April Ashcroft

Better Than Meat Loaf

This recipe is from my cookbook Whole Food American Favorites. 

1/2 cup dry green lentils

1 onion, chopped

1 cup chopped mushrooms, cremini or white button

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 carrot, finely chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 T dried oregano

1/2 t pepper

2 cups cooked kidney beans

1 1/2 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, raw

1 cup Blender BBQ Sauce (Page 98 in Whole Food American Favorites)

Boil 1 1/4 cups water. Add lentils, reduce heat to simmer, and cook until tender. Add more water if needed. Sauté onion, mushrooms, garlic, carrot, and celery until tender. Add herbs and pepper. Cook 3 – 4 minutes. Transfer to large mixing bowl. Add cooked lentils, kidney beans, oats, nuts, and BBQ sauce. Using a pastry cutter, mash all ingredients together until they become sticky. Don’t mash too much. You want to leave a little texture. Transfer to a loaf pan. Top with more BBQ sauce. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Let cool 10 minutes before cutting.

Vegan Pumpkin Pie

1 small can pumpkin (1 3/4 cups)

1 1/4 cup almond milk

25 soft pitted deglet dates

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp ground cloves

Soak dates in the almond milk for at least 4 hours to soften. Blend all ingredients until smooth.  Pour into the prepared nut crust and bake at 275 degrees for 20 minutes.  Turn off oven and leave in for another 20 minutes.

Crust (for one pie) 

3/4 cup raw pecans or walnuts

10 small soft pitted dates

1 cup rolled oats

Chop finely in food processor until it starts to stick together. Press into a pie plate or 8 x 8 cake pan. Fill with your favorite pie filling. This crust does not need to be baked.

Cranberry Relish Salad

From Whole Food American Favorites

This recipe was inspired by my love for cranberry sauce without all the sugar! If you prefer less sweet, use a more tart apple and/or less dates.  Cut down on the walnuts if you need to cut back on the fat.

1 medium Fuji apple

1 cup raw cranberries

8 small pitted dates

1/4 cup walnuts

Chop all ingredients in a food processor to a relish consistency.

Taco Stack

You can make a “Taco Stack” with any recipe for a taco filling but this one in particular has no beans.  It’s a great recipe for those who are in the advanced stages of a leaky gut re-introduction protocol or who have a hard time digesting beans.  If you don’t have a problem with them, be sure to include them. There are outstanding benefits from eating beans!

1 onion, chopped,

1 clove garlic, minced

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 bunch of kale, chopped (or other green leafy veggie)

2 cups corn

1 – 2 cups cooked brown rice

2 t chili powder

2 t cumin

Sea salt and pepper to taste

 

Saute chopped onion in a hot dry pan over medium high heat until it starts to brown. Add garlic and cook one minute. Add tomatoes and cook until juicy.  Add chopped kale and 1/2 cup water. Cover, bring to boil, then turn heat down to low. Cook 10 minutes stirring periodically adding spices half way through cooking. When kale is tender, add cooked rice and corn.  Salt and pepper to taste if needed.  Layer between steamed corn tortillas. 

 

Spicy Kale w/ Lentils and Quinoa

Not very pretty but delightfully delicious!  This was a dish I through together when I couldn’t decide what to fix for dinner.

2 cups cooked quinoa

2 cups cooked lentils

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup chopped mushrooms

3 cups chopped tomatoes

8 cups chopped kale 

2 t Mrs. Dash Extra Spicy seasoning

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, chopped

Salt to taste

 

Saute onion over medium high heat (dry, with no oil) until it starts to brown. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in chopped mushrooms and tomatoes, lower heat to medium, cover and cook for 5 minutes until juicy. Add kale, cover, and cook until tender, adding a little water if need to keep from sticking. Stir in seasonings half way through cooking. When kale is tender, stir in cooked lentils and quinoa. Add pumpkin seeds and salt to taste.

 

 

 

Zoodles Marinara w/ Millet

Home Made Marinara

Make this sauce a day ahead so the flavors will meld and taste amazing!

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 pounds vine-ripe tomatoes, chopped

1 cup chopped mushrooms

1 t oregano (use fresh if available)

1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped

 

Saute’ onion in a dry sauce pan over medium-high heat until it starts to brown. Add minced garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add mushrooms and tomatoes. Bring to boil. Lower heat to medium and cook for 1/2 hour to 1 hour over medium low heat.  The more you cook the tomatoes, the more concentrated the sauce will be. Add fresh herbs the last 10 minutes of cooking.

Cooked Millet

Bring 2 cups water to boil in a sauce pan. Add dry millet, turn heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 – 20 minutes until tender. 

Zoodles (“noodles” made with zucchini)

Spiral slice 3 medium zucchini into a large saute pan and cook over medium high heat until desired tenderness, adding a bit of water as needed to keep from sticking to the pan.

Once the “Zoodles” reach the desired tenderness, pour the marinara over the Zoodles and stir well. Mix in desired amount of cooked millet. 

Note: Cooked quinoa can be used in place of millet but I prefer the hardiness of the millet. 

 

 

 

Red Lentils w/ Cabbage and Rice

This is one of my favorite Indian dishes. It’s simple to make, although it takes about 30 – 40 minutes to get the lentil to my desired tenderness so I cook them ahead of time. Once lentils are done, everything else comes together quickly.

