Chili Con Carne
Plan Z Phase: This is a Z2 (ZReduction) and a Zola To GO! recipe. This is a meaty chili with some veggies tossed in for crunch factor. Makes a satisfying lunch. You can take chili to the office and heat in the microwave for a perfect Zola To GO! meal. You can also freeze individual portions for later retrieval and then heat them.
Servings: One serving is 1-1/2 cups
Ingredients:
- 2 lb of ground sirloin
- 1 cup of diced onion
- 1 cup of chopped red bell pepper
- 1 cup of chopped celery
- 15 oz of diced tomatoes (In a can. Find a variety with no sugar added)
- 8 oz of no sugar tomato sauce
- 1 Tbl of diced green chilies (in a can)
- 1 Tbl of ground cumin
- 1 Tbl of chili powder
- 2 cups of water
- sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
In a soup pot brown the ground sirloin in a gentle spray of olive oil with the temp set at medium high. Continually break up the meat into bite-sized chunks. When the meat is almost browned through add your onion, pepper and the celery. Cook one more minute. Stir regularly. Turn heat down to medium. Add the tomatoes and tomato sauce. Then add the chilies and the spices along with the water. Stir.
Bring the mixture up to a boil and then turn back again to medium and let it bubble gently for 15 minutes to meld the flavors.
Serve in a bowl. Each portion is 1-1/2 cups. This includes your veggie portion for the meal, but you can still eat salad greens with it.
If you want your chili spicier you can add more green chilies or sprinkle on some hot sauce.
Enjoy!
Cheers,
Marinated Tomato and Artichoke Salad
Plan Z Phase: This is a Z2 (ZReduction) recipe.
Servings: Serves 4. Can be doubled easily.
Ingredients:
- 14 oz jar or can of quartered artichoke hearts, rinsed and drained
- 1 large, ripe tomatoes cut into chunks
- ½ of a green pepper cut into dice
- ½ cup of red onion minced (if you don’t like red onion you can use a milder shallot or green onions)
Instructions:
Your favorite Plan Z dressing. I use the balsamic-pesto dressing or anything on the Italian side will work. Even the sweeter apple cider vinegar dressing will work too. You’ll use 4 – 6 Tbl of dressing.
Put all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Toss with the dressing and put into your refrigerator to marinate. You can leave it marinating up to six hours.
Serve over salad greens.
Enjoy!
Cheers,
Fennel Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette
Plan Z Phase: This is a Z2 (ZReduction) recipe.
Serves: Serves 2
Ingredients:
Salad
- 1 large or 2 small fennel bulbs, cored and shaved on a mandolin or sliced very thin sliced very thin
- arugula or other dark green lettuce
Mustard Vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup grainy mustard (use a mustard with no sugar)
- 2 Tbsp tarragon vinegar
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- salt & pepper
Instructions:
Divide the arugula (or whateve lettuce you are using) equally between two plates. In a separate bowl, toss the fennel with the mustard vinaigrette. Lay fennel on top of lettuce, drizzling any extra dressing on the top.
Apple batons are a nice addition to this recipe.
Enjoy!
Cheers,
Cherry Tomato Salad
Plan Z Phase: This is a Z2 (ZReduction) recipe. Who knew water could make a dressing! I was in an Italian restaurant the other night and wanted to order a salad to go with my grilled meat. On the appetizer menu was a salad I could have them adapt for me by leaving out the oil. It tasted GREAT so I came home and made more for a different meal.
This is a pretty side dish as well.
Servings: Serves 3
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of cherry tomatoes cut in half
- 1 cup of cucumber. I use English cucumber and peel it before I cut it up.
- 1 cup of red onion slices
- juice of ½ of a lemon
- sea salt and pepper to taste
Ingredients:
Cut toss the veggies in a bowl. Squeeze on the lemon. Put in enough water to come up about ½ way on the veggies. Grate on sea salt and pepper. Serve.
This can also be stored in the refrigerator for a while to meld the flavors. Then the flavor of the onion and lemon will stand out more in the watery “dressing.”
Enjoy!
Cheers,
Italian Salad
Plan Z Phase: This is a Z2 (ZReduction) recipe submitted by Plan Z dieter Christine.
