Happy New Year! (and starting the January Pantry Challenge)

Happy New Year! I hope 2013 brings with it plenty of love, fun, happiness and good health!

I'm determined to get this year off to a good start. I've definitely been very slack lately and reverting to too many take aways or processed food dinners. So for the first day of the year I'm combining two of my favourite things. Clean eating and the January Pantry Challenge.

Last year I joined the challenge to rid the pantry of half open packets and jars, to make way for fresh food, to reduce clutter, and to focus on home cooking, rather than eating out. It's a good way to repair the budget after Christmas, and hopefully the waistline too.

Tonight's dinner uses dried black beans from the cupboard, cooked with onion and fresh tomatoes, fresh garden silverbeet, and lots of spices. I've read that it's an American tradition (especially among African Americans) to cook a frugal meal of beans and green vegetables on New Year's Day as a way to invite prosperity for the coming year. It also makes sense to start the year with a healthy vegetarian meal after the excesses of the festive season.