1 1/4 cups dry red lentils

5 cups water

1 1/2 t turmeric

2 t cumin seed

1 medium onion, chopped

2 – 4 cloves garlic, minced

1 T fresh ginger, minced (or 1 t powder)

1 – 2 jalapeno chili peppers, minced (or canned/bottled)

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 pounds green cabbage, coarsely grated or chopped

 

Boil water, add lentils, cover, lower heat to medium low and cook until tender. Stir in turmeric and continue to cook on low while preparing vegetables. 

Cook cumin seeds in a hot skillet for 3 – 4 minutes until fragrant. (no oil needed) Add onion and saute until it starts to brown. Add garlic and stir 2 more minutes. Add 1/2 cup water, green chilies, ginger, tomatoes and cabbage. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is very tender. Stir in cooked lentils. Serve over cooked brown rice.

 

Creamy Potato Salad

Recipe from Whole Food American Favorites

A delicious spin on traditional potato salad

Cooked Potatoes:

3 pounds red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into small chunks.

Cover with water, bring to boil, and simmer until tender.

Drain, rinse, and place in large bowl to cool.

Add:

1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced

2 cups sliced celery

2 14 oz. cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained

Dressing:

Juice from two lemons

1 T apple cider vinegar

2/3 cup water

1/4 cup raw cashews (or use sunflower seeds)

1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds

1/4 cup raw sesame seeds, un-hulled

2 t dried mustard powder

1/4 cup fresh chopped dill

1 t sea salt

 

Blend everything but the fresh dill in a powerful blender on high until smooth. Stir in fresh dill. Pour over salad and mix well. Chill and serve.

Note: For extra goodness, add chopped Bubbies naturally fermented pickles. 

Vegetable Rissoto

Recipe from Whole Food American Favorites

3/4 cup short grain brown rice

1 small onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup chopped white button mushrooms

3 cups brussels sprouts, cut in half

2 carrots, sliced

1/3 head green cabbage, sliced

1 cup vegetable broth or water

1/4 cup Sesame Parmesan (see below)

1/3 cup nutritional yeast

1/2 t black pepper

2 cups frozen green peas

2 – 3 T lemon juice

Sea salt

 

Boil 2 cups water in small saucepan. Add rice, cover, and cook until tender, about 25 – 30 minutes. In a medium saucepan, water sauté onion, garlic, and mushrooms for 3 minutes. Add brussels sprouts, carrots, cabbage, and 1 cup water. Cover and cook until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Add more water if needed to keep from sticking. Add peas, Sesame Parmesan, and nutritional yeast.  Cook 2 – 3 more minutes. Add lemon juice and pepper. Salt to taste.

Sesame Parmesan

This recipe comes from JoAnn Rachor, author of “Of These Ye May Freely Eat.” Her web site is www.familyhealthpub.com. She has excellent recipes, including cooking videos. 

1 cup un-hulled sesame seeds

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

1 t onion powder

1/2 t garlic powder

1/2 t sea salt

 

Grind all ingredients in a coffee grinder or high-powered blender until smooth. Best when stored in the freezer.

 

Spicy Thai Kale and Garbanzo Beans

Recipe from Whole Food American Favorites

1/2 cup short grain brown rice

1 onion, finely chopped

1 T minced fresh ginger

1/2 cup canned or bottled diced green chilies

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

1 cup water

2 cups chopped cremini mushrooms

2 cups cooked garbanzo beans

2 t chili powder

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. Water sauté onion and ginger for 3 minutes. Add green chilies, chopped kale, and water. Bring to a boil, lower heat to medium, and cook 5 minutes. Stir in mushrooms, beans, chili powder, and tomatoes, and continue to cook until kale is tender. Stir in peanut butter. Salt to taste.

 

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“I’ve been using the recipes in your cookbooks. I love the Spicy pumpkin soup and your mustard potatoes…. yum! I cook up a batch of the potatoes and freeze them to use for meals for my brother. Usually potatoes get mushy in the freezer but these seem to be OK. I tried the Peppermint Patty’s and really liked them too! Thanks!”  K. Page, St. George, Utah

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“I just love your cookbooks! I’ve been gradually working towards a plant based diet since about 2012 and have used a few really good cookbooks – the happy herbivore books, the China Study Books, Engine 2 etc — which all gave me a great foundation for this approach. Your cookbooks have offered new ways of seeing some of the recipes . I’ve made a few of the deserts, some of the loafs, and breakfasts. Great use of herbs and spices, and I like the fact that the ingredients are very simple to use. ” Thanks again, Sue

Whole Food Goodness and Whole Food American Favorites contain a collection of my favorite high nutrient whole food plant based recipes. My recipes are unique in that they contain no extracted oils, minimal processed sugars, and limited processed grains. I use an abundance of leafy green vegetables, which are the healthiest foods on the planet and have the greatest power to cleanse, detoxify, and repair damaged cells and bring you greater health for life.

Along with the recipes, you will find quotes from some of my favorite nutrition experts and documented research studies that will tell you why it’s important to eat a plant based diet. Knowledge is power and it is my hope and prayer that these books will help you gain the strength and determination to make the changes necessary that will bring you excellent health throughout your entire life!