Servings: Serves 1
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup large curd cottage cheese
- 1 tsp tomato paste (sugar free)
- 1/4 tsp oregano
- 1/2 clove jar garlic
- 1/3 cup bell peppers, chopped
- 10 Grissinetti, broken into thirds
- lettuce (amount is up to you)
Instructions:
Place first four ingredients in a small, microwaveable bowl. Microwave on high for 15-20 seconds. When warmed, stir ingredients until mixed thoroughly (it will turn a sort of salmon pink color). Place lettuce in salad bowl or on plate, add cottage cheese mixture and top with peppers and breadstick pieces.
You can vary the spices or vegetables according to taste, making the variations on this almost endless.
Enjoy!
Cheers,
Mexican Cherry Tomato Salad
Plan Z Phase: This is a Z2 (ZReduction) recipe.
Servings: Serving size 1 cup maximum. This is your cold side dish.
Ingredients:
- 3 cups of cherry tomatoes cut in half
- 2 large Anaheim chilies cut into narrow strips, crosswise. Remove seeds and ribs first. These are a milder Mexican pepper. Light greenish-yellow.
- 1 yellow or orange bell pepper, chopped
- 1 cup of English cucumber, skinned and chopped
- ½ small red onion, diced
- a little bit of lettuce cut into strips
- 1 Tbl of dried oregano
- 2 Tbl of vinegar. You decide the flavor. Your choice.
- 1 Tbl of minced, fresh cilantro
- sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir. Let chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Leftovers keep well for a few days.
Serve over salad greens or as a side dish.
Enjoy!
Cheers,
Chinese – American Chicken Salad
Plan Z Phase: This is a Z2 (ZReduction) and Zola To Go! recipe.
Servings: Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 4, 6-8 oz chicken breasts, cooked and shredded or chopped
- 1/3 cup of water chestnuts, drained and rinsed. Cut into dice.
- ½ cup of thinly sliced baby bok choy (light green and white parts only)
- 1 cup of drained mandarin orange segments
- ½ cup of diced onion
- 1 tsp of minced basil
- 1 tsp of minced parsley
For the dressing:
- 2 tsp of Worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup of Dijon mustard
- 3 Tbl of Bragg’s aminos
- 2 tsp of Truvia
- 2 tsp or more of fresh minced ginger
Instructions:
Put all of the chicken salad items in a large bowl.
Put all of the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and stir to blend. Then pour the dressing over the chicken salad and stir.
I serve this over shredded lettuce to make a larger salad.
The chicken salad can be transported. Keep chilled.
This will count as your entrée and most of your veggies. I serve with a few celery sticks to round out the veggies. It will also count as part of your fruit portion. Depends on how many orange segments you eat.
In the picture you’ll noticed I garnished mine with a couple of cherry tomatoes.
Enjoy!
Cheers,
Tomato Tabbouleh (Tabouli)
Plan Z Phase: This is a Z2 (ZReduction) recipe.
Servings: Serves 3 - 4
Ingredients:
- 2 large, ripe tomatoes chopped
- ½ cup of minced, fresh parsley. I mince this in a food processor with a bit of water and then drain and dry it. It’s worth the extra step.
- juice of one lemon
- 6 green onions, chopped (white and light green parts only)
- salt and pepper
Instructions:
Put all ingredients in a bowl and gently stir.
Can be served room temperature or cold.
Enjoy!
Cheers,
Harvest Pork Loin Chops with Savory, Warm Apple “Slaw”
Plan Z Phase: This is a Z2 (ZReduction) recipe. This dish tastes like it’s right off of the country farm in fall. But don’t let that stop you from eating it any other season, too.
Servings: Serves 4
Ingredients:
For the pork
- 4 pork loin chops, 6 – 8 oz each. Make sure they are LOIN chops or they will be too fatty.
- sea salt and pepper
- 2 Tbl of Dijon mustard (no sugar)
- 2 Tbl of apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp of Truvia
For the Apple Slaw
- 3 large apples, cored and chopped into ½ inch chunks
- 1 tsp of Truvia
- 1 Tbl of lemon juice
- ½ of a red bell pepper, chopped
- 3 tsp of minced ginger (ginger from the jar will do)
- ¼ tsp of allspice
- juice of one orange
- ½ cup (or more) of organic chicken broth or stock
- 1 – 2 cups of shredded cabbage
Instructions:
For the pork
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
Make glaze. Stir.
