Cooking Lessons for Dad

Cooking Lessons for Beginners

Healthy Blueberry Muffins

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Learn how to make these easy, Healthy Blueberry Muffins! This is the best ever healthy blueberry muffin recipe! In this video Karen Breyer and her dad will show you step-by-step how to make this easy, delicious Healthy Blueberry Muffin recipe!

Looking for healthy muffin or bread recipes that you can make for breakfast or a delicious snack or dessert? Look no further! These are the best ever Healthy Blueberry Muffins!

These delicious, moist blueberry muffins just happen to be vegan, low-fat and sugar and dairy free so they can be enjoyed by everyone! I think these will be your favorite healthy breakfast muffins ever! If you have been looking for easy, fun baking recipes for adults or kids you found it! Learn how to make these best ever Healthy Blueberry Muffins today!

Yield: 18 - 22 muffins

Healthy Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 - 20 ounce can crushed pineapple, with juice
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2/3 cup honey
  • 2 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder, aluminum free
  • 2 1/2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
  • Baking spray

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 muffin pans with paper baking cups. Spray the cups with baking spray.
  2. Add oil, pineapple, vanilla extract, and honey to a blender. Blend ingredients until smooth.
  3. In a large bowl combine flour, salt, and baking powder. Mix well.
  4. Quickly pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Do not over mix or stir out the bubbles.
  5. Fold in the blueberries.
  6. Pour the batter into muffin cups until they are almost full. Remove the extra baking papers.
  7. Bake about 30 - 35 minutes until the muffins start to brown.

Notes

If you use frozen blueberries, rinse them briefly under warm water. Shake off the excess water and add them to the batter.

You can add chopped nuts if desired.

For another variation you can add fresh, dried or frozen cranberries with 1 - 2 teaspoons of orange zest in place of the blueberries.

I used safflower oil.

© Karen Breyer

 

Hummus

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Learn how to make this delicious healthy, creamy Hummus! This recipe is so easy and fast to make! In this video Karen Breyer and her dad will show you step-by-step how to make this creamy homemade Hummus recipe!

Want to learn to make Hummus from scratch? You need only a few healthy ingredients like garbanzo beans or chickpeas and tahini as well as a blender, Vitamix or food processor to make this delicious Hummus. Karen Breyer and her dad will show you step-by-step how to make this fast, easy Hummus recipe! You will see that within minutes you will have delicious hummus that you can use as a dip or spread. This Middle Eastern dip is also perfect to serve with Falafel.

Try this Hummus in pita bread, on crackers, as a veggie dip, in a sandwich, as an appetizer dip, on toast or in a wrap. This is perfect for your healthy diet! If you are looking for Hummus recipes or new vegan recipes you have found a tasty one! Want a new easy, healthy recipe for your lunch, dinner, snack, or appetizer? Look no further! Make this delicious, easy Hummus recipe today!

Yield: 2 cups

Hummus

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (or 15 oz. can) garbanzo beans, cooked
  • 2 tablespoons sesame tahini
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1/2 - 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cumin, ground
  • 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
  • 1/4 - 1 cup water
  • 6 - 8 sprigs of cilantro leaves, fresh

Instructions

  1. Rinse cilantro and set aside.
  2. Rinse and drain garbanzo beans.
  3. Blend all ingredients together except cilantro.
  4. Add water in the amount needed to obtain the desired thickness.
  5. Blend until smooth (about 1 minute).
  6. Taste and add more seasonings if desired.
  7. Add cilantro leaves and blend briefly, just enough to chop.
  8. Chill and serve.

Notes

Use this dip with pita bread, crackers, or other bread. It is also good as a vegetable dip.

You can replace the tahini with 1/2 cup dry-roasted peanuts or raw cashews.

You may use fresh or prepared minced garlic. If you use whole garlic cloves, you don't need to mince them since you are going to blend them.

1 teaspoon minced garlic = 2 garlic cloves.

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder = 2 garlic cloves.

Store hummus in the refrigerator. It should stay fresh at least a week.

© Karen Breyer

 

Microwave Popcorn in a Paper Bag

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Make your own healthy, delicious popcorn in a paper bag! In this cooking video Karen Breyer will show you step-by-step how to make Microwave Popcorn in a Paper Bag. This is such a fast, easy, inexpensive way to make popcorn anytime!

This popcorn recipe has no preservatives or additives. It taste much better and is healthier than store bought popcorn. Make this easy, healthy, tasty popcorn snack for your next game night, movie night or any night! Watch this cooking video, grab a paper bag, some popping corn and pop some delicious, crispy, fresh popcorn tonight!

Yield: 7 - 10 cups

Microwave Popcorn in a Paper Bag

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup popcorn kernels
  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, mix together the popcorn kernels, oil and salt.
  2. Pour the popcorn mixture in a brown paper lunch bag.
  3. Fold over the top of the bag 2 or 3 times to seal in the ingredients. Leave plenty of room for the popped kernels.
  4. Microwave the bag at full power for 2 to 4 minutes, until you hear about 2 seconds between pops.
  5. Carefully open the bag to avoid the hot steam. Pour popcorn into a bowl and serve.

Notes

Make sure to stop the microwave right away after you hear only 2 seconds between pops as the popcorn can burn easily.

Add other seasonings to the popped corn if you would like.

You can spray the popped corn with a little olive oil to help the salt and seasonings stick.

See a cooking demonstration of this Microwave Popcorn in a Paper Bag recipe on the Cooking Lessons for Dad YouTube channel

© Karen Breyer

 

Coconut Banana Bars

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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

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

 

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