Main Dishes

Sweet Red-Hot Pepper Sauce

This Sweet Red Hot Pepper Sauce is great with any Mexican dish. 

See my YouTube video here.

 

 

 

 

 

1 cup dates or dried figs

1 cup apple cider vinegar

1 onion, chopped

1 – 2 cloves garlic

3 – 4 red jalapeños chopped

 

Soak dates or figs in vinegar until soft, about 4 hours. If using figs, remove stem.

Cook onion, garlic, and peppers in about ¾ cup water until tender. Blend cooked vegetables with figs or dates and vinegar until smooth.

Mexican Kale and Cabbage Salad

Any combination of cruciferous veggies work good for this Mexican Kale Salad. I’ve used young tender collard greens from my garden and have used store-bought collards although they are a bit tough so I only use 1 or two leaves if using them. Same with broccoli. It’s a little tough raw so I’ll add a small amount.  I’ve also used kale and green cabbage each on their own and they are great!

Check out my YouTube video for this salad here.

 

 

3 oz. kale, finely chopped

3 oz. cabbage, shredded

3 T apple cider vinegar

1/2 of large avocado, mashed

1 1/2 – 2 cups whole grain of choice

1/2 – 3/4 cup salsa

Sweet Red-Hot Pepper Sauce to taste (optional)

Salt to taste

 

Place chopped kale and cabbage in large salad bowl. Add vinegar and mashed avocado. Using hands, massage kale and cabbage until tender.

Stir in whole grain of choice, salsa and pepper sauce to taste. Serve in lettuce leaf or add desired amount of chopped romaine lettuce

 

 

Vegan Potato and Kale Soup

This Vegan Potato and Kale Soup is simple, nourishing, and delicious. It’s pretty heavy on greens so If you are not used to that much green, you can cut back or use a softer more mild green like spinach.  Feel free to add more herbs like bay leaf, thyme, marjoram etc. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8 – 10 oz. cauliflower 

1/4 cup rolled oats

1 onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

5 cups water

1 1/4 cups white potato, cut in 1/2 inch cubes

1 t dried rosemary

1 bunch kale, chopped

Juice from 1/2 lemon or 1 T apple cider vinegar

 

Steam cauliflower in a small amount of water until tender. Blend smooth with 1/4 cup of rolled oats adding a little water if needed to blend.  Set aside.

Sauté onion until it starts to brown. Add garlic and cook for 1 minutes. Add water, potato, rosemary and kale. Cook until potato and kale are tender. 

Add blended cauliflower and lemon juice or vinegar. Salt to taste.

Broccoli Potato Stir Fry (Broccoli Aloo Sabzi)

The only green I had in the fridge was broccoli and I was in the mood for Indian food. I had never used broccoli in Indian food so I went to the internet and found this recipe for Broccoli Potato Stir Fry (aka Broccoli Aloo Sabzi) at www.indianveggiedelite.com. She used oil so I left that out and made a few other changes, including increasing the amount of broccoli and adding some brown rice. I love this dish! 

 

 

 

 

 

1/2 t cumin seed

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 pound Yukon gold potatoes, cut in small cubes

1 T bottled medium heat green chilies

1/4 t turmeric

1/8 t hot chili powder (this is straight chili powder not mixed with salt and other spices like most chili powders are)

1/2 t coriander powder

1/2 t cumin powder

1/2 t garam masala

1 cup tomato sauce

3 cups small broccoli florets

2 T apple cider vinegar (I add this to decrease the amount of salt)

Sea salt as needed

 

Toast cumin seeds in a sauté pan over medium high heat until fragrant. Add onion and sauté until they start to brown. Add garlic and sauté another minute. Add 1 cup water and potatoes. Cover  and cook until they begin to soften. Stir in spices and tomato sauce. Add broccoli florets and cook until tender. Stir in vinegar and salt to taste. Serve as is or mix with brown rice. 