Sprinkle each chop with sea salt and pepper. Then spritz with olive oil. You have choices on how to cook the chops. Sear, grill or do what I do…. I take an oven proof sauté pan (cast iron) and spritz with olive oil. Heat the oil and add the chops. I sear them for 2 minutes on medium high to get one side browned. Flip over and then transfer them to my oven at 375 degrees. I roast them now until done. I check them with an instant read meat thermometer and take them out when they reach 160 degrees. That leaves me with a hint of pink and plenty of juices. The chops will take about 15 – 20 minutes to cook.
While the chops are cooking, at the 10 minute point take them out and wipe on the glaze. The glaze is just made by mixing the cider vinegar, Dijon and Truvia. Dab it on and save the rest to serve on the side.
While the pork cooks…in a medium sauté pan put in a spritz of olive oil. Add the apples and begin cooking them on medium to loosen them; just a minute or two. Before they begin to brown add the Truvia, lemon juice, red pepper, ginger, allspice, orange juice and chicken broth. Begin cooking on medium – medium high to cook the apples down. Stir often. The apples will begin to get mushy. Keep some full size and with your wooden spoon begin to squish a few of the others so it becomes sort of an apple sauce.
Just two minutes before you want to serve the pork chops add the shredded cabbage. Stir it around so it heats up and you’re ready to serve.
This serves 4 with a little bit of room leftover to add a small veggie on the side. I didn’t need it though. I was stuffed.
Enjoy!
Cheers,
Sweet and Sour Pork
Plan Z Phase: This is a Z2 (ZReduction) recipe. You are not seeing things! I managed to take one of the most fattening and sugar-filled Chinese dishes on the planet and came up with a substitute that got raves at the office. I thought this was impossible -- but I did it!
Don’t expect it to taste quite as sweet at the regular Chinese but frankly I like this better. I hope you do, too.
Serving Size: Serves 6
Ingredients:
- 36 oz of thin-sliced, boneless pork LOIN chops. Don’t use regular pork chops. They are too fatty. You don’t have to have the thin ones but they make quick work of this. Trim off fat bits.
For the sauce
- 2 tsp of Truvia
- 4 Tbl of tomato paste (no sugar)
- 4 Tbl of Bragg’s aminos
- ¼ tsp of sea salt
- 1 cup of water
- ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbl of corn starch dissolved in a ¼ cup of water
For the Veggies
You can vary these some. Most traditional Chinese dishes like this have green bell peppers in them. I think it’s more for the color than anything. Green peppers are higher in carbs than red, yellow and orange ones and I like the flavor better so I stick with these.
- ½ red bell pepper, cubed
- ½ orange bell pepper, cubed
- ½ yellow bell pepper, cubed
- 1 large onion cut into chunks
- 1-2 cups of cantaloupe cubes or balls (made with a melon baller)
- 2 medium tomatoes cut into wedges. Six wedges per tomato.
Instructions:
This is one of those dishes that you want to get all of your prep work done before you start because this will come together very fast; like many Chinese dishes. You’ll also have things going on in 3 pans at once but don’t fear! You can do it! Just have a timer handy to time the pork.
Slice your pork into ½” thin strips. Set aside.
Prep all of your veggies.
Put the sauce ingredients all in a sauce pan at once (except for the cornstarch mixture). Begin to heat that and stir it constantly until the tomato paste breaks up and you have a smooth orange-red sauce. Then add the corn starch mixture and cook on a low bubble (medium temp) until it thickens. Keep an eye on it and stir often while the other things are cooking.
Next spray a large sauté pan with olive oil spray and begin to cook your pork strips. They will take a maximum of five minutes per side (depending on how thinly they are cut). You can cook them all the way through or leave them with a tiny bit of pink in the middle. Up to you. Most like it cooked through.
Then spray another large pan and add your onion and peppers. They will take about 8 minutes to cook on medium. That’s why I had you start them now.
Now that all things are cooking just go back and forth turning the pork and the veggies and stirring your sauce. When the sauce is thick, turn it off.
