Monthly Green Noshes - Lifestyle Support

    For those of us who embrace the plant based lifestyle, support is a necessity. Class participants continually question, "My friends think I've lost it. What do you do when you go out to eat? When you're invited to friends' houses for dinner, how do you tell them that you don't eat meat and dairy? Should I bring my own food? And worst of all, my husband/partner/wife refuses to eat this way! What do I do???"
     These are a few of the questions that continually arise from folks who commit to eating their way to health and wholeness. We meet monthly, not only to share dishes, exchange recipes, and learn more from the experts on nutrition and health, but to offer support, listen, and applaud one another's achievements. Even though the paradigm shift to plant based foods is occurring across the country and world, it is a very slow shift. We're still among the 1% of the population.
     When you go to a party where pulled pork, bacon, and greens are killed and drenched in ham hocks, and you walk in with your black bean, mango and quinoa salad, you stand out. The question is, 'Can you handle standing out and being different?' Truth is, me, you, we..... are the only ones who will be safeguarding our health, our bodies, our souls. No one can do it for us. 
     So, if you can't locate a meet-up group in your area, then think of starting one. You might start out small in number, but group size isn't important. It's the support and commitment that matter.
      After our monthly Noshes on Cape Cod, someone will come up to me to comment on how much the group support means to them. They need the enthusiasm, and, at times, a much needed boost to remind them why we eat this way, and that they're not alone.
     I'm continually energized by the people who participate in our monthly gatherings. Hearing their health successes and creative recipe ideas fuels my passion and commitment to spreading the information, and inviting people to embrace this lifestyle - the way to health and wellness.
     Our next Nosh will be on Monday, December 17th at my home on the Cape. We're going to have a "SOUP NOSH", and folks will be bringing different soups for us to enjoy. Looking forward to those warm, cozy tastes on a cold, December Cape Cod Monday.
    If you'd like to participate, email me: joanneirwin72@gmail.com

     Here are some photos from our 2012 Green Nosh Season on Cape Cod:

Healthy Fruits, Veggies, Grains and Legumes. That's the recipe to health.

Enjoying one another's tasty, healthy creations.

Sharing the journey....listening, supporting and encouraging!

Time to feast!

Having fun explaining their creations!

Indulging in good food!