Before + After: 1930's Vanity Makeover

 After: Girly vanity of my dreams

I'm a sucker for a good makeover. This is probably why Cinderella was my favorite movie as a child and Clueless as an adolescent (Tai's makeover, obvi). Now, as an adult, my love for makeovers has evolved from people to furniture. I love finding a unique piece, either discarded (and loving rescued, as I like to think of it) on the side of the road or a swap meet and giving it a new life. It seems to satisfy a creative itch as well as desire to get my hands dirty (sanding, priming, painting). When decorating my room, I found the perfect makeover project in a 1930's vanity at the Alameda Vintage Fair. Luckily, this was a pretty easy makeover - the white vanity was in good shape and just needed some paint to spruce up. I choose purple, because hey, it's a vanity....doesn't get much more girly than that, and I loved that I could accentuate the piping details around the drawers by using a contrasting white paint.

Before: I purchased this vanity at the Alameda Vintage Fair

Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad with Tahini-Maple Dressing

While planning out winter seedlings, I went a bit overboard on kale. By early spring, I had ten abundant kale plants (a mix of red russian and curly kale varieties). That's a lot of kale for one person. I started to keep a jar of pre-washed kale leaves arranged in an enticing bouquet by my sink (nagging me to add a little green to my morning juice and meals throughout the day). I also started volunteering to bring kale salads to friend and family gatherings -- with the bragging rights of having just cut the kale from my garden that morning. One recipe I discovered, that I now love, comes from Cookie and Kate. It's savory, has great texture and is crazy healthy (kale and brussels sprouts, whoa).

Curly kale from the garden

Ingredients
1 bunch kale (any variety), chopped
12 brussels sprouts, thinly sliced and chopped
1/2 cup roasted almonds, chopped
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan (optional)  
Salt

Tahini-Maple Dressing

1/4 cup tahini
2 Tbs. brown rice vinegar
2 tsp. miso
2 tsp. maple syrup
Pinch of red pepper flakes
2 Tbs. water

1) Cut out spines of kale leaves and chop into small pieces. Transfer chopped kale to large serving bowl.
2) Chop off ends of brussels sprouts, slice thin horizontally, then chop and break apart with fingers into little pieces. Add sprouts to serving bowl.
3) In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, vinegar, miso, maple syrup and red pepper flakes. Stir in the water until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Pour the dressing over kale and sprouts, add almonds and Parmesan and mix well.

Roasted eggplant with almonds and goat cheese

Eggplant is like vegetarian meat -- it's fleshy, hearty and you can even throw it on a grill. I've surely received eye rolls for saying this to my non-vegetarian friends, but I stand by this claim. When I dine out, I get cranky when I'm offered tofu (or other soy "meats") as a meat sub, really never liked the stuff. But offer me an eggplant sub, and I'm happy as a clam. Today's recipe was adapted from theKitchn, and has become my go-to for potluck dinners.

Ingredients
2 large eggplants, cubed
Salt
1/3 cup olive oil
2 Tbs. cider vinegar
1 Tbs. honey
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. cumin
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 lemon, juiced
1 Tbs. tamari
1/2 cup almonds, chopped
2 oz. goat cheese, crumbled (I like this one by Cypress Grove)
1/4 cup scallions, chopped

1) Heat oven to 400°F. Cut eggplant into small cubes, divide and spread onto two large baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with salt and set aside.

2) Whisk together olive oil, cider vinegar, honey, paprika and cumin. Dab away water that has beaded up on eggplant, the toss eggplant with marinade. Stir in garlic. Roast in oven for 40 minutes (Stir every 15 minutes to make sure it's evenly roasted and not burning.)

3) Whisk together lemon juice and tamari. Add eggplant and lemon juice mixture to a large bowl, and stir in chopped almonds and goat cheese. Top with chopped scallions and serve.

Lilita Likes

 Lightly sweet and refreshing - House Kombucha - Hibiscus Sunrise (Oakland, CA)

In the Bay Area, there's no shortage of local, artisan food. We seem to take a lot of pride in supporting local businesses and farms, while we reap the rewards of getting food that is fresh and close to the source (not to mention, minimizing our carbon footprint). It's a win-win. When I grocery shop, I work like a detective - scrutinizing food labels for what ingredients are used, whether they're organic and where it's made. Every now and then, I stumble upon a true gem and find myself becoming an evangelist. Since I get no greater joy than sharing great food with the people I love, "Lilita Likes" will become a reoccurring feature on the blog. I hope you enjoy this week's finds.

So good, I tried to create my own...and failed miserably - Grindstone Bakery Dark Chocolate GF Cookie (Rohnert Park, CA)

Puts other nut butters to shame - Riverview Orchard Organic Almond Hazelnut Butter (Orland, CA)

Vegetarian Chili

Is there anything more cozy than curling up with a bowl of chili on a windy night? I’d have to say that chili is already pretty high up on my list of comfort foods – I love the different textures of beans and veggies and kick of spices. I also love that you can easily put your own stamp on the recipe by varying the proteins. I’ve tinkered with my chili recipe quite a bit from season to season and I think I’ve finally nailed it –  a harmonious blend of quinoa, black beans, harissa and a little yam strikes the right balance of savory, sweet and spicy. But feel free to put your own stamp on it!

Ingredients
1 cup dried black beans, soaked overnight
1 cup dried quinoa
2 cups water
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 shallots, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup carrots, diced
1 Tbs. harissa
1 Tbs. oregano (fresh or dried)
2 tsp. cumin
28-oz. can roasted crushed tomatoes (I prefer Muir Glen)
32-oz vegetable stock
1 yam, peeled and cubed
4 green onions, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Add soaked beans to a soup pot and submerge completely under 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer and cook until beans are tender (about 1.5-2 hours). Once beans are thoroughly cooked, add a few pinches of salt to the water and set aside.
2. Combine shallots and garlic with olive oil in a soup pot and saute over medium heat for a few minutes until shallots start to become translucent. Stir in fresh tomatoes, celery, carrots, harissa, oregano and cumin and saute for another few minutes. Stir in beans, crushed tomatoes, stock, yam, quinoa and season with salt and pepper. 
3. Cook on medium heat for 30-45 minutes, stirring frequently, until potatoes are cooked and the chili has thickened. 
4. Ladle into bowls and top with green onion.