 

 

 

 

 

Collards and Potato Masala w/ Rice

If you’d like to get more collard greens into your diet, here is a delicious way to do it! Mixed with potatoes in a spicy tomato sauce and served with rice, you’ll never know they are there other than the beautiful green color they give to this dish. Make it as spicy as you like by adding a sprinkle of your favorite hot sauce or kick up the amount of cayenne pepper. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 T finely minced or grated fresh ginger root

3/4 t turmeric

1 t chili powder

1 t cumin powder

1 t coriander powder

1/8 t cayenne pepper

2 – 3 Yukon gold potatoes cut in 1/2 inch cubes (about 2 cups)

8 – 10 oz. collard greens, chopped 

1 can crushed tomatoes

Sprinkle of your favorite hot sauce (optional)

 

Sauté onion in medium size pan over medium high heat until it starts to brown. Add fresh garlic, ginger and spices and cook stirring constantly for one minute.  Add 1 cup of water or broth and potatoes. Cover and cook 3 minutes. Add collard greens, cover, and cook until greens are tender. Potatoes should be tender at this time as well. Add tomatoes and desired amount of cooked rice.

A can of chic peas would be a great addition to this recipe.

 

 

 

 

Spicy Thai Kale & Chic Peas

I have fallen in love with Indian food! The flavor is so AMAZING with all the wonderful spices! Kick up the heat in this dish by adding a little cayenne pepper. This Spicy Thai Kale dish is such a quick and easy dish to make, it’s satisfying and super nutritious! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 cup short grain brown rice

1 onion, finely chopped

1 T minced fresh ginger

2 t chili powder

1 t turmeric

1 t cumin 

1 t coriander

1/2 cup diced mild green chilies

2 cups chopped cremini mushrooms

1 cup water

8 oz. kale, finely chopped (about 1 bunch)

1 1/2 cups cooked chic peas

1 14 oz. can crushed tomatoes

1/4 cup natural unsalted peanut butter

Sea salt

 

Boil 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Add rice, cover, lower heat, and cook until tender, about 25 – 30 minutes.

Dry sauté onion and ginger for 3 minutes, adding a tablespoon of water if needed to keep from sticking.  Add spices, green chilies, mushrooms, chopped kale, and water. Bring to a boil, lower heat to medium, and cook until kale is tender. Stir in chic peas and tomatoes, and continue to cook 5 more minutes. Stir in peanut butter and serve over desired amount of rice.  Salt to taste.  

 

Stuffed Winter Squash w/ Lentils and Kale

When it’s peak season for winter squash, when the “meat” is wonderfully sweet,  this is a delicious and filling meal all by itself but is especially an attractive main dish for Thanksgiving.  It can be served individually in halved or quartered acorn squash, the “bowl” of a butternut squash (my personal favorite) or fill the center of a banana squash. (Although banana squash aren’t usually as sweet.) The savory flavor of the “stuffing” mixes so nicely with the “sweet” from the squash.  

If you have food allergies or intolerances and aren’t able to eat seeds or nuts, replace them with avocado. Just dice or mash avocado and mix it into the stuffing. Having trouble with legumes? Replace some or all with more wild rice. 

This recipe is from my cookbook Whole Food American Favorites.

 

4 – 5 acorn squash or other winter squash

1/2 cup wild rice

1 cup green lentils

1 1/2 cup water or vegetable broth

2 medium onions, chopped

1 cup sliced celery

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 cups chopped mushrooms, cremini or white button

1 large bunch of kale, finely chopped

2 1/2 T Holiday Herb Mix (See below)

1/2 cup roughly chopped pumpkin seeds, walnuts, or pecans

1/2 t pepper

Sea salt

 

Bake squash whole on a baking sheet at 375 degrees for 1 hour or until soft. Let cool. Cut in half lengthwise, scrape out seeds and discard.

Boil 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Add rice, cover, reduce heat to low, and cook 30 minutes until tender. Boil 2 1/2 cups water in a medium saucepan. Add lentils, cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 30 minutes, stirring once or twice. Over medium-high heat, sauté onion, celery, garlic, and mushrooms in 1/2 cup water or broth until tender. Add chopped kale and 1/2 cup more liquid.  Cover, bring to boil, lower heat to medium, and cook 5 minutes. Add herbs and continue to cook until kale is tender. Add more broth or water if needed to keep from sticking. Add cooked lentils, rice, and pine nuts. Mix well and salt to taste. If needed, warm squash halves in 300 degree oven on a baking sheet before stuffing. Fill center of each squash half with lentil-kale mixture.  Fills about 8 – 10 acorn squash halves.

 

Holiday Herb Mix

1/4 cup rubbed dried sage

2 T dried marjoram

2 T dried rosemary

2 T dried thyme

Grind all herbs in a coffee grinder. Store in a glass container.

