We had our first Supper Club meeting for my neighborhood.

Three people showed up, including myself. We enjoyed a very large spinach salad, mixed with other salad greens, walnuts, red and green peppers, walnuts, mushrooms, carrots and raisins ~ seasoned with a homemade mustard vinigarette. Some rosemary bread and some iced tea and we were set.

We talked about our health challenges and goals. Each person had the basic belief that food can do amazing things, but came to our gathering because they felt some group support would help keep them on a healthier track.

Everyone reviewed their current exercise regime, or lack of one. Two of us are partnering every weekday to walk 30 minutes a day (about a mile and a half) about an hour after sunrise.

This coming Tuesday we will each bring a whole food dish to share, and talk further about our challenges and our progress. 6:30 a.m. will arrive soon so I'm heading to bed!

Redlands Village Supper Club

I'm taking my food talk for a new walk...

So that I can "walk the talk," I'm starting a neighborhood supper club this month. I've invited residents of Redlands Village interested in improving their health to dine together on whole foods once a week, enjoy stimulating conversation, and applaud those improvements, however small.

While I firmly believe that awareness of our eating behavior is an essential part of learning to eat well, the support and connection with other people is essential, as well, because we all crave that. It may or may not happen in our homes around our own dinner tables. We seek it, nevertheless.

It will be fun to see who decides to join us, what new ways we'll learn of preparing healthy foods, the information we'll share and the friendships we'll make. And because we're gathering for such a laudable purpose, namely good health, I fully expect much good to come of it.

Exercise is part of the deal, and so each person will partner with a neighbor or spouse to walk our beautiful streets at least 30 minutes a day. We'll also drink more water and eat an apple a day. Everything else is optional.

So if someone has high cholesterol and high blood pressure, for example, I'm interested to see if it changes. I'm interested in finding out whether people notice that they sleep better, or that they have more energy. All or any of those things will show them that they're one the right track.

Who knows what else might emerge as a result of the little social experiment.

Our first gathering is next Tuesday evening over at Meadowlark Gardens Nursery. 

We'll see what happens. I can't wait!