no oil

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. 

 

 

 

 

 

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.

 

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. 

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.

Seed Cheeze Sauce

I use this in my Deep Dish Tortilla Pie recipe here.

1 cup raw sunflower seeds

1 cup water

1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and quartered*

6 T lemon juice

3 T nutritional yeast

1 t onion powder

1/2 t garlic powder

1/2 t sea salt

 

Blend all ingredients until smooth. If needed, soak seeds in water to soften for 4 hours before blending. *For a spicier cheeze sauce, add 1 – 2 red jalapeños, with or without seeds, in place of the bell peppers.

To cut out some of the fats, use 1/2 cup steamed potato in place of 1/2 cup seeds. It works great!

 

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. 

 

 

 

 

Vegan Gingerbread Cookies

The original recipe in my cookbook Whole Food American Favorites calls for 1 cup of cashews instead of 1/2 cup of pecans or walnuts and does not include beans. This makes the cookie more flat like a sugar cookie. The recipe here has a cake-like texture. Still delicious and less fat. If you have a nut allergy, use hemp seeds in place of the pecans or walnuts. 

Check out my YouTube video on how to make these here.

 

 

 

 

1 cup rolled oats

3/4 cup pitted dates

1/2 cup pecans or walnuts

1/4 cup cooked garbanzo beans

2 T molasses 

1 T apple cider vinegar

1 t baking soda

3/4 t ground ginger

1/2 t cinnamon

1/4 t nutmeg

1/2 t vanilla

 

Grind oats, dates, and nuts in a food processor work bowl until crumbly. Add remaining ingredients and process to a dough. Scoop dough with a cookie scoop or spoon and place on a cookie sheet lines with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. 

 

If you would like to receive notices about upcoming cooking classes in St. George Utah, subscribe to my mailing list.

* indicates required
Email Format

Recipe Categories

Cookbooks by April

Order yours today!

100% Plant Based
100% Nutritious
100% Delicious

Book front

Whole Food Goodness – $13

“Thank you April for your cookbook. We have been using your recipes for about 10 weeks now and I’ve lost 25 pounds. We’ve not been perfect but darn near. Best of all, I’m feeling healthier and I don’t feel deprived.” Rob - Pocatello, Idaho
Whole Food American Favorites FRONT cover finale

Whole Food American Favorites – $13

Buy the set – $25

“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

“Your recipes are making it much easier for us to keep on the diet.” Yvonne, St. George

Order the best drugs at an affordable price on line! Save your money and time by ordering generic Levitra online. We offer 100% quality. The brand Levitra is for real, but you can . It is an easy way to save money on medications. We accept all major credit cards. Get what you need at a lower price today!
“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!