When the veggies are done you are going to pour the sauce over them and stir. You can also put in the pork now or serve the pork on the plate and pour the sauce over. Up to you. Just before you are ready to serve, add the tomatoes and the cantaloupe. All you want to do with these two is stir them in until they are warm.
You might recall that traditional sweet and sour pork has pineapple in it (and sometimes maraschino cherries!) YUK. Pineapple is a very high glycemic fruit so I have subbed it with cantaloupe. It tastes amazing. Perfect sweet bits. Just remember to subtract whatever cantaloupe you eat from your fruit dessert portion.
Serve in a bowl. You’ll never miss the rice.
Enjoy!
Cheers,
Italian Pork Tenderloin with Sun-dried Tomato Gravy
Plan Z Phase: This is a Z2 (ZReduction) recipe. I typed up this recipe as a serving for six because most pork tenderloins come packaged in two’s these days. Be sure to get the unseasoned ones. You can store leftovers in the refrigerator and make lunches out of the extras. Just heat at work and you have a rustic gourmet Italian lunch. Or this is nice enough to serve at a dinner party!
Serving Size: Serves 6
Ingredients:
- 2 pork tenderloins
- olive oil spray
- your favorite meat rub
- ½ tsp of Italian seasoning
- ½ cup of diced onion
- 1 Tbl of minced sundried tomatoes*
- ¾ cup of organic chicken broth
- 1/2 cup of heavy cream
- sea salt and pepper to taste
*For the sun-dried tomatoes, you have a few options here. You can buy regular sun-dried tomatoes and soak them in hot water to loosen then up. Then mince them or throw them into a small blender with a bit of water and whiz them. Then drain the liquid and use in the recipe. Some places also sell sun-dried tomato paste. You can use that. Or even a sun-dried tomato pesto. Just make sure it is not floating in oil or have nuts in it.
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Take out a 9" x 13" ovenproof pan. Spray with olive oil and add the pork tenderloins. Spray them lightly and cover with your favorite meat rub or some Italian seasoning. You can even just do salt and pepper if you prefer.
Put the tenderloins in the oven to roast. They are done when they reach 160 degrees on your thermometer. This usually only takes 20 – 30 minutes.
While the pork is roasting, make your gravy.
In a small sauce pan add a bit of olive oil spray and the onion. Cook on medium high just to loosen the onion. Don’t brown them. It will only take a minute. Add the Italian seasoning and then the chicken broth and the cream. On medium heat, get the mixture to begin bubbling. Turn down just a tad so it still bubbles but does not bubble over. A low bubble of the gravy will thicken it over time. That’s the secret to making gravy. You don't need flour, whipping cream will do the same job without the carbohydrates and it makes for a more lush and flavorful gravy. Stir it often, almost constantly so you can see it begin to thicken up. Stop cooking when it gets to a consistency you like. Turn off and wait for the pork to be ready. You can always reheat the gravy gently. If it gets too thick you can always add a bit more cream or a bit more cream and broth and just heat it til you have what you like.
I served mine with an Eggplant salad and 2-3 Tbl (maximum) of the gravy per serving.
Enjoy!
Cheers,
Pulled Pork
Plan Z Phase: This is a Z2 (ZReduction) and a Zola To Go! recipe. This tastes amazingly like the real Southern dish. It’s zesty and the cabbage will give you crunch along with your pork. In the Zola To GO! version you can either microwave the meat to heat it or many like to eat it cold.
Servings: Serve 4 – 6. Serving size for ZReduction is 1 cup of pork and unlimited cabbage.
Ingredients:
- 2 pork tenderloins
- green cabbage, shredded to resemble coleslaw
For the sauce:
- 8 oz of tomato sauce
- 6 oz of tomato paste
- 1 cup of water
- ½ - ¾ cup of apple cider vinegar (to taste)
- 1 tsp of liquid smoke (optional)
- 1 tsp of cinnamon
- 1 tsp of chili powder
- 2 tsp of Truvia
Ingredients:
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
Roast the pork tenderloins at 375 degrees until they reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees. This should take 30 - 45 minutes. The pork will have little or no pink remaining. Let them begin to cool so they are not too hot to the touch. You will then take two forks and begin “pulling” your pork into shreds. Shred it all, add the sauce, stir and re-heat to eat.
