Katz & the City-Life is Sweet in NYC

Luomuhiushoitoa

Kirjoittanut Kat - February 5, 2012 - klo 10:44 AM

So what does a woman do when she has one hour lunch break? Goes to the nearest pharmacy and spend the entire hour in their new and improved beauty section and starts shopping. You might wonder why that Odwalla Superfood drink is in the picture and no, I didn’t use it for my hair. It was the only thing I had time to eat/drink during my break after getting caught up in the world of natural beauty products.

Anyways, I did some nice findings from Jonathan, Giovanni Organic Hair Care and Lacoupe Orgnx. Jonathan, which is completely new product for me, had two interesting products I had to try; thickening foam (I have very fine Scandinavian hair that always needs extra boost) and dry shampoo (washing my hair is a drag). Jonathan Products are Free of sulfates, parabens, phthalates, gluten, synthetic dyes and 100% vegan.

Lacoupe Orgnx had this lovely scented leave-in conditioner thats just so easy to use for lazy people like myself. Just spray it on and keep doing your thing.
Giovanni Organic Hair Care’s Brazenly Brunette color defense conditioner keeps the brown in my hair brown and really great product for ombre colored hair because it keeps breaking the line between the blond and brunette. Which is now more like light brown and medium brown after dying it darker last week.

Hope you are all enjoying the last day of the weekend! Wish it could go on for just a little longer…

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Tweettaa

LAUANTAI

Kirjoittanut Kat - February 5, 2012 - klo 10:43 AM

Weekend was good. We went riding bikes (which we’ve never done together before) in a nearby park and although weather was a bit freezing it was sunny and we had good time. Since I’m going to start cooking more this year and learning new recipes, I’ll to post at least one recipe a week which I’m going to prepare during the weekend. This week’s recipe is Seitan Scaloppine with lemon-olive sauce found here, with some of my own changes. I tried this dish at Blossom last summer and it was one of the most delicious things I’ve ever eaten. I would serve it with mashed potatoes and kale, just like they do atBlossom. So I’m going to try to re-create it at home. Wish me luck!

Photo source

Seitan Scallopini with Capers and Lemon

2 seitan cutlets, about 8 ounces

salt and pepper

cooking oil (I use coconut oil)

2 tablespoons flour

2 cloves garlic, minced

(mushrooms, optional)

1 cup vegetable broth

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon capers, drained

1 tablespoon earth balance

chopped parsley, fresh thyme, salt and pepper to taste

Salt and pepper the cutlets. Dredge cutlets in flour. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Pan fry the cutlets turning as they turn golden, about 3 -5 minutes per side. Transfer to plate. Add more oil to the skillet. Add garlic (and mushrooms). Stir and cook until the mushrooms are just starting to cook, about 2 minutes, reducing heat if needed so garlic doesn’t burn. Add broth to deglaze the skillet, scraping the browned bits off the bottom. Cook until broth is reduced to about 1/2. Stir in lemon juice, capers, margarine and thyme. Adjust seasonings and serve over mashed potatoes and sauteed kale, garnishing with parsley.

My phone has terrible camera… Time to upgrade.

There’s also a Finnish holiday coming up this week and that requires some traditional baking. I will post the recipe later this week, veganized. So excited to have clear plans what to cook and bake this week. Yay! It’s the small things in life that make me happy!

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Runebergin paiva

Kirjoittanut Kat - February 5, 2012 - klo 10:42 AM

Runeberg’s torte (torttu) is a Finnish pastry flavored with almonds and rum. The torte got its name from the Finnish poet Johan Ludvig Runeberg (1804–1877) who, according to the legend, enjoyed the torte (baked by his wife Fredrika) with punsch for every breakfast. Runeberg’s tortes are typically eaten only in Finland around Runeberg’s birthday on February 5th.

Photo source

RUNEBERG’S TORTE GONE VEGAN source

1 dl (0,4 cups) mild tasting oil (canola or coconut oil)

1 dl (0,4 cups) brown sugar (I use palm sugar, but you can use whatever you like)

1 dl (0,4 cups) soygurt, coconut yogurt or apple sauce

0,5 tsp almond essence

1,5 dl (0,6 cups) flour (I usually mix coconut flour with whole wheat flour)

1 dl (0,4 cups) bread crumbs (or ginger bread crumbs, or both)

0,5 tsp cardamon (not necessary if you are using ginger bread crumbs)

0,5 tsp sea salt (I use pink Himalayan salt)

0,5 tsp crushed almonds

1tsp baking powder
(rum for flavor, optional)

Mix oil, sugar, yogurt and almond essence. Mix remaining ingredients in a separate bowl and add them to the mix. Split the batter to cupcake molds and bake in the oven 190Celsius / 375Fahrenheit for 20-22min. They are ready when you stick a toothpick in them and it comes out dry. Let them sit and cool off completely before starting to decorate.

White frosting

1 tbsp water (you can also put 1/2 water and 1/2 lemon juice for lemon flavored frosting)

2,5 dl (1 cup) powdered sugar

Add 1/2 the sugar to the water and mix until smooth. Add rest of the sugar until you have perfect consistency; stiff, but just a tad runny.

Decorating

Dig a small hole in the middle of the tart for the jam to go in. Size of the hole varies depending on how much jam you like. I like a ton so my hole gets pretty big. Prepare the frosting and put it in a pastry bag and cut one edge open so that you can add frosting around the hole you just dug. Fill the hole with raspberry jam (or any other jam you love if raspberry isn’t your cup of tea).

Enjoy with some Finnish poetry

I will let you know after the weekend how I did with this recipe and if it’s going to be THE recipe that gets to be at my favorites section and which will be passed to my children… On a side note: Our oven has been out of commission since early December and I really hope we can schedule the guy to come in this Friday so that I can actually bake…

“Who has given the wind wisdom,
Lent the air a tongue so lightsome,
Ready speech to the yard’s rowan,
And the small birds’ tender bevy?
(J.L. Runeberg from ‘All Seemed to Be Speaking, Speaking’)

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Normipaiva

Kirjoittanut Kat - January 15, 2012 - klo 1:23 PM

Sun has been beautiful these past two days and it feels almost like spring again. I bought a juicer finally and planning on using it a lot this spring. Let’s see what juicing does for me. I’m hoping for clear skin and energy. Oh, and happiness.

Yesterday I went to Asskicker after about two months. Yes, I’m hurting today, but I know it’s nothing compared to how I’ll be feeling tomorrow. I will try to go to the gym on Sunday too, maybe that will help the muscles.

After class feelings. Cold shower and 20 minutes relaxing in the sauna. I felt so good.

Here are some photos of Upper East Side townhouses I took during a walk the other day on my lunch break. How would I love to live here. So quiet and beautiful. They also have gorgeous Equinox gym here. That was the destination of this walk.

Tonight is my friend’s birthday party at Kittichai in Soho. Place looks gorgeous on their website so I hope the food is good as well. Have a beautiful weekend everyone!

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