Sunday, December 2, 2018

Lavender Design + Cuisine


Welcome to Lavender Design + Cuisine, your source of inspiration for Living Joyously and Deliciously! 

Sometimes, the path to your true calling isn't a straight line. For me, it took two decades of working in high-tech sales before I took a leap of faith in 2011 to follow my lifelong passion. That decision led to the creation of Lavender Design + Cuisine, and it has been an amazing, rewarding journey ever since. Every day, I am so grateful to do what I love. My clients and students are at the very center of everything I do and inspire me constantly. Explore their remarkable testimonials here to discover the impact of our shared journey.

I offer the following services throughout Santa Cruz County and the South Bay

 



·        My passion is to elevate your quality of life through curated living spaces and exceptional Plant-Based Mediterranean cuisine. Contact me today to discuss my services and get started!  

Ellie Lavender
Certified Feng Shui Practitioner & Interior Designer
Plant-Based Mediterranean Chef
Culinary & Wine Pairing Instructor 
Event Caterer
Lavender Design + Cuisine
 

 

Join my network on Facebook & Instagram to receive Feng Shui & Interior 
Design tips and information on upcoming workshops & special events!  

 

Copyright © 2018 Lavender Design + Cuisine, All rights reserved.

Thursday, September 13, 2018

Tackle Visual and Digital Clutter!


Overwhelmed with visual and digital clutter? Do these pictures look all too familiar to you? Well, you are not alone; we all have some form of a clutter. Visual and digital clutter have a direct impact on your efficiency, productivity, the power of decision making and ultimately your success. 

Get rid of them in two practical steps:

Step 1: Assess what’s on your desk - Ask yourself when looking at an item:
·                           Do I need it or use it regularly?
·                           Does it energize or inspire me?
·                           Does it enhance my efficiency and productivity?
·                           Does it contribute to my success and prosperity?
·                           Let go of those items that don’t pass.

Step 2: Declutter your computer and communication devices:
Get rid of useless apps, programs, old emails, VMs, etc. Organize desktop icons too.

Finally, the best thing you can do to deal with digital clutter is to designate as few as five minutes each day to deal with downloads, email, apps, and whatever else crosses your digital workspace. Get rid of what you don’t need immediately, so you don’t have to spend hours sifting through it down the road.

Ellie Lavender
Certified Feng Shui Practitioner
Interior Designer
Lavender Design + Cuisine


Join my network on Facebook & Instagram to receive recipes and information
on upcoming workshops, chocolates, culinary & wine pairing classes, and special events!

Copyright © 2018 Lavender Design + Cuisine, All rights reserved.

Sunday, August 19, 2018

Simple & Practical Feng Shui Tips For A Child’s Bedroom!


Enhance Education, Success and Happy Relationships!

Applying Feng Shui to a child’s bedroom creates an inspiring environment that fosters enhanced education, success, and happy relationships with parents, siblings, and others. 

However, before you apply the below Feng Shui enhancements to the bedrooms of your children, it’s important that you bring them into the process. Start by discussing the benefits of a clutter-free, organized and inspiring bedroom environment; and then get their permission and full participation. After that, work together to design short and long term plans for creating and maintaining an inspiring bedroom environment that will empower them to thrive in all aspects of life.

Here’s your action plan for this project:

1.       Remove clutter. Partner with your children to support their efforts to clear jammed closets and drawers. Encourage them to remove toys, games, books and clothes no longer suitable for their age. To make this process simple and most effective, provide them with three boxes, 1) items for donation, 2) recycling and 3) trash. Creating space and visual openness helps your child sleep better and feel much more rested, which will lead them to be happier and more productive.

2.      Teach organization skills and maintenance methods. Provide storage systems, a laundry basket and trash can so that children can easily organize and store items, without having to leave them on their beds, desk’s and floors. These simple and practical measures will inspire and motivate your children to keep their bedrooms clean, clutter-free and organized resulting in fewer chores for you!