Z2 version: To serve put a pile of shredded cabbage on the plate and add the pulled pork on top.
To make the sauce:
Put all ingredients in a medium sauce pan and stir. Heat to meld the flavors. You can put any extras in the fridge and use for other purposes.
Enjoy!
Cheers,
Pork Tenderloin with Warm Apples
This is a Z2 (ZReduction) recipe. This is comfort food at its finest. The pork tenderloin with the cumin on it lends a bit of an exotic flavor; like Indian food. If you don’t enjoy that just use your favorite meat-rub. You can also use Italian seasoning for a more traditional flavor.
Serving Size: Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 2 pork tenderloins
- 2 tsp of garlic, minced (jar garlic will work)
- sea salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tsp of ground cumin (or your favorite meat-rub)
- olive oil spray
- 2 cups of organic chicken broth, divided.
- 4 apples, peeled, cored and sliced. I used Granny Smith.
- 2-3 tsp of cornstarch
- cinnamon or apple pie spice to your taste
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Place your pork tenderloins in a 9" X 13" oven-proof pan. Spread the garlic across the top, 1 tsp per loin. Then sprinkle the salt, pepper, and cumin across the tops. Spray with olive oil spray.
Put in the oven to roast. Most pork tenderloins will cook in 20 -30 minutes. You want to take it out of the oven when the temperature of the pork reads 160 degrees on your thermometer.
While the tenderloins are in the oven you will make your sauce.
Put in your apples in a large sauté pan with one cup of chicken broth. Bring to a mild boil. Let them bubble to soften. Stir and flip them over periodically. In a separate container when the broth is almost gone add the cornstarch to the second cup of broth and stir to dissolve it. Then add this broth and cornstarch mixture to the pan and continue cooking til the sauce thickens around the apples. The apples should have a bit of bite left in them depending on how thinly you sliced them. Before you take then out of the pan sprinkle on your apple pie spice and stir one more time.
Serve the apples alongside the pork. Your 6 ounce portion of pork will be 3 – 4 medium slices. That means you’ll have leftover ends after you serve 4. You can also have one cup of veggies, I served my pork with the green beans in the picture. Keep in mind that this is your fruit portion for the meal too.
Enjoy!
Cheers,
Pork Loin Chops with French Apple Compote
Plan Z Phase: This is a Z2 (ZReduction) recipe contributed by Plan Z dieter, Mike. He’s quite the cook. He says it’s a big hit at his house. Be sure to make it with pork LOIN chops so you get the leaner cut of meat. You can also make it with chicken breast pieces. He has made both. I roasted a pork loin roast and then made the sauce. I just happened to have one in my freezer. Works every which way. His favorite cookbook is called Cooking Know-How so let’s give them credit, too.
This makes a sweet accompaniment to your dish. This will be half of your veggie portion and half of your fruit portion. It tastes very French country.
Servings: Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 4 pork loin chops (or chicken breast halves)
- salt and pepper
- 1 large apple (or 2 small) peeled and cored. Cut into thin slices (1/4”)
- 1 medium, yellow onion, chopped
- 1 large celery stalk, chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced (jar garlic will work)
- 1 tsp of herbs d’ Provence
- dash of ground cinnamon
- 1 cup of organic chicken broth
- 1 Tbl of balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup of heavy cream
Instructions:
Heat 12 inch skillet over medium heat.
Lightly spray with olive oil spray. Brown the meat on medium high. Grate sea salt and pepper as they brown, (to taste).
Remove from pan, cover and rest (I put them in the microwave to rest).
Add apple, onion and celery. Saute for a few minutes until soft and browned.
Add the garlic, herbs de Provence or other herbs, and a dash of ground cinnamon. Stir in thoroughly.
Raise to medium-high heat, add the chicken broth and simmer until reduced by half.
Add balsamic vinegar and heavy cream. Return meat to skillet and cook on medium until finished.
Enjoy!
Cheers,
Pork Tenderloin with Onion Marmalade
Plan Z Phase: This is a Z2 (ZReduction) recipe. This dish is so homey. It’s a lovely way to sweeten up onions and make a wonderful thick sauce for the pork. You can also serve this with chicken and it would be delightful.
