Cooking Lessons for Dad

Cooking Lessons for Beginners

Healthy Orange Cake

by Leave a Comment

Make a delicious Healthy Orange Cake! In this video Karen Breyer will show you step-by-step how to make this Healthy Orange Cake recipe for a delicious dessert! This is an amazing healthy cake recipe that both kids and adults will love! Looking for a yummy healthy cake recipe for kids? You found it!

This is an easy, healthy sweet recipe perfect for dessert or a party! I think it is so healthy you could even eat it for breakfast (and I have!). If you love sweets and deserts but feel you can’t eat them with out guilt try this easy Healthy Orange Cake recipe and be happy!

After you try this Healthy Orange Cake I think it will be your favorite healthy dessert recipe ever! Watch this cooking video and try this easy, Healthy Orange Cake today and be happy!

Yield: 2 - 8 inch cakes

Healthy Orange Cake

No Ratings

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
  • 1/4 cup white flour, unbleached
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup coconut milk, unsweetened
  • 1/4 cup orange juice concentrate, thawed
  • 1/2 orange, large
  • 1/4 peel from large orange
  • 1/2 cup water, approximately

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 - 8 inch pans with parchment paper (cut paper to fit the pans).
  2. In a bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
  3. Blend together the coconut milk, orange juice concentrate, orange, and orange peel.
  4. Blend in enough water to make the liquid mixture 2 1/2 cups total.
  5. Add the liquid into the dry ingredients and mix well. You can mix the batter by hand quickly or use an electric hand mixer and beat for it 20 to 25 seconds.
  6. Immediately pour the cake mixture into two 8 - inch round or square baking pans.
  7. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes. The cakes are done when they begin to brown and pull away from the sides of the pan. As well, a knife inserted into the center of the cakes should come out clean.
  8. When the cakes are done, let them cool about 10 minutes in the pan. Next remove the cakes from the pans. Store the cakes in plastic bags or plastic wrap to keep them moist. Decorate the cooled cakes as desired.

Notes

You can use all whole wheat flour (no white flour) and the cake will be denser.

For a lighter cake, use 1/2 cup unbleached white flour and 1 cup whole wheat flour.

You can also use white whole wheat flour for a lighter color cake.

Wash the orange well since you are going to use part of the peel.

You can freeze these cakes in plastic bags. When you are ready to decorate the cake, remove them from the freezer and decorate.

For an amazing dessert, try the Healthy Pineapple Orange Sauce recipe with this cake. Spread the filling between the layers. Top of the cake with whipped topping or more orange filling (or both!).

© Karen Breyer

 

Chocolate Covered Apricots

by Leave a Comment

Learn how to make this easy, healthy 2 ingredient Chocolate Covered Apricot recipe! In this cooking video Karen Breyer and her dad will show you step-by-step how to make Chocolate Covered Apricots! This is a super easy, delicious, healthy chocolate and dried fruit dessert or snack recipe. All you need is chocolate and dried apricots to make this chocolaty delicious recipe that everyone will love.

This recipe is so impressive and delicious that it would make a perfect food gift for you to share. You can get even more creative with this chocolate fruit recipe and add different toppings like chopped nuts, coconut, sprinkles and other tasty toppings. Kids and adults will both love this easy, healthy chocolate fruit recipe. Looking for a new easy healthy chocolate dessert recipe? You found it! I think this will be your new favorite healthy chocolate dessert or snack recipe. Watch this cooking video and try these Chocolate Covered Apricots today!

Yield: Varies

Chocolate Covered Apricots

No Ratings

Ingredients

  • 1 cup dried apricots (or amount as desired)
  • 1 cup chocolate pieces, chunks or chips (dark, milk, semi-sweet, or white) (or amount as needed)
  • Decorations like chopped nuts, coconut, candy sprinkles, if desired for decorating

Instructions

  1. Line a baking sheet or tray with parchment or wax paper.
  2. Microwave chocolate in glass cup or dish on high until melted. Start with 1 minute and stir. If needed, microwave a little longer (about 30 seconds) and stir again. Repeat until melted and smooth.
  3. Dip about 3/4 of the apricot into the melted chocolate. Pull out the apricot and allow excess chocolate to drip back in the bowl. Set on prepared tray to dry.
  4. If decorating with chopped nuts, sprinkles, coconut or other decorations do this now. Dip the wet chocolate dipped apricots in the decorations or sprinkle/drizzle them on.
  5. Dry the chocolate covered apricots at room temperature until the chocolate is hard.
  6. Optional: If you are going to double dip or drizzle the apricots with another layer of chocolate (like white on dark), wait until the first layer of chocolate has cooled completely and hardened. You can also dip the second layer of chocolate in additional decorations while the chocolate is still wet.
  7. Store the dried Chocolate Covered Apricots in an airtight container.

Notes

Make sure there are no water drops on the dish or spoon that is coming in contact with the chocolate. Any water can make the chocolate hard and lumpy.

