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Beefy Pasta Casserole
Z3.5-Beef,ZS-Zola to Go,Z3.5-Entrees,ZSpecialties
Pasta doesn’t have to be banned from ZLife. You just need to limit it and monitor how you use it. If you keep in mind that a FULL portion is a half cup cooked you’re on the right track. And just eat it on a special occasion.
Seafood Chowder
This is not the usual, thick, gloppy chowder since you are on ZReduction, but it will pass as a fancy, flavorful meal.
Caramelized Pears (ZReboot 3.5 Version)
ZSpecialties,Z3.5-Desserts,ZS-5 Ingredients or Less
Chris’s cousins sent us a HUGE box of fruit as his get well wish. There are only two of us, so in order to use the fruit I have had to get creative! Oh, my, these are yummy!
Roasted Cream of Asparagus Soup
It may not feel like it here in Chicago, but spring and asparagus season are just around the corner. Gear up with this flavorful soup.
Chicken Chili Enchilada Casserole
This casserole tastes just like a zippy chicken enchilada without the major carbohydrate intake.
Creamy Tomato Shrimp Chowder
Talk about easy to make. This dish is done in a flash. If you’re like me, you’ll make a triple batch of the tomato base. You can freeze the portions.
Italian Sausage Tart
This meal is good for breakfast, lunch or dinner. With a side salad it makes a nice brunch offering too!
Vegetable Soup
As the weather gets colder and the nights get longer this makes a wonderful soup. Or if you get a cold while on Plan Z this might be just the ticket!
Beef Bourguignon
Z3-Beef,Z3-Entrees,Z3-Soups & Stews
This is a remake of Beef Bourguignon. Who can resist this traditional French dish? So lush-tasting. It just about melts in your mouth.
Chili #4
Z2-Entrees,Z2-Beef,ZS-Zola to Go,Z2-Soup,ZSpecialties
I have designed several chili recipes for Plan Z. This is one of those that is very straightforward and simple. It doesn’t even have a lot of ingredients.
Shrimp Scampi (ZReboot 3.5 Version)
This is a classic Italian dish. The one you order at Olive Garden will have WAY more pasta than this dish will have. That’s okay. The shrimp are the real star of this dish. Plus, you’ll be better off without all that starch.
Chef Jernard’s Holiday Collard Greens
Z3-Sides,Z3-Pork,Z3-Soups & Stews
Celebrity Chef Jernard Wells knows soul food. While a lot of his food is quite decadent, he also loves greens, and shared his wonderful southern greens recipe in a local interview. What's great about it is it can easily be modified to fit ZReboot. His original recipe calls for sugar, but by replacing the sugar with your favorite sugar substitute, you can still enjoy this delicious recipe.
Mexican Chicken Stew
Z2-Entrees,ZS-Zola to Go,Z2-Soup,ZSpecialties,Z2-Poultry,ZS-Dieter Favorites
This is a great Zola to Go! dish, perfect for those cold days for lunch.
Turkey or Chicken Meatloaf
For a change of pace you can try a unique meatloaf. This one comes with an optional extra sauce in case you want to really ramp up the flavor.
My Mother’s Apple Crisp
ZSpecialties,Z3.5-Desserts,ZS-Zola to Go
There’s something about the potential of smelling apples baking with cinnamon and nutmeg that conjures up fond memories of my mother in the kitchen. She taught me as a small girl to make apple crisp so I did it often. This also makes a wonderful little breakfast the next day.
Chili Con Carne
Z2-Soup,ZS-Zola to Go,Z2-Entrees,ZSpecialties,Z2-Beef,ZS-Dieter Favorites
This is a meaty chili with some veggies tossed in for crunch factor. Makes a satisfying lunch.
Italian Pepper Steak in a Crock Pot
This is a great crock pot recipe. Super simple but really tasty.
Cooked Cabbage Salad
ZSpecialties,Z2-Entrees,ZS-Zola to Go,Z2-Beef,Z2-Salads
This recipe is compliments of Dieter Rose. Rose loves cooked cabbage and this does the trick for her. You can take this to work cold and reheat in the microwave too.
Corn Dip
I came up with this recipe at the end of summer. I took what I call an “inspiration” recipe and Zolified it so we can enjoy it. It’s really tasty.
Creole Soup (with or without protein)
This soup is super easy to make. If you are a fan of southern food this will hit the spot.
Creole Meatloaf
Z2-Entrees,ZSpecialties,Z2-Beef,ZS-Dieter Favorites
This is a wonderfully moist meatloaf. It has a kick from the Cajun spices but not all that much and you can adjust according to taste. This transports well to work.
Chili with Beans
This is a simple chili. It’s a takeoff from an old Betty Crocker recipe. Can’t get much simpler than that!
Salmon Casserole
With this recipe, I’ve included about 25% of the pasta that would be in most similar recipes. That’s a big secret. Just cut it back. You won’t miss it. This casserole focuses on the veggies, the protein and the sauce.
Beef Over Noodles
Our Plan Z “cafeteria” smelled just like Grandma’s house today. This beef over noodles recipe is a hit. Serve this when you have family around at holidays or other times when there’s a crowd.
Breaking Thanksgiving Tradition
ZS-Holiday,Featured Posts,ZSpecialties
Everyone has their Thanksgiving traditions; especially when it comes to food. Do you ever think about breaking tradition and making something different?
Authentic Italian Meatballs
Z3-Entrees,Z3-Beef,ZS-Zola to Go,ZSpecialties
These meatballs are my take on an authentic meatball recipe from New York city. These actually have a cheesy element to them that make them super yummy. BIG YUM!
Southern Tomato Pie
ZSpecialties,Z3.5-Appetizers,Z3.5-Vegetarian,ZS-Holiday,Z3.5-Sides
Two things I love about living mid-South: fried green tomatoes, and tomato pie.
Chimichanga Casserole
When I was young I loved going to Chi Chi’s and ordering the chimichanga. Now that I know all the carbs from the tortilla it was wrapped in are a bad idea, I decided to make a lower carb casserole version.
Summer Veggie Casserole with Pepperoni
This dish is easy to put together. The spouse or the kids can help chop and it comes together fast. You can be doing other things while your dinner bakes in the oven. Makes great leftovers, too.
Cabbage Rolls
We were really happy with the way it turned out and I think you could adjust the seasonings to your own taste if you want more garlic or more salt, etc.
Beef Stew in a Dutch Oven
Z3.5-Entrees,Z3.5-Beef,Z3.5-Soups & Stews
I’m Irish, so beef stew was a staple in our family. Trouble is there are so many carbs in most beef stew recipes. So with this recipe I have adjusted it to keep the carbs lower and introduce some other veggies that are lower carb to the mix.
Baked Spinach and Artichoke Dip
ZS-Holiday,Z3-Appetizers & Snacks,ZSpecialties,Z3-Vegetarian
Talk about comfort food. This is the pure definition. Thankfully fat doesn’t make you fat so you can eat this at parties and not feel the guilt.
Baked Pasta with Sausage, Tomatoes and Mushrooms
This dish can be made a day ahead and reheated.
White Bean Stew
This tastes a lot like my mom’s bean soup with the addition of tomato and zucchini.
Chicken Alfredo with “Almost Noodles”
This dish comes together in a flash! You can also make it with steak or even seafood. When I get a hankering for pasta, I crave Chicken Alfredo. This one did it for me!
French Crock Pot Rib Roast
ZS-5 Ingredients or Less,Z2-Beef,ZSpecialties,Z2-Entrees
Feels just like you are eating in the French countryside.
Creamed Orzo with Leeks and Parmesan
ZS-Holiday,Z3.5-