Lavender Design + Cuisine

Monday, January 9, 2023

The kitchen Pantry Wonderful Benefits!

Open Space in the kitchen turned

into a Pantry

Coat Closet turned into a Pantry

Floating Shelves for Herbs & Spices

Having a pantry can help to store small kitchen appliances such as food processor & mixer, non-perishable foods and wines (it can be a mini wine cellar) while keeping kitchen countertops clear for food preps. It also inspires cooking and just being in the kitchen much more fun!

Plus, a well-organized pantry is essential for any good home chef. Learning to store, prepare and use the products we keep in our pantry can lead to better meals, healthier lifestyle and helps create less food waste.

So, ideally, we all should have a pantry, but what to do if we don’t have one?

Well, you can create a pantry with shelves using any suitable open space in your kitchen and even a coat closet, if there is one near by your kitchen.

See the pantry examples above, which do not require constructions and are easily doable as fun DIY projects.

Additionally, you can install some floating shelves for your herbs and spices to make them readily available when cooking and baking!

So many cost effective little things we all can do to make our kitchen not only a place of joy for cooking and entertainments, but also a kitchen, which is clutter-free, organized and inviting!

Happy Cooking & Baking!

Ellie Lavender
Space Curator & Avant Garde Chef
Lavender Design + Cuisine

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Monday, January 2, 2023

Salade Composée: Crisp Apple & Shaved Fennel

Crisp Apple & Shaved Fennel Salad

Salads are the perfect combination of nutritious, delicious, and effortless. This vibrant blend of baby romaine, shaved fennel, crisp apple, radish, and blackberries—drizzled with a white balsamic vinaigrette and finished with fresh cracked pepper and sea salt—is truly elevated eating. While a quick chop-and-toss is efficient, taking the time to arrange a beautiful "salad art" plate makes the experience much more enjoyable.

So let's get started with the recipe!

Ingredients: 2 baby romaine lettuce, one small apple, one fennel bulb, few radishes, few blackberries, 2 tbsp. olive oil, 3 tbsp. white balsamic vinegar, a pinch of sea salt & freshly ground pepper.

Instructions: Cut the core from the romaine to separate the leaves, then wash and dry them thoroughly in a salad spinner. Prepare the produce by removing the tough outer layers of the fennel, then thinly slice it and the apple using a mandoline or sharp knife. Finally, thinly slice the radishes with a knife. Next arrange them on a large platter, drizzle olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, a bit of freshly ground pepper, a sprinkle of sea salt and enjoy!

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

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Thursday, October 20, 2022

Garden-to-Table: Cultivating Happiness & Flavor

5 Reasons Gardening Boosts Your Well-Being

Research shows spending time outdoors improves overall physical and mental wellness. Digging in the dirt releases serotonin, which naturally elevates daily well-being.

Here are 5 quick benefits of gardening:

Lowers Stress: Touching soil and being in nature reduces physical tension.
Promotes Flexibility: Gardening teaches people to adapt when plans change.
Sharpens Focus: Concentrating on plants clears the mind and boosts productivity.
Supports Nutrition: Growing whole foods makes it easy to eat a clean Mediterranean diet.
Builds Strength: Daily garden chores maintain muscle tone and keep you active.

5 Simple Steps to Start This Weekend

Ready to try it? Keep it simple with these beginner rules from expert Joe Lamp'l:

Start small: Plant just one container near your door so it remains easy to manage.
Grow what you love: Pick easy, fast-growing plants you like to eat, like lettuce or radishes.
Feed the soil: Use organic compost instead of chemicals. Healthy soil makes healthy plants.
Read the tag: Put sun-loving plants in the sun and shade-loving plants in the shade.
Check daily: Spend two minutes looking at your plants every day to catch issues early.

From Garden to Table

The garden is my ultimate refuge and the inspiration for all my plant-based recipes. My culinary motto is garden-to-table. The process of growing my own fresh herbs and veggies brings immense fulfillment.

Start a garden or do some gardening this weekend!