Servings: Serves 4+
Ingredients:
For the Pork
- 2 pork tenderloins. Serving size is 6 oz per person. 2 tenderloins usually serve 4 – 5 with a few ends of leftovers.
- olive oil spray
- your favorite meat rub
For the Marmelade
- 2 large onions. I use Vidalia. They are already sweeter.
- 1 tsp of grated sea salt
- grated fresh pepper to taste.
- 2 cups of chicken stock
- 1 Tbl of balsamic vinegar
- ½ cup of heavy cream
Instructions:
For the Pork
Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees.
Lightly spray the pan and lightly spray the pork tenderloin. Then just sprinkle on your favorite meat rub (no sugar). Or sea salt and pepper will do, too.
Roast in the oven at 375 degrees for approximately 20-30 minutes until 160 degrees or until your preference of temperature is reached. At 160 degrees the pork will still have a bit of pink it and will be very juicy. Let stand for a few minutes before slicing.
For the Marmalade
Put the onions, sea salt, pepper, vinegar and stock in a large sauce pan. Cover and cook on medium in a light bubble until almost all of the liquid is evaporated. Remove cover. Stir. Add the cream and stir again. Heat at least until cream is hot. If you want thicker sauce you can continue to cook a bit longer until the cream thickens a bit. Serve with the pork.
Enjoy!
Cheers,
Creole Seafood Stew
Plan Z Phase: This is a Z2 (ZReduction) recipe. People who like to cook will sometimes ask, “What’s the difference between Creole and Cajun?”
When it comes to cooking, the short answer is, Creole leans towards the classic, Cajun leans towards the rustic. Historically, Cajun folks were descendants of the French speaking Acadians who were expelled from their homeland during the French and Indian War. Their “Cajun” cooking was influenced by French provincial cuisine. The Creole folks were primarily aristocrats with a French, Spanish and African heritage. When they settled in Louisiana they adapted their aristocratic recipes to fit the local ingredients.
When I made this Creole stew, I used some “aristocratic” ingredients (I used 1 pound of cooked shrimp, tails removed and ½ pound of lump crab meat) but you can certainly make it easier on your budget by making a “Cajun” version. For a Cajun version you can use any type of seafood along with fish fillets or just go with fish alone. You can use tilapia, cod, flounder, halibut, perch or any other firm white fish. Since those are not likely to be cooked in advance, cut up the fillets into chunks and as they cook in the sauce you can break them with a fork into bite sized pieces. Just make sure they are cooked through before eating.
Serving Size: Serves 6
Each serving is 1-1/2 cups
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of onion, chopped. Use white or yellow.
- 1 cup of celery, chopped
- 2 tsp of minced garlic (jar garlic will do)
- 28 oz of canned, chopped tomatoes
- 15 oz of spiced tomatoes. You can choose if you want the ones with green chiles or the new ones spiked with red pepper flakes. If you like mild food or just can’t find either of those, you can use regular chopped tomatoes and just adjust the seasoning
- 15 oz of canned, tomato sauce
- 1 tsp of Truvia
- 1 – 2 tsp of chili powder
- 2 Tbl of Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp of cornstarch
- 2 pounds of shellfish or other fish fillets*
- 1/2 cup of chopped green bell pepper
Optional:
- Hot sauce (Louisiana or even cracked pepper flakes) can be served on the side. Most folks won’t need to crank up the heat on this though. It’s plenty spicy.
Instructions:
Spray a medium soup pan with olive oil spray. Put in the onions and celery. Cook on medium high just until they begin to wilt. Add the garlic and cook about 30 seconds more, stirring. You don’t want to burn the garlic or get gets a rancid taste.
Add the spiced tomatoes and tomato sauce, Truvia, chili powder and Worcestershire sauce. Let cook on medium at a slight bubble, uncovered, for about 15 minutes to get the flavors melded. This will reduce the sauce a bit too.
In a small bowl add a couple Tbl of water and mix in the corn starch. Add that to the larger pot of sauce and cook 5 – 10 more minutes as it begins to thicken. Then add the fish/seafood and the green pepper. Cook until the fish is done or until the cooked seafood is warmed through. I used 1 pound of COOKED shrimp (tails removed) and ½ pound of lump crab meat (cooked and packaged in a can).
