Changes and Updates

Hi everyone,

I wasn't successful at picking up this blog in 2014 and probably won't be successful at maintaining it regularly, however I'd like to post some updates and perhaps change the direction of this blog in the future.

This past spring I graduated with my Bachelor of Applied Science in Nutrition and Food and am working towards becoming a registered dietitian. The process is long and has many obstacles to overcome however I will be (hopefully) updating you as my journey continues. I've narrowed down my options and likely want to focus my career on working for a food industry. I've had many years of practice in the food service, management and clinical areas of the field and would like to see what industry has to offer me.

As I see it now, Sixty Ten will no longer be a baking blog, but rather morphed into a health/lifestyle blog with resources and tips on navigating the world of food and nutrition.

I hope you join me on my adventures!

-C

Hi all,

After my four year long hiatus, I've decided to re-enter the blogosphere and reinvent this existing blog. A lot has changed in four years, including my interests and insatiable appetite for change. I never intended for this blog to become as popular as it did - but apparently it's been viewed by many fellow recipe bloggers, including my mother - hi mom!

In the past four years I've grown as a nutrition professional and my focus has been more clinical than community based. I now have a diploma in nutrition & management under my belt and have worked in health care (nutrition department) in various institutions and am I currently studying dietetics at a prestigious university. I intend to become a registered dietitian (RD) upon completion of my program, and wish to pursue a focus in clinical nutrition/well-being.

I'd like to integrate my current (and growing) knowledge about nutrition/health into this blog and supply you with some delicious (yet still somewhat healthy) recipes that you can feel good about. I will be posting a new recipe very soon!

Stay tuned, I'll have some more coming!

-C

Holiday Gingerbread Cake

Inspired by Starbucks Holiday Gingerbread Loaf, this cake is quite similar to the one sold there. However, I'm not going to say it's an exact recipe, because it definitely is not. This variation may be baked in a loaf pan or a cake pan, and it looks beautiful with cream cheese frosting and candied orange bits on top.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups (260 grams) all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup sliced ginger
• 1/2 cup unsulphured molasses
• 1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F , and place rack in center of oven. Butt

er and flour a square cake pan with

2 inch (5 cm) sides, or a loaf pan.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves.

In bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter

and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the lemon zest and molasses and beat to combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the dry ingredients and milk, alternately, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Beat just until incorporated. Fold in the sliced ginger pieces.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan a

nd smooth the top. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing cake from pan. Let cool completely and then, if desired, frost with the cream cheese fro

sting and top with candied orange bits.

Cream Cheese Frosting with Candied Orange Bits:

• 1 pkg cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup (50 mL) butter, softened
  
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) vanilla
• 1 cup (250 mL) icing sugar
• 3 Oranges

In bowl, beat cream cheese with butter until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Beat in icing sugar, one-third at a time, until smooth. Spread over top of cake.

The Ultimate Chewy Coconut Chocolate Cowboy Cheerio Bars

If you loved my Chewy Coconut Cowboy Cookies, you're going to love these... finally a healthier option!

Have you ever made Rice Krispies treats as a child? I sure did, and I still make them today! Lately I've been on a coconut binge, and nothing goes better with coconut than chocolate IMO. :) I must admit, this recipe KIND of spawned from Kashi's new Coconut Dark Chocolate bars, which may I add,.. taste AMAZING. This is a "grown-up", slightly healthier version of the well known, nostalgic crispy rice treat, but it doesn't mean it has to sacrifice flavor!  These little bars can be customized to your heart's desire, tweaked until they are just the way you like them!

This recipe may also be suitable for vegans, coincidentally, check to make sure Cheerio's or any other brand your using in place of it is vegan.

Here we go...

