Lavender Design + Cuisine

Saturday, April 4, 2020

Plant-Based Recipe: Romesco Spread

Beautiful Vegan Antipasto Romesco Platter

Romesco Spread in a Jar as a Gift

Pic. 3

Pic. 2

Pic. 1

Originating from the Catalonia region of Spain—specifically Valls in Tarragona—Romesco is a rich, vibrant, and slightly smoky sauce traditionally crafted by fishermen to accompany fish. It is a versatile blend of roasted tomatoes, garlic, nuts (almonds and/or hazelnuts), and olive oil, often thickened with stale bread.

Elevate your meals with crusty bread, or stir it into pasta, risotto, and soups for a creamy, flavorful boost. It serves as a stellar spread for paninis (particularly with plant-based cheese) or as a pizza sauce. It also perfectly complements grilled cauliflower steak, roasted potatoes, or fried polenta, and adds color to a plant-based antipasto platter.

So, let’s get started with the recipe!

Ingredient:

1 jar (12 oz.) roasted red bell pepper, drained and chopped. Or you can roast two large peppers, see instructions below.
2 garlic clove, peeled & smashed
2 medium tomatoes (any types of red tomatoes) & 1/2 tsp. dried tarragon
1/2 Cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 Cup red wine vinegar
1/3 Tbsp. pepper corns
1/2 Cup olive oil
1/4 Tsp. sea salt
1 Tsp. smoked paprika
1 cup toasted slivered almonds
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice & 1 Tsp. lemon rinds

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 500° F. Cut peppers in half, remove stalk, seeds and white membrane. Place peppers face down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, brush with olive oil and roast for 30-40 minutes, until skins are completely wrinkled and peppers are charred. Remove from the oven set aside to cool for 30 minutes and then remove the charred skin.

2. Lightly toast slivered almond in a skillet and set aside to cool.

3. Preheat oven to 450° F. Chop tomatoes, toss in olive oil, sea salt and dried tarragon and roast for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

4. Place toasted slivered almonds in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped, pic. 1.

5. Add first 9 ingredients (including roasted tomatoes) to the chopped almonds in the food processor, pic. 2, pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse texture, but well blended, add lemon juice & rinds and pulse 3 more times, pic. 3.

6. Transfer to glass jars and refrigerate up to two weeks.

Enjoy Romesco cold with fresh veggies and crusty bread, or serve it warm alongside roasted vegetables like cauliflower, eggplant, fennel, celery root, or potatoes.

A savory kitchen staple, this versatile Romesco also makes the perfect edible gift for family and friends.

Happy Delicious Eating!

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

Let's connect: Instagram | Facebook

Wednesday, April 1, 2020

Curating the Bathroom: The Art of the Spa Sanctuary

Clutter-Free, Organized & Serene Bathroom

Outdoor Bathtub

Bathing in fresh air, natural scenery, sunlight or

moonlight is simply heaven!

Lavender Aromatherapy

The bathroom is a critical sanctuary for restoring your body and mind. Whether you are soaking in a bathtub, enjoying a steamy shower, or practicing a simple washing ritual, this space cleanses your physical environment and renews your personal energy.

You can easily transform this room into a tranquil home spa using practical Feng Shui and high-velocity decluttering techniques. Here is your step-by-step curation game plan:

Step 1: The Absolute Purge

Empty every single cupboard, basket, shelf, and vanity drawer. Be completely ruthless with your items:

The Six-Month Rule: Discard any product, tool, or brush you have not physically touched in the past six months.
Clear the Expirations: Throw away expired makeup, nearly empty shampoo bottles, and old toiletries without guilt.
Safe Medicine Disposal: Audit your medicine cabinet and remove expired pharmaceuticals. Drop them off safely at a designated local community collection site rather than throwing them in the trash.

Step 2: Categorize and Sort

With your storage surfaces completely bare, group your remaining essentials into clean, logical categories:

Consolidate everyday essentials like cosmetics, hair care, and first-aid into distinct piles.
Grouping your items visually before putting them back ensures your future storage layout remains perfectly effortless to maintain.

Step 3: Natural Chemical Detox

Put on your gloves and deep-clean the space using entirely natural, plant-friendly ingredients like baking soda and vinegar. Avoid harsh, toxic chemical cleaners; while they may save time up front, they leave behind toxic synthetic residues that disrupt the calm, biophilic atmosphere of a luxury home spa.

Step 4: Map the Storage Ritual

Involve your entire household in designing the final organization plan. Work together to assign a permanent, dedicated home for every category. Tailor the physical placements directly to everyone's exact morning and evening routines so the layout functions seamlessly for the long term.

Once your curation ritual is complete, reward your hard work. Unwind and reset your spirit with a warm, restorative lavender aromatherapy bath. You have earned it!

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

Let's connect: Instagram | Facebook

Sunday, March 1, 2020

Plant-Based Recipe: Black Lentils Salad

Black Lentils Salad
Pic. 3

Pic. 2

Diced Veggies & Sliced Scallion
Pic. 1

Ingredients

Black Lentils

Black lentils have a delicate flavor and slightly firmer texture than green lentils, which make them perfect for salads. This delightful Black Lentils Salad is delicious, highly nutritious and very easy to make. You can always substitute rainbow carrots with fennel and cucumber or any other veggies to your liking.

So, let's get started with the recipe!

Ingredients, pic 1 (serving size 4)
1 Cup black lentil beans
1 Bunch rainbow carrots
4 Scallions
1 Meyer lemon
1 Tsp. dried Herbes de Provence
2 Tbsp. Meyer lemon juice
1 Tsp. Meyer lemon rinds
1/4 Cup olive oil
1/5 Tsp. sea salt
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Instructions:
1. Soak lentils in a medium saucepan for 30 minutes, drain the water and give lentils a rinse.
2. Pour 2 cups water over the rinsed lentils and cook for 30 minutes over low-medium heat until the water is evaporated.
3. Set aside lentils to cool for an hour.
4. Peel and dice rainbow carrots and thinly slice scallions, pic. 1.
5. In a bowl toss diced rainbow carrots and sliced scallions, pic. 2.
6. In a different bowl mix cooled lentils, herbes de Provence, chopped cilantro and sea salt.
7. Transfer the lentils on a serving plate and sprinkle the diced rainbow carrots and scallions, pic. 3.
8. Drizzle olive oil and Meyer lemon juice and garnish with Meyer lemon rinds, pic 3.
9. You can also add some vegan crumbled feta cheese to make this salad even more delicious.

I love the above salad assembly process, instead of mixing all ingredients together, because it preserves the ingredients colors, textures and makes the salad even more beautiful. This delicious salad is perfect by itself, but even better with a glass of beautifully aged and fruity Pinot Noir.

Enjoy!

Chef Ellie Lavender
Vegan Mediterranean Personal Chef
Culinary & Wine Pairing Instructor
Lavender Design + Cuisine

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