3.      Create an inspiring bedroom environment. Make sure there is adequate lighting in the bedroom. Also, bedrooms that are painted dark colors create too much oppressive energy. Bright colors, such as yellows, light greens, soft lavender and pinks are good energy and inspiring color choices.  Add inspiring and motivational posters and art to the child’s bedroom!

4.     Bed choice and placement in the bedroom. Make sure your child can see the door from his or her bed easily, but is not in direct line of the door. Bunk beds are not optimal. Children must have room to grow and the bed overhead exerts pressure on the child below. Because there is empty space below them, children on the top bunk may feel less secure. If possible, try to have a separate bedroom for each child. If this isn’t possible, there are many decorative ways to create division and privacy within a room for each child.

5.      Establish a space for study and accomplishments. Having a dedicated space, including a desk and lamp where your child can study demonstrates to your child the importance you place on education, your child’s success and achievement. Display awards, trophies, and tests with good scores in the child’s bedroom.

6.     Praise your children often. Throughout the transformation process and afterward, praise your children often. The practice of this amplifying self-esteem gesture will make them feel good, loved and appreciated, and will also encourage and motivate them to maintain a clean, clutter-free, organized and inspiring bedroom environment for years to come.

7.     Lead by example for your children. Children are like mirrors, reflecting everything that happens in their environment. The examples you set have a significant impact on their present and future development and aspirations. Keep your home environment, clean, clutter-free, organized and inspirational. 

Have fun with your children and enjoy the process!


Ellie Lavender 
Certified Feng Shui Practitioner
Interior Designer

Join my network on Facebook
 & Instagram to receive Feng Shui & interior design tips and information on upcoming workshops!


Copyright © 2018 Lavender Design + Cuisine, All rights reserved.




Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Plant-Based Autumn Soup Recipe: Butternut Squash, Red D’Anjou Pear & Ginger

Tangy Creamy Butternut Squash, 
Red D ‘Anjou Pear & Ginger Soup
Pic. 6

Pic. 5

Pic. 4

Pic. 3 

Pic. 2

Pic. 1

Greetings Soup Lovers! 

Celebrate the season with this nourishing plant-based butternut squash, D'Anjou red pear and ginger soup. Its delightful combination of tangy and creamy flavors makes it the perfect autumn dish.

This recipe features a harmonious blend of sweet roasted pears and butternut squash, pureed to a velvety consistency. The soup is beautifully topped with a textural contrast of pistachios and the finishing touch of extra virgin olive oil, resulting in a sensational flavor. It's amazing!

Ingredients (serving size 4):

2 Cups butternut squash 

1 Cup D'anjou red pears 
1 Tbsp. Meyer lemon juice & a few Meyer lemon rinds
1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger 
1 Cup oat milk
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbsp. chopped pistachios
1/5 Tsp. sea salt

 Instructions: 

1. Cut the butternut squash in half, remove seeds, peel skins and chop into small cubes (alternatively you can use store bought frozen cubed butternut squash and thaw them first before roasting).

2. Cut pears in half, remove core and chop into small cubes 

3. Toss cubed butternut squash and pear with olive oil, sea salt and roast them at 400 preheated oven for 25 minutes, pic.1 

4. Place butternut squash, pears, Meyer lemon juice & rinds and ginger in a food processor, pic. 2 and process until they are pureed, pic. 3

5. Add oath milk, pic. 4 and process again until the mixture is creamy, pic. 5

6. Place soup in a bowl and garnish with chopped pistachios and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, pic 6.

·      Enjoy it by itself, or pair it with a light dinner of salad, crusty bread or focaccia.

Chef Ellie Lavender 
Plant-Based Mediterranean Chef
Culinary & Wine Pairing Instructor
Event Caterer
Lavender Design + Cuisine

 

Join my network on Facebook & Instagram to receive recipes and information

on upcoming workshops, chocolates, culinary & wine pairing classes, and special events!

 

Copyright © 2018 Lavender Design + Cuisine, All rights reserved.

