I have a friend. Her name is Erin. Erin and I met through classes of hers I take at 24 Hour Fitness. She's a Group X instructor, so I've taken both her yoga and aqua aerobics classes. We look nothing alike, but when we hang out on our own time, it's like hanging out with a long lost sister! She's very down to earth, intuitive and relatable to all us humans in all our different walks of life. Our friendship doesn't even need to be complicated by the fact that I'm a self-professed Omnivore. I have no shame in the fact that I do enjoy meat. Yes, I'm an animal lover. I have been my whole life. I've also loved bacon, chicken breasts, buffalo wings...you get the idea. Hypocritical? Perhaps. I'm okay with that though.
That being said, you might understand the "yeah right" thought process that started in my head when I got an invitation to join Erin, (and everyone else who RSVPs) for a *vegetarian* lunch bunch. We've both had the conversation about how I'm not necessarily down for quitting meat at this point in my life. I was hesitant to join her lunch bunch. Not because I thought she'd get all culty about being a "Veggie Head", (well, maybe, I have to be honest). I just had no interest in sitting around with a bunch of people I don't know, who might judge me because I'm usually one of the biggest girls who attend get-togethers with this particular group of women. I certainly thought sitting around, gagging down some odd concoction of "looks like real food, but is made out of essence of broccoli and prune-foam" sounded just short of torture.
Before I knew it, Erin had invited me over for lunch last Wednesday. I hadn't put two and two together, and once I had entered her home's entry-way, I realized I was at the epicenter of Erin's Vegetarian Lunch Bunch! AAAACK! Okay, Tara. Breathe, just be calm, and don't be too obvious when you're regurgitating the green mess from your plate back into your napkin. You will be juuuuust fine.
The thing is, reality that day played out quite the opposite way than my brain had tried to sabotage me into thinking. Erin made a huge pitcher of Iced Tea sweetened with Splenda. She had small veg patties which contained lots of broccoli. The taste reminded me of egg fou young, which is really quite delightful. The patties were on a luscious green bed of darker leafy salad. Did you know iceberg lettuce has virtually no real nutritional value? A good rule of thumb is the darker and leafier the salad/lettuce is, chances are the more chock full of vitamins said salad will be. I felt like Popeye just chomping it down. She also made a delightful beet slaw with a vinaigrette spiked with some raspberry vinaigrette.
About an hour had passed, we were helping ourselves to seconds, some of us thirds...the gathering was intimate. Erin prepared the meal and Ember and I couldn't get enough. Erin's response? Go load up! She let us know the meal was packed with nutrients and virtually zero calories. To think something could be *that* flavorful, yet be good for me in so many ways, really did blow my mind. My favorite part (other than chatting away with Erin and Ember like we were old High School friends catching up at a reunion) was eating a meal that was filling, and didn't make me feel "grody" afterwards. Sounds a little too good to be true? I almost had to pinch myself to believe it myself!
Am I excited for her next Vegetarian Lunch Bunch? You BETCHA! Future Lunch Bunches will continue to take place at Erin's home (which is so cozy, I don't even have the words to explain) every Monday and Wednesday from Noon to 1:30, starting March 2nd. Space is very limited so for those of you who want to have an amazing mind/body/soul experience with like-minded women who want to live life to their fullest potential, I sure hope to see you there!
I'm providing the link so you can RSVP if interested. There's no commitment. I challenge you to give it a try and find a valid reason to not ever return. You won't have one. I swear. Come dine with us, get to know your neighbors, and maybe even meet a future workout buddy!
"There are no such things as strangers, only friends we haven't met yet."
~~Anonymous
~~Anonymous
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