For the less expensive, Cajun version you can use any of the seafood above along with fish filets or just go with fish. Fish might be tilapia, cod, flounder, halibut or any firm white fish. Perch and white fish also come to mind. Since those are not likely to be cooked in advance, cut up the filets into chunks and as they cook in the sauce you can break them with a fork into bite sized pieces. Just make sure they are cooked through before eating.
Portion size 1-1/2 cups. This will count as your veggie and protein. You can have an optional salad on the side and your cracker portion. It’s filling. Trust me.
Enjoy!
Cheers,
Crumb-Crusted Salmon Fillet with Mustard Horseradish Sauce
Plan Z Phase: This is a Z2 (ZReduction) recipe.
Servings: Serves 2. Can be doubled.
Ingredients:
- 2 salmon fillets (6-8 oz each)
- 1 large breadstick ground to crumbs
- 1 shallot minced
- 1 Tbl of sugarless horseradish mustard (or you can do 2 tsp of mustard and 2 tsp of horseradish)
- ¾ cup of chicken broth
- 2 cups of baby arugula (or other greens)
Instructions:
Dust your salmon with your favorite sugarless meat rub or leave it plain. Spray with olive oil. Then dip in your breadcrumbs on one side only.
Place crumb-side down in your sauté pan. Saute on medium until the crumbs are brown. This is when you make a decision. You can either turn it over and finish up cooking it or I transfer it in an ovenproof pan to my oven and bake it at 400 degrees (375 if you're using a convection oven) for 10-15 minutes more or until it’s only slightly pink the middle. I think this keeps the salmon more moist.
While the salmon is cooking you can make your sauce.
In a small sauce pan, add the shallots. Cook on medium high just until slightly loosened. Toss them around while they heat. Then add the chicken broth and the mustard/horseradish. Cook with broth until slightly reduced. It won’t really thicken. This will just intensify the flavor.
To serve, put your arugula or other green on the plate. Drizzle on the sauce and then add the salmon on top.
Enjoy!
Cheers,
Orange-Saffron Shrimp Kebobs
Plan Z Phase: This is a Z2 (ZReduction) recipe. This recipe was contributed by Plan Z dieter Karen. “The shrimp was delectable last night and I wanted to share the recipe, so here it goes!” - Karen
Servings: Serves 2
Ingredients:
For the marinade:
- 1lb shrimp peeled and deveined
- zest of 1 orange
- 1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice (about 1/2 of an orange)
- pinch of saffron threads. Heat juice and saffron in micro about 30 sec and let steep 5 minutes.
- 2 Tbl chopped fresh parsley
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/4 tsp salt
For the kebobs:
- 1-1/2 oranges cut into 9 wedges (use the 1/2 you zested)
- 1/2 cup of sweet onion (about 1" squares). Fennel might be a good substitute or red pepper when we can have it.
- marinated shrimp (see notes above)
- 2 blT chopped parsley for garish
Instructions:
For the marinade:
Combine ingredients above in bowl and marinate shrimp for 30 minutes in your fridge.
For the kebobs:
Heat up your grill to get it good and hot.
Assemble your orange-saffron shrimp kebobs on skewers with the ingredients listed above in the "For the kebobs" section after the shrimp have marinated for at least 30 minutes.
Grill the kebobs on a hot grill, turning once at about 8 minutes.
Garnish the kebobs with the chopped parsley.
I served this over a bed of wilted spinach.
Enjoy!
Cheers,
Grilled Tuna Nicoise Salad
Plan Z Phase: This is a Z2 (ZReduction) recipe. A Nicoise salad is a French tradition. I have had to change it to adapt to Plan Z but the adjustments made for a delightful change. I took out the potatoes and added roasted shallots. I took out the olive and inserted roasted elephant garlic chunks. The dressing is wonderful and can work on many different salads. Very French and very Zola at the same time.
Servings: Serves 2
Ingredients:
For the Shallot Dressing
- ¼ cup of vinegar. Red wine or Balsamic are good choices but you can use any one.
