gluten free

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.  

 

Vegan Fudge Truffles

These Vegan Fudge Truffles are mouthful of rich, chocolatey deliciousness! Make sure you have  a lot of friends to share them with! You wont be able to eat just one. 

Recipe is from my cookbook Whole Food American Favorites

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 1 cup raw walnuts

1/4 cup raw cashews

1/2 cup raw almonds

3 T cocoa powder

2 T flax seeds, ground

35 small pitted dates

1 t vanilla

 

Grind all ingredients in a strong food processor until they stick together. Scoop out 1 tablespoon and roll into a ball. Refrigerate or freeze in a flat storage container. When they have firmed up, you can package them up for friends. Best to be kept cold. 

Cranberry Walnut Cookies

I’m not sure it’s possible for me to have a favorite cookie (I love them all!) but if I could, this Cranberry Walnut Cookie would be one of them. I love the tart from the cranberries, the “zest” from the orange and the richness from the walnuts and chewiness of the oats.  These Cranberry Walnut Cookies are gluten-free, vegan, have no oil or processed sugar, and are a wonderful addition to your holiday cookie plate.

Recipe is from my cookbook Whole Food American Favorites.

 

 

 

 

 1 cup raisins

1 1/2 cups raw walnuts

1 1/2 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup dried cranberries (preferably fruit juice sweetened)

Zest of 1 small orange

1 t vanilla

Soak raisins in 1/2 cup water for at least 2 hours. Grind walnuts, oats, and raisins with soak water in food processor until dough-like consistency. Add cranberries, zest, and vanilla, and process just to incorporate. Scoop out dough, place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, and flatten with a fork. Bake at 300 degrees for 20 minutes.

 

Pomegranate Vinaigrette

This Pomegranate Vinaigrette recipe is the perfect way to dress up a winter salad! Super easy to make with  only 6 wholesome ingredients. And it’s vegan and gluten-free. The sunflower seeds add extra creaminess but if you are sensitive to seeds, leave them out.

 

 

 

 

 

1/3 cup water

5 small pitted dates

1 T raw sunflower seeds

1 cup pomegranate seeds

1 T lemon juice

1 T balsamic vinegar

1 t Dijon mustard

Soak dates and sunflower seeds in 1/3 cup water until soft, at least 4 hours to ease blending. Once softened, blend with raining ingredients until smooth.

 

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.

Simple Italian Greens and Grains

Italian Greens and GrainsHaving food sensitivities has made cooking so simple. It’s still delicious and I love it! I’m not sure I’ll ever go back to my old ways once I’m able to add more foods. 

This is a super healthy dish that gives me the taste of Italian. I’ve listed the “Base Ingredients” that I can tolerate and then have listed additions if you are able to tolerate those foods.

 

 

 

 

Base Ingredients:

1 small onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 bunch rainbow chard, coarsely chopped

1 1/2 – 2 cups cooked long grain brown rice or millet

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil or 1 – 2 tsp. dried

1 cup (or more) tomato sauce or canned chopped tomatoes

2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

Chopped fresh spinach

 

Sauté onion in sauce pan over medium high heat for 3 minutes until it starts to brown. Add garlic and cook an additional minute. Add 1/2 cup water and  chard. Cover then lower heat and cook until chard is tender, only about 3 – 5 minutes. Stir in desired amount of grain. Add 1 cup or desired amount of tomato sauce or chopped tomatoes. Stir in vinegar. Salt to taste.  Serve mixed with a small amount of chopped raw spinach.

If it’s summer time and you have tomatoes galore, instead of tomato sauce or canned tomatoes, add 2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes. (Don’t add 1/2 cup water)  Cook 5 minutes then add chard.  Add a little water if needed to keep from sticking. Cook until greens are tender then add grain.

Additions if tolerated:

4 sliced mushrooms added with greens

Fresh or dried oregano

 

 

Vegan Worcestershire Sauce

                    

1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup pitted dates

1 small garlic clove, minced

1/4 cup dark molasses /p>

1/2 t ground allspice

1/8 t each: chili powder, ground cloves,

      cayenne pepper, dry mustard

1/2 T onion powder

1 T tamari or 1/2 t sea salt (optional)

 

Combine all ingredients, except tamari or sea salt, in a saucepan over high heat and stir until boiling. Lower heat and simmer, uncovered, for one hour. Let cool then blend smooth. Add tamari or salt if desired.  Refrigerate for six months.

Vegan Shepherd’s Pie

 

A classic comfort food recipe that’s healthy, hearty and filling. Bottom layer is chock full of vegetables with corn and kidney beans in a delicious tomato sauce. It’s a great meal all by itself to warm you during the cold winter months. 

 

 

 

 

 

2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, cut in chunks

Florets from one head cauliflower

1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds

1/2 t garlic powder

1 t onion powder

1/2 t sea salt

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 pound of cremini mushrooms, chopped

2 carrots, sliced

2 celery stalks, sliced

1 bunch collard greens, chopped

3 T Kirkland No-Salt Seasoning or other no-salt seasoning

1 6 oz. can tomato paste

2 cups cooked kidney beans

2 cups frozen corn

1 t paprika

2 T April’s Vegan Worcestershire Sauce 

Sea salt

 

Bring large pot of water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender. Drain and set aside. Steam cauliflower until tender, then set aside, reserving steam water. In a large pot, saute onion over medium-high heat until it starts to brown. Add garlic and cook an additional minute. Add 1/2 cup water, raw vegetables, and no-salt seasoning. Cook over medium-high heat until vegetables are tender, adding more water if needed to keep from sticking. Add remaining ingredients. Salt to taste. Transfer to a casserole dish. Blend cauliflower with 1/2 cup steam water, seeds, onion powder, garlic powder. Mash blended cauliflower with potatoes. Carefully lay the mashed potato mixture over the cooked vegetables. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Vegan Peanut Better Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe is adapted from a recipe someone brought to the Vegetarian Society of Utah potluck. (Not sure of the source) The recipe called for coconut sugar and almond milk. I’ve replace the coconut sugar with dates, a whole food sweetener, and since I rarely have almond milk on hand, I just used water. I knew that small amount wouldn’t make any difference. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

15 small pitted dates  (deglet noor is the type I use)

1/4 cup water

1 cup rolled oats

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/3 cup natural peanut butter

1 T apple cider vinegar

1 tsp vanilla

1/3 cup vegan semi-sweet chocolate chips

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Soak dates in the 1/4 cup of water for a few hours to soften them.* The water will not cover the dates but moisten all the dates the best that you can. 

In a food processor fitted with an S blade, add oats and baking soda and grind to flour. 

Add peanut butter, softened dates, vinegar, and vanilla. Grind to a thick dough.  Carefully mix in chocolate chips.

 

*If you don’t want to take the time to soften the dates, grind the dates with the oats until crumbly then add other ingredients, including the 1/4 cup water. 

 

 

 

 

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