A gluten-free lemon bar with whipped coconut cream. 

Melissa Botten was working in the world of corporate fashion when she was told she would need double-bunion surgery. Each foot would require three months of recovery time, which wasn’t feasible at the time as a single mom. So she started looking into other options. Her search led her to a cherry and turmeric supplement. The natural supplement reduced inflammation in her whole body, and as a result, healed her bunions. It also initiated a dramatic lifestyle change. Botten decided to leave the corporate world and never looked back.

Today, Botten is a holistic practitioner and yoga teacher. She’s also a farmer and chef at The Blissful Bite, a new cafe at the Blissful Heart Wellness Center. She invited me to attend the Blissful Heart happy hour, a monthly celebration with light appetizers, mingling and high vibrations.

The community is welcome to attend the happy hour, which takes place on the fourth Friday of the month and is held in the gardens next to the wellness center.

Food

There was a table with a bounty of food including crackers, slices of cantaloupe, olives, smoked salmon, salami and vegan dip.

On one side of the table was a plate of deviled eggs and on the other was a plate of gluten-free lemon bars. The deviled eggs were sprinkled with paprika and chives and tasted creamy. The lemon bars were dusted with powdered sugar and sat next to a bowl of whipped coconut cream to put on top. The lemon center was custardy and the crust of the bars had a cake-like consistency.

Another table was set up as a drink station where Botten was whipping up mocktails ($6). Right in front of me, she prepared a drink rich in superfoods, which on the spot, which she named the Bend Buzz on the spot.

It was shaken with a coconut, hazelnut and almond milk mixed with cacao, chaga mushroom, fresh mint and honey. The mint, she’d grown herself. She noted that all of the ingredients were superfoods and aphrodisiacs, and that the last month’s attendees had experienced a buzz from the healthful ingredients.

Plant-based grab and go food is available while the wellness center is open with made-to-order options on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Service

Botten and the host, Delia Feliciano, welcomed me as I entered the gardens. Feliciano handed me a name tag and encouraged me to help myself to the buffet. After everyone had trickled in, we stood in a circle while Feliciano and Botten introduced themselves and explained more about the event before inviting the group to mingle.

Atmosphere

The garden was surrounded by trees, plants and flowers, which softened the space between the buildings of the Blissful Heart Wellness Center campus. Live music wafted through the air as two women — Kimberly Keefer and Angela Hutchinson — sang and played live music on an acoustic guitar and ukulele. The warm, welcoming atmosphere set the stage for attendees to socialize and make connections.

More info

Location: Blissful Heart Wellness Center, 45 NW Greeley Ave., Bend

Contact: thrivehealthcoach.org/events, blissful-heart.com, 541-550-7800, info@blissful-heart.com

Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday

Price Range: $7-$13

Happy Hours: Fourth Friday of the month from 5:30-8:30 p.m.

Happy Prices: $13 per person or pay what you can with beverages available for purchase

Cuisine: Farm to table