Kale Taco Salad

One of my favorite meals while dealing with food sensitivities.  See my cooking video for this recipe here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Short grain brown rice (you will need 1 1/2 cups cook but I like to cook plenty to have on hand)

1 onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 cup water

1 bunch kale, chopped and divided

1 cup crushed tomatoes

1 1/2 tsp chili powder

3/4 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp coriander

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/4 chipotle chili powder

Romaine lettuce chopped

1/4 of medium avocado (about 1/4 cup mashed)

1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

 

Chop kale finely.

Chop onion and place in a pan over medium-high heat. Sauté until it starts to brown. Add garlic and sauté another minute. Add 1/2 cup water and one large hand-full of chopped kale. Cover and let steam until tender.

In the mean-time, place 1 large hand-full of the chopped kale in a salad bowl. Add avocado and vinegar. Using your hands, message kale with the avocado and vinegar until kale becomes tenderized. Add chopped romaine lettuce. ( I use a couple of handfuls but use as much as you like.) 

When cooked kale is tender, add tomatoes and seasonings. Cook an additional 1 -2 minutes. Stir in cooked rice.

Toss the cooked kale and rice with the raw greens. Add your favorite red chili sauce or dressing. Try my Raisin Vinegar dressing that I describe in my Pseudo Grain Salad recipe here

Toss in plain sauerkraut if desired for a little fermentation.  

Top with chopped tomatoes, raw onion, corn or what ever else you like on your taco salad. 

Vegetable Pot Pie w/ No-Oil Biscuit Crust

Vegetabale Pot PieThis Vegetable Pot Pie is so satisfying and delicious you wont even miss the meat. If you are gluten-free, no worries. Just make the insides and serve it over brown rice.  This recipes is so delicious, I put it in both of my cookbooks, Whole Food Goodness and revised a bit in Whole Food American Favorites.  I demonstrate this recipe in a cooking class posted on my YouTube channel here.

Review from a cooking class attendee:

We made the vegetable pot pie with biscuit crust recipe tonight.   Omg good !!!

 

 

 

Florets from 1 head cauliflower

1 cups water

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 medium carrots, sliced

4 ribs celery, sliced

3 cups small broccoli florets

2 cups chopped mushrooms, cremini or white button

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1 t dried sage

2 t dried thyme

2 cups frozen green peas

3 T Chicken Style Seasoning 

1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds (optional)

1 Biscuit Crust

 

In large covered pot, steam cauliflower florets in 1 cup water until tender. Transfer cauliflower and remaining steam water to blender jar. Set aside. In the same pot, add 1/2 cup water, raw vegetables, and herbs. Saute until carrots and broccoli are tender. Add more water if needed. Blend the steamed cauliflower with the Chicken Style Seasoning and sunflower seeds until creamy. Pour over vegetables, add peas, and mix well. Transfer to casserole dish. Cover with prepared Biscuit Crust. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 – 12 minutes. 

 

Biscuit Crust

 2 cups sifted white wheat flour

2 t baking powder

1/2 t sea salt

1/2 cup raw cashews

3/4 cup water

 

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in large bowl and mix well. Blend cashews and water until smooth. Gradually add to dry ingredients and mix until dough forms a ball. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 30 seconds to form a smooth ball. Roll to ¼ – 1/2 inch thick and shape as desired. Cover pot pie.

White Bean Potato Soup w/ Broccoli

This White Bean and Potato Soup is made with simple ingredients and very simple to make.  It has incredible flavor and a light creamy texture and is perfect for a cool spring evening meal.

This recipe is slightly revised from my book Whole Food Goodness.

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 small Yukon gold potatoes, cut in 1/4″ cubes

3 medium carrots, chopped

3 cups chopped broccoli

3 cups cooked white beans (navy or great northern)

1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds (optional)

1 T Mrs. Dash Lemon Pepper

1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

Salt to taste

 

Saute’ chopped onion in a dry skillet over medium-high heat until it starts to brown. Add garlic and stir for 1 minute.  Add 4 cups water, potato, carrots, and broccoli and cook until vegetables are tender.  Blend 1 1/2 cups beans with sunflower seeds, 2 cups water, Mrs. Dash seasoning and 1 cup cooked vegetables from soup until smooth.  Add chopped parsley to cooked vegetables and cook for 1 minutes. Stir blender contents into soup. Add more water to thin if needed.  Salt to taste. 

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