, and beef. It was a vision that had my taste buds on the edges of their figurative seats. What wonders were in store from this combination of ingredients?! I lifted the spoon to my lips to savor the first bite…and it was okay. I had been expecting a chorus of spices, but the flavor of the ground beef overpowered everything else. Luckily, dipping two breadsticks provided some needed salt to the equation. I will say that while the flavors didn’t knock my socks off, the soup was gone before I knew it. The chunky texture was enjoyable to munch on, and the meal kept me feeling full all afternoon.

Minestrone

Olive Garden

The minestrone soup was a melting pot of leafy greens, onions, tomatoes, celery, green beans, zucchini, shell pasta, and beans. If this soup were an item of clothing, it would be a cotton t-shirt. Simple, yet satisfying. It’s also the one vegan soup option, so like a comfy plain white tee, it can be enjoyed by everyone. I didn’t find any flavors to be lacking, so this time, it was the semi-stiff breadstick that needed the soup. My one complaint is that it looked like the peeled tomatoes had been taken out of the can and plopped directly into the soup whole. Since I’m one of those weirdos who loves Bloody Marys and red sauce but can’t deal with the texture of the unadulterated fruits themselves, I found myself left with three whole tomatoes at the bottom of my bowl. Granted, that’s due to a personal quirk, but one I know that I share with more than a few people.

Chicken and Gnocchi

Olive Garden

This soup felt like a warm hug on a cold winter’s day. A creamy broth provided the base for chunks of chicken and the traditional Italian dumplings, on steroids. These gnocchi were XXL, about the size of gumballs. And if you’re imagining anything in the vicinity of al dente, think again. When it came to these chewy masses, it was hard to tell where the noodle casing ended and the potato filling began. Not that I’m complaining—I quite enjoyed the starchy sensation. I also have to call out the chicken & gnocchi soup’s beautiful partnership with breadsticks. Dipping one into the bowl was like performing a chemical reaction that altered both substances to create something new. In this case, the cream-soaked breadstick tasted something like a salty slice of dulce de leche cake.

Zuppa Toscana

Olive Garden

The Zuppa Toscana takes the top prize in my book. Pieces of Italian sausage lent the dish a bacony flavor with hints of fennel and just the right amount of heat. The other mix-ins also provided a welcome variety in terms of size and texture—from little onion and pepper flakes to coarse kale leaves and big tender slices of potatoes. Each spoonful was a new medley of different chunks. Here a chunk, there a chunk, everywhere a chunk chunk. I enjoyed this soup so much that I neglected my breadsticks until I used them to sop up the very last bits of broth!

A Note About the Salad

Olive Garden

Each of my salads-to-go was comprised of nearly a pound of iceberg lettuce and sliced onions topped sparsely with pepperoncini, tomato slices, and black olives (one day I got exactly two of each!). The highlight here was the perfectly crunchy croutons—I wish there had been more than seven or eight to a bag! But then again, after eating two foot-long breadsticks, I can’t really complain about a lack of carbs in this lunchtime equation.

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