 



Tuesday, March 20, 2018

Plant-Based Mediterranean Culinary Services


Greetings Foodies & Wine Lovers,

Long before my amazing career at Silicon Valley, a deep-seated adoration for exquisite plant-based foods ignited my creative spark, meticulously honed from early childhood. This inherent artistry was then turbocharged by two decades navigating the competitive landscape of high-tech sales, imbuing it with unparalleled strategic prowess! I now apply this strategic mindset to my culinary pursuits, which are deeply influenced by the vibrant cuisines of France, Italy, Spain, and Morocco.

Farm-to-Table Plant-Based Culinary Services: 

Personal & Group Culinary Journeys: French, Italian, Spanish Cuisine Personal chef and catering up to 10 guests.

Private In-Home Cooking and Wine Pairing: Elevate your culinary skills and explore the world of wine pairing with my exclusive in-home classes. Perfect for individuals, couples, or small groups of up to 10.

Culinary Team Building and Corporate Cooking Classes: Engaging activities to foster collaboration, communication, problem-solving, team morale, and creativity within a corporate setting.

Public & Exclusive Winery Events: Plant-based Mediterranean Tapas, Artisan Chocolate, & Wine Pairings.

Take the first step towards a more delicious life, contact me!

Chef Ellie Lavender 
Plant-Based Mediterranean Personal Chef
Culinary & Wine Pairing Instructor
Event Caterer 
Lavender Design + Cuisine

 

Join my network on Facebook & Instagram to receive recipes and information
on upcoming chocolate, culinary & wine pairing classes, and special events! 

Copyright © 2020 Lavender Design + Cuisine, All rights reserved. 

 


Feng Shui and Interior Design Services!


Your home is your sanctuary. It represents you and your inner-self. When you mindfully design inspiring living and working environments based on the principles of Feng Shui, you'll cultivate and enhance love, health, happiness and prosperity in your life!

Doesn’t that sound wonderful? You’ll take this idea from a dream to reality with me by your side.

Your Personalized 3-Steps Plan will include:

Step 1 Home, office and goals assessment
Step 2 Decluttering and organization plans
Step 3 Feng Shui and interior design enhancements

What is Feng Shui and why is it important?

Feng Shui is the art of arranging your home and work environments to enhance the flow of positive energy (chi), love, health, happiness and prosperity in your life.  When energy flow is stagnant or obstructed (i.e. clutter), it can have a direct negative impact on your life! If you have found that your environment doesn’t make you feel good or bring forth happiness, productivity and prosperity, there’s likely an obstruction of energy flow that needs to be addressed.   

Decluttering is the all important first step in the Feng Shui process! If energy (chi) can't flow freely, nothing else can begin to improve! The next step is the organization, which will bring clarity and empowerment. Lastly, the application of Feng Shui principles will cultivate and enhance balance, harmony, love, happiness and prosperity. 

Inspired Kitchen Transformation Story! 

“Ellie helped us to transform our cluttered and disorganized kitchen into a wonderful gathering and entertaining space! We started by decluttering our fridge, pantry, cabinets and counters. We discarded all the stained and chipped dishes and glasses and got rid of broken appliances and expired food items. We brought in a container of herbs, fresh flowers and a basket of lemons from our garden, which added life and color to the kitchen. These simple steps have completely transformed our kitchen. Not only do we love the good feeling and energy in there, but we now cook more often. We truly enjoy spending time together in our beautiful kitchen over meals and especially for coffee in the morning! Thank you so much, Ellie, for your practical and creative solutions." Sofia and Marco, Capitola

Please feel free to contact me to learn more about any of these featured services and to take the first step.  

Ellie Lavender 
Certified Feng Shui Practitioner
Interior Designer
Lavender Design + Cuisine


Join my network on Facebook & Instagram to receive Feng Shui & interior design tips and information on upcoming workshops!

Copyright © 2018 Lavender Design + Cuisine, All rights reserved.