Getting together with friends or at your place of worship this Sunday morning? Think about what you want to contribute to the brunch table.

Last Tuesday, I went to a wonderful lecture by Dr. Ed Bauman, founder of Bauman College of "holistic nutrition and culinary arts." (They're opening a Boulder branch in the fall, which I think is great.) He's been espousing his philosophy of Eating for Health for years, having started out as an organic farmer in 1969 and later getting a PhD in nutrition from the University of Mexico -- all the while being "on the fringe" ("teachers didn't know what to do with me"). I urge you to check it out. But he made me laugh with recognition when he talked about church food: "After the service, people are hanging out, and there's a tray of fruit or veggies with some kind of dip, and then a big plate cookies or donuts ... and the fruit gets totally ignored while people are scarfing the cookies and donuts, putting them in their pockets to take home for later." While we laughed, he added, "Jesus wouldn't eat a donut! He was pretty veg!"

So, this weekend, think about taking along something for after church that's yummy but nourishing, like Carrot Breakfast Muffins, Blueberry-Apple Bread Pudding, or even something a tad more exotic from a choice of festive, sacred-occasion foods. Happy Easter!