I have used both chocolate chips and bars. You may also mix chocolate types if you want. If you use chocolate chunks or bars, break them into small pieces before melting. You can also use chocolate specially made for dipping and drizzling (like chocolate melts).

You can save the leftover chocolate and re-melt it later. Cover it and store it at room temperature until you are ready to melt and re-use it.

See a cooking demonstration of this Chocolate Covered Apricots recipe on the Cooking Lessons for Dad YouTube channel.

© Karen Breyer

 

Coconut Banana Bars

by Leave a Comment

In this cooking video Karen Breyer will show you step-by-step how to make easy, healthy Coconut Banana Bars in a crockpot or slow cooker! These bars are so easy to make and have only a few healthy ingredients. I think this is a perfect recipe to use up your ripe bananas. These Coconut Banana Bars bars are so delicious I think they taste like dessert but they are actually good for you!

If you are looking for a new healthy recipe for tasty energy or snack bars, look no more! I think you will a be amazed how easy these Coconut Banana Bars are. No need to heat up the kitchen with a hot oven when you can bake these healthy dessert bars right in the crockpot or slow cooker! These bars will make it to your best, easy, healthy, snack list! These Coconut Banana Bars are a good alternative to cookies and your kids will love them! You can also enjoy this healthy bar recipe for breakfast or dessert! Watch this video and try these Crockpot Coconut Banana Bars today!

Yield: 8 - 10 servings

Coconut Banana Bars

No Ratings

Ingredients

  • 1 cup banana, ripe, mashed
  • 2 cups dates, chopped (soaked and drained)
  • 3/4 - 1 cup nuts, chopped
  • 1/3 cup coconut, shredded
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup quick oats
  • Cooking spray

Instructions

  1. Soak the dates 5 - 10 minutes in water, then drain. Soak drier dates longer and softer dates for less time.
  2. Spray a crockpot or slow cooker with cooking spray.
  3. In a bowl mix together the mashed banana, drained dates, nuts, and salt.
  4. Stir in the oats.
  5. Spread the mixture in the bottom of the crockpot.
  6. Using a fork or knife, pull the mixture about 1/4 inch away from the sides of the crockpot.
  7. Cover the crockpot with 2 layers of paper towels and cover with the lid.
  8. Bake on low for about 2 - 2 1/2 hours or until the edges start to brown. Cool 5 - 10 minutes.
  9. Cut into bars. Serve warm or cooled.

Notes

Instead of paper towels, you can cover the crockpot with a dish towel that has not been cleaned with a fabric softener.

Make sure to use Quick Oats and not Old Fashioned Oats.


See a cooking demonstration of this Coconut Banana Bars recipe on the Cooking Lessons for Dad YouTube channel.

© Karen Breyer

 

Pineapple Orange Sauce

by Leave a Comment

Learn how to make this easy, Healthy Pineapple Orange Sauce with only 6 ingredients and no sugar! In this video Karen Breyer will show you step-by-step how to make this amazing Healthy Pineapple Orange Sauce. This fruit sauce is so sweet, delicious, healthy and easy to make too! Pineapple Orange Sauce is an easy, healthy breakfast that adults and kids will love!

Try this Healthy Pineapple Orange Sauce on pancakes, French toast, shortcake, ice cream, in a sandwich and more. It is also perfect to use in my special Orange Cake recipe. What helps to make this Pineapple Orange Sauce recipe so amazing is that it is much healthier than other fruit sauces since it does not have any added sugar. It you are wanting to serve your family a healthy breakfast, and are looking for new healthy breakfast options, you have found a perfect recipe with this Pineapple Orange Sauce! Watch this video and try this delicious Healthy Pineapple Orange Sauce recipe today!

Pineapple Orange Sauce

No Ratings

Ingredients

  • 2 cups or 1 - 20 ounce can crushed pineapple, unsweetened
  • 1/2 cup orange juice concentrate
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract

Instructions

  1. Stir together the pineapple, orange juice concentrate, and honey in a saucepan. Continue to stir as the mixture comes to a boil.
  2. While waiting for the boil get the cornstarch mixture ready; In a measuring cup, dissolve the cornstarch in the water.
  3. Slowly stir the dissolved cornstarch mixture into the fruit filling. Do not stop stirring.
  4. Stir in the lemon extract.
  5. Continue to stir until the filling is thick. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool.
  6. Chill the filling in the refrigerator. The filling will continue to thicken in the refrigerator. When the filling is thick and chilled it is ready to spread on French toast, pancakes, toast, or as a filling for sandwiches or my Orange Cake recipe.

Notes

Make sure to keep stirring the filling mixture as long as it is on the heat or it will get lumpy and stick on the bottom of the pan.

This Pineapple Orange Sauce is delicious with the Orange Cake recipe found at Cookinglessonsfordad.com.

See a cooking demonstration of this Pineapple Orange Sauce recipe on the Cooking Lessons for Dad YouTube channel.

© Karen Breyer

 

Recent Posts