Happy New Year!

Goodbye 2014 and hello 2015! Last year was a good one, but I'm looking forward to starting fresh. I've got a few resolutions — run a full marathon, remember to stretch, get serious about finishing my next cookbook. And tomorrow, I'm starting a 3-week, high-raw cleanse to get my eating habits back in line.

We saw 2014 off with a bang! We had two house parties to go to, and we started at my friends Vaughan and Nicole's house for a Japanese-themed NYE party. Here's Vaughan! He's a crazy, fun dresser.

And here I am with his girlfriend Nicole (on the left) and Cassi (on the right).

Vaughan and Nicole are vegan, so the food spread was fabulous. There was Veggie Sushi (mostly gone by the time I took this pic).

And a roll-your-own sushi bar!

And Vegetable Dumplings. They stuck together a bit, so the plate looks a little messy. But they were delicious.

Cassi brought over some MAGICAL Champagne Cupcakes! The batter and frosting was rainbow swirl, and they were coated in edible glitter!!! The pic I took at the party didn't turn out so well, but here's a picture of one of the same cupcakes when she took a batch to Imagine Vegan Cafe to sell.

After a couple hours at Vaughan and Nicole's party, we headed to my friend Andy's house for his annual New Year's Eve shindig. Andy isn't vegan, but he always has a couple of vegan items on the snack table. He made a yummy Vegan Chili and Cream Cheese Dip that I failed to photograph, and he made Vegan Pigs in Blankets. Sorry for the crappy photo.

I drank these yummy beers most of the night.

But of course, we had a champagne toast at midnight!

Today, I stuck to tradition. Every year for New Year's Day lunch, Greg, Cassi, and I go to Pho Saigon for Banh Xeo.

These crispy Vietnamese omelets (made with rice flour) are stuffed with fried tofu and bean sprouts, and they're so freakin' good. I've made these at home before, and mine are never as good. But at Pho Saigon, they fry these in lots of oil, so it's perfect for soaking up New Year's Day hangovers. I coat mine in lots of soy sauce and sriracha.

I was pretty stuffed after lunch, but I've never let a New Year's Day go by without the traditional Southern good luck meal of blackeyed peas and cabbage. These foods are supposed to bring you good luck and good fortune in the new year, so I wouldn't dare risk not eating this. At dinnertime tonight, Paul and I had these Hoppin' John bowls with brown rice, blackeyed peas, cabbage, tomatoes, and lots of spices! And hot sauce. Lots of hot sauce.

Well, that's my last non-cleanse meal for a few weeks. I'll be back tomorrow with details about what cleanse I'm doing and a full days worth of pics!