- 3 tsp of Dijon mustard (find one with no sugar added)
- 1 tsp of minced garlic
- ½ - 1 tsp of Truvia. Start with ½ tsp of see if it’s sweet enough for you.
- 1 tsp of dried thyme
- 4 large fresh basil leaves (you can use dried basil in a pinch)
- 2 tsp of capers (drained and rinsed)
Instructions:
Whiz all of this in a blender. Taste and adjust seasoning. You can add sea salt and pepper if you want. If you want the dressing more liquefied, add a bit of water to get it to the consistency you like.
For the Salad
- 2 tuna filets 4 – 6 oz each
- 1 cup of green beans trimmed (hericots verts are the official French green beans. They are skinnier but either will work)
- a few slices of small tomato or a few cherry tomatoes cut in half
- 1 cup of roasted shallots and garlic chunks (I use cut up elephant garlic cuz it’s less pungent. When you roast it the garlic becomes almost sweet)
- Lettuce of your choice. Boston makes a mild salad. I used romaine hearts but any combo can work too.
Instructions:
Prepping the salad.
First up is to roast the shallots and garlic chunks. Take off the wrappers from each. Then cut the shallots and garlic into ½” chunks. They will roast faster this way. Just spray them lightly with olive oil and roast them at 375 degrees for approximately 30 minutes or until browning on top and the garlic should be mushy if you squish it or stab it with a knife.
At the 15 minute point you can add your green beans to the oven and roast them too. Just put them in an ovenproof pan, spray with olive oil spray, dust with sea salt and add them to the oven. They take 15 minutes to roast. Alternatively, if you prefer, you can grill your beans along with the tuna.
While the veggies are in their second half of roasting you can grill your tuna. Lightly spray it with olive oil. You can add a bit of rub on it or just sprinkle on sea salt and pepper. Grill both sides on medium high to get some nice grill marks. Then turn down and let it cook slowly in the middle. An alternative would be to grill it so you get the grill marks and then add it to the oven and roast with the veggies. That will cook it through, too. Some like their tuna just seared on the outside and close to raw in the middle. My husband and I both like ours cooked through with just a bit of pink left in the middle.
While the roasting and grilling are going on you can prep your salad. Cut the tomatoes and prep the lettuce. Put in a large salad bowl or on a large plate. Drizzle on the dressing. When the rest of the veggies are done add them scattered on the plate and then put the tuna on top. The hot food on top of the cold salad and dressing make a tasty meal sensation.
Enjoy!
Cheers,
Cajun Orange Roughy with a Tomato-Caper Salad and Caramelized Green Onions
Plan Z Phase: This is a Z2 (ZReduction) recipe. This is a nice, light fish dish. You can make it as spicy or mild as you choose by limiting the amount of seasoning you put on your fish.
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients:
- 2, 6-8 oz orange roughy fillets
- Emeril's Bayou Blast or any other blackened fish sprinkle. If you don't like hot at all you can season with celery salt
- 2 medium tomatoes sliced
- 6 small leaves of basil, shredded
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 Tbl of capers with juice
- 1 Tbl of apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbl of lemon juice
- a few leaves of lettuce, butter lettuce would be excellent
- 2 bunches of scallions cut into 3" lengths
- 1/2 Tbl of balsamic vinegar
- sea salt
Instructions:
For the salad: Put your sliced tomatoes on a large plate. Scatter on your basil, garlic bits and capers. Drizzle on the cider vinegar and lemon juice. Let the salad sit to marinate. Don't let it sit more than 15 minutes or it starts to "cook" from the vinegar and lemon juice; sort of like ceviche.
For the onions: Put your onions in an oven proof pan and drizzle on the balsamic vinegar. Then season with grated sea salt. Roast them at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. If you don't want to turn on the oven you can spray olive oil in a saute pan (lightly) and just toss them around on medium heat until they wilt. Add the vinegar and cook for 2 minutes more and they'll be done.
For the fish: Sprinkle on your seasoning. Pat down so it sticks to the fish. Lightly spray a saute pan and place the fish seasoned side down. Let cook on medium high for 2 minutes to get a "crust." Then turn over and cook on medium until the fish is no longer opaque. Depending on how thick the thickest part of your fillets are this should not take more than 2 minutes more.
Enjoy!
Cheers,