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Treat Yourself Tuesday: My First Friendsgiving Celebration!

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treat yourself tuesdayToday is Tuesday, and I am linking up with Becky’s Treat Yourself Tuesday link-up in celebration of having attended my very first Friendsgiving this past Sunday night!  Becky is a firm believer in treating yourself well, and I definitely think I accomplished that this weekend.

When Joanna invited me over for her Friendsgiving celebration I was super excited!  I had heard of the “Friendsgiving” concept before, but did not experience it firsthand until Sunday.  For those of you who are not familiar with what a Friendsgiving is, it is essentially a Thanksgiving celebration with friends.  Cool right?  I was excited to spend more time with Joanna and to hangout with Erin (both of whom I met through blogging!).  It was also a lot of fun being able to see Erin’s husband Josh again, to meet Joanna’s husband Jeff, and to spend time with some new faces.  Oh, and I can’t forget to mention Joanna’s adorable daughter, Eleanor, and her cute dog, Ruby!  Those two just may have stolen the show ;).

Now that you know all about the people at the Friendsgiving celebration, let’s get to the food!

(P.s. I was a bad blogger, so all of the credit for these photos goes to the wonderful Erin! :))

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And boy, was there a lot of food!  That always seems to happen with the pot luck style, right?  But hey, the more food the better.

Joanna and Jeff did a wonderful job hosting.  They provided the beer and wine, made the turkey (which obviously wasn’t my thing ;)), prepped a tasty salad, baked up cupcakes, and made an absolutely delicious apple and herb dressing.  You can find out more about what they cooked here on Joanna’s blog.  There were several vegetarians in attendance, and Joanna was incredibly thoughtful by preparing a vegetarian stuffing.  I am so glad that I was able to eat it because it was tasty!  The rest of us chipped in and brought sides and desserts.

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Some of the other food that made an appearance included crescent rolls, creme brulee potatoes, a squash and carrot casserole, falafel and hummus, and of course LOTS of desserts.

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I brought cornbread muffins (as did someone else!) and my family’s fruit salad.  I grew up eating this fruit salad during the holidays, so I knew it would be the perfect thing to contribute.

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I piled my plate with salad, fruit salad, the squash and carrot casserole, a cornbread muffin, the stuffing, and the creme brulee potatoes.  And I obviously had a slice of pumpkin pie with a bit of whipped topping.  I seriously LOVE pumpkin pie :).  As you probably know, I generally stick with a plant-based diet about 90% of the time, but I make exceptions during the holidays.  This is where that other 10% comes in when I just stick with a vegetarian diet.

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And finally…a picture of Erin and me to round out this post.  Unfortunately, I did not get a picture with Joanna :(, but I think she was a bit busy being an awesome hostess and taking care of her adorable daughter.  Seriously, you must go check out her blog.  Cutest baby EVER! 🙂  Thanks again for inviting me, Joanna!  It was a successful and fun first Friendsgiving.

Happy Tuesday, friends!

Have you ever been to a “Friendsgiving” celebration?