The Ultimate Chewy Coconut Chocolate Cowboy Cheerio Bars

• 6 cups Cheerios (or similar cereal)... and not the HFS Honey-Nut version!
• 1 bag (10oz) Marshmallows
• 5-6 tbsp Virgin Coconut Oil -> works great for skin, hair and nails might I add (& deo..)
• 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1/2 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 1 cup Shredded Coconut, Unsweetened
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries, cherries (or fruit of your choice)

In a large saucepan over low heat, melt 5 tablespoons of the coconut oil (reserve the rest for later) and marshmallows. Stir frequently until marshmallows are almost completely melted. Remove from heat and add vanilla and salt. Stir in the Cheerio's, dried fruit, and half of the portion of shredded coconut. Pour into a medium baking dish, pressing it into the corners, using coconut oil as needed to "un-stick" yourself from the gooey marshmallow. Now, melt the chocolate and remainder of the coconut oil in a double boiler or in the microwave (do not over heat!) and drizzle over the slab of cheerios. Sprinkle the rest of the shredded coconut over the entire slab. Allow to cool, and enjoy!

The result is a chewy, crunchy bar packed with fruit and whole grain oats, and believe me it tastes great. I used coconut oil in place of butter in this recipe because it actually melts just above room temperature, but butter can be substituted if you don't happen to have coconut oil around. Coconut oil gives these bars a really soft and chewy texture. These bars aren't overly sweet either, if you want something sweeter, use the Honey-Nut version of cheerios, and sweetened shredded coconut .

Lemon Poppy-Seed Bundt Cake

Ah, the classic tangy lemon and crispy poppy-seed combination that just screams sunshine and warm weather. What a great way to celebrate spring and Easter with a lovely glazed lemon poppy-seed cake. I was inspired by a lemon poppy-seed loaf that Starbucks sells, but wanted a prettier shape to accentuate the lovely cake, so I settled for a bundt pan. I modified this recipe from Canadian Living, and it features this dazzling dessert on the cover page of April's issue.

Note: This recipe was modified to a 8-inch Bundt cake pan, however it can be used in a 8" by 4" standard loaf pan or tube!

Lemon Poppy-Seed Bundt Cake

Ingredients

• 1/2 1/2cup cup(125 mL) (125 mL) butter, softened
• 1cup(250 mL) 1 cup (250 mL) granulated sugar 2egg
• 2 eggs 1-1/2cups(375 mL)
• 1-1/2 cups (375 mL) all-purpose flour
• 3tbsp(45 mL) 2 tbsp (30 mL) poppy seeds 1tbsp(15 mL)
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) grated lemon rind
• 1 tsp (5 mL) baking powder 1/4tsp(1 mL)
• 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt 1/2cup(125 mL)
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) milk

Lemon glaze:

• 1/3cup(75 mL) 1/3 cup (75 mL)
  
• granulated sugar 1tsp(5 mL) 1 tsp (5 mL)
  
• grated lemon rind 1/3cup(75 mL) 2 tbsp (30 mL) lemon juice
• 1 tsp (5mL) pure vanilla extract

Preparation:

In large bowl, beat butter with sugar until light and fluffy; beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

In separate bowl, whisk together flour, poppy seeds, lemon rind, baking powder and salt ; stir into butter mixture alternately with milk, making 3 additions of flour mixture and 2 of milk. Spread in greased and floured 8-inch Bundt Pan or a 8- x 4-inch (1.5 L) loaf pan.

Bake in centre of 325°F (160°C) oven for 1 hour or until cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean. Place pan on rack.

Lemon Glaze: In a bowl whisk together the confectioner's sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla until a thick glaze forms. If glaze is too thick, add a small amount of water. If glaze is too thin, add additional confectioner's sugar, until desired thickness is achieved. Allow cake to cool completely and spoon glaze over cake.

Let loaf cool in pan for 30 minutes; turn out onto rack and let cool completely. Let stand for 12 hours before slicing. (Make-ahead: Store at room temperature for up to 2 days or overwrap with heavy-duty foil and freeze for up to 2 weeks.)