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{ 48 comments… add one }
  • Jessie November 19, 2013, 6:30 am
    Sounds like a fantastic time. I think I can talk for everyone when I say if you didn't have any photos we'd all believe that the food was delicious. I mean how could it not when you combine three fantastic food bloggers? :) Jessie recently posted...Pure GENIUS QuinoaMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl November 19, 2013, 2:57 pm
      Haha, so true right?? Food bloggers bring GOOD food!
  • Danica @ It's Progression November 19, 2013, 7:08 am
    I've never done a Friendsgiving, but how fun!!
    • ClnEatingVegGrl November 19, 2013, 2:57 pm
      It was so much fun! You should definitely think about doing one some year!
  • Jackie November 19, 2013, 7:27 am
    Fun! We're already having my family's thanksgiving celebration this weekend! Jackie recently posted...{Tasty Tuesday} Chicken and Broccoli casseroleMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl November 19, 2013, 2:59 pm
      That should be fun!! It's kind of nice to spread them all out! ;)
  • Lucie November 19, 2013, 7:31 am
    Looks like so much fun! I think I have to start Friendsgiving since we don't celebrate Thanksgiving! Lucie recently posted...Crustless Surf&Turf (or vegetarian)Quiche & Nutbutter Fudge PancakesMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl November 19, 2013, 2:59 pm
      That would be so cool, Lucie! You should definitely do it! You could be a trend setter ;).
  • Erin @ Girl Gone Veggie November 19, 2013, 9:07 am
    Your fruit salad was amazing!! And Eleanor is the cutest baby ever!! Erin @ Girl Gone Veggie recently posted...Squash Casserole Recipe (with a Le Creuset and PAM giveaway)My Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl November 19, 2013, 2:59 pm
      Thanks, Erin!! :)
  • Carly @ Snack Therapy November 19, 2013, 9:22 am
    Wow. This post has me SO excited for Thanksgiving. Sooo much good food!!! I'm actually going to a Friendsgiving celebration the Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend. Double the fun (and double the stomachaches). WIN! Carly @ Snack Therapy recently posted...Peanut Butter Granola Bars {No Oil, No Butter}My Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl November 19, 2013, 3:01 pm
      Haha, you crack me up!! But you are right...Thanksgivings/Friendsgivings almost always result in stuffing oneself! ;)
  • Dana @ Conscious Kitchen Blog November 19, 2013, 9:26 am
    Yum - everything looks so delicious and what a great way to celebrate with friends. I'm hosting my first holiday party this year and I'm getting so excited to plan out the menu and everything! P.s. - I can never resist pumpkin pie - so good! Dana @ Conscious Kitchen Blog recently posted...WIAW #54: Whoa… it’s Wednesday?!My Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl November 19, 2013, 3:03 pm
      Holidays get-togethers with friends are such a good time :). And yes...pumpkin pie is a must!
  • Nicole @ FruitnFitness November 19, 2013, 10:36 am
    My roommate and I did a friendsgiving one year and had so much fun with it. All of that food sounds amazing! Nicole @ FruitnFitness recently posted...simple treats for happinessMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl November 19, 2013, 3:04 pm
      Aren't they awesome? Hopefully this one won't be my last! ;)
  • Martha November 19, 2013, 11:52 am
    As soon as I saw the picture of the fruit salad I knew you had to have made it!
    • ClnEatingVegGrl November 19, 2013, 3:05 pm
      Yup!! It was a must make!
  • Alex @ Cookie Dough Katzen November 19, 2013, 12:03 pm
    The food looks delicious! What a fun time. I had a Friendsgiving last year and it was a blast. I was so full after though. :)
    • ClnEatingVegGrl November 19, 2013, 3:06 pm
      Friendsgivings are great! I am so glad that I was finally able to attend one :).
  • Ang @ Nutty for Life November 19, 2013, 12:14 pm
    I LOVE the idea of Friendsgiving. It seems like so much fun. My roommates were talking about doing one during our final week of classes, so hopefully it pans out :) Have a great day! Ang @ Nutty for Life recently posted...See The GoodMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl November 19, 2013, 3:07 pm
      Oh, you definitely should! I am sure you would have a blast!
  • Ashlee@HisnHers November 19, 2013, 12:42 pm
    Aw I love Friendsgiving!! It looks like you all made some delicious food. And now I'm so excited for Thanksgiving it's not even funny. Back when I was strictly vegan I always made an exception for the holidays too...my family is full of amazing cooks and you never know when it might be the last year you get to have some of their contributions! Ashlee@HisnHers recently posted...Lone Star Attitude: Girls’ Night OutMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl November 19, 2013, 3:13 pm
      Eating vegan during the holidays is definitely super challenging. I try to stay as vegan as possible, but I always make exceptions for my favorite dishes :).
  • Sarah @ Making Thyme for Health November 19, 2013, 1:11 pm
    Wow, that's a lot of delicious food! We are so far from home for Thanksgiving that we'll be going to a friends house instead so our Friendsgiving will be our actual Thanksgiving. It would be really hard to stay vegan during the holidays unless you were surrounded by a bunch of vegans, of course. By the way, did you meet Joanna through blogging? I'm always curious what new relationships blogging can bring! Sarah @ Making Thyme for Health recently posted...Hiking Panoramic Hill in BerkeleyMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl November 19, 2013, 3:14 pm
      That is great that you will have friends to spend your Thanksgiving holiday with! I am sure you will have a blast :). And yes, I met both Erin and Joanna through blogging! :)
  • Katie @ running4cupcakes November 19, 2013, 1:28 pm
    So fun! I love these kind of get togethers because you get to see what everyone else's traditional food is - and how different it all is!!
    • ClnEatingVegGrl November 19, 2013, 3:14 pm
      That is SO true!! It is fun to see and taste all of the recipes that have been passed down in everyone's families...and to taste new-to-me recipes!
  • Melanie @ Beautifully Nutty November 19, 2013, 2:15 pm
    Nummy!!! This makes me SO excited for Thanksgiving! You know what I'm thinking? I'm thinking it would be a good idea to have a Friendsgiving in a totally random month---like April or May. You know, spread the Thanksgiving love around throughout the year! Melanie @ Beautifully Nutty recently posted...Treat Yourself Tuesday: Birthday EditionMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl November 19, 2013, 3:15 pm
      I think that is a fantastic idea, Melanie! We should probably start that tradition! :)
  • Alexis @ Hummusapien November 19, 2013, 2:33 pm
    Friendsgiving seriously sounds so fun! I've never done one, but you're totally inspiring me to do it :) Alexis @ Hummusapien recently posted...Pomegranate, Quinoa & Goat Cheese Stuffed Acorn SquashMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl November 19, 2013, 3:15 pm
      You absolutely should! You would have a blast with it, especially since you are such an amazing cook!
  • Jan @ Sprouts n Squats November 19, 2013, 6:11 pm
    I love the idea of a friendsgiving even though we don’t celebrate thanksgiving at all here it still sounds like it would be a very fun time. Looks and sounds like there was A LOT of delicious food and so good that she catered so well to the vegetarians that were there including you :)
    • ClnEatingVegGrl November 21, 2013, 3:50 pm
      Yes, she was a great hostess! And you should definitely throw a Thanksgiving celebration anyways!
  • Becky @ Olives n Wine November 19, 2013, 6:39 pm
    Fun! I've never been to a Friendsgiving but they look amazing... and delicious ;) I might need to coordinate one for some bloggers in the Chicago area next year. That could get dangerous with a bunch of foodies! Thanks for linking up <3 Becky @ Olives n Wine recently posted...#11 Treat Yourself TuesdayMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl November 21, 2013, 3:52 pm
      Oh my gosh, that would be an AWESOME Friendsgiving! There would definitely be the most amazing food.
  • Amy @ Long Drive Journey November 19, 2013, 7:40 pm
    Aw I love Friendsgiving! This was the first year I did it, but I think it's going to become a regular event for me! Amy @ Long Drive Journey recently posted...What I Would Be SayingMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl November 21, 2013, 3:52 pm
      I hope it becomes a regular event for me too!!
  • Jess @ JessieBear What Will You Wear? November 19, 2013, 8:50 pm
    I love friendsgiving! Having one this Friday, we do one every year :) Jess @ JessieBear What Will You Wear? recently posted...Together Tuesday #33My Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl November 21, 2013, 3:53 pm
      They are SO fun!! I definitely hope that there are more in my future!
  • Ashley November 20, 2013, 5:32 am
    I've always loved the idea of a friendsgiving ... it sounds like so much fun! Maybe one year we'll get around to doing one ... such a great way to spend time with your friends before holiday schedules get all crazy! Ashley recently posted...Pumpkin Cinnamon Swirl BreadMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl November 21, 2013, 3:54 pm
      It really is! I highly encourage you to plan one. I am sure you would have a blast!
  • Brittany November 20, 2013, 9:56 am
    I've never done a friendsgiving, but want to SOSOSO BAD!! AHH HOW FUN!
    • ClnEatingVegGrl November 21, 2013, 3:54 pm
      You SOSOSO should!!!!! :)
  • Elyse @ Lizzie Fit November 20, 2013, 7:36 pm
    Awww I want to have a friendsgiving! Can't we live closer?:( lol Sounds like an awesome time! Elyse @ Lizzie Fit recently posted...VVP FavouritesMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl November 21, 2013, 3:55 pm
      I know, right? We would have an awesome Friendsgiving if we got a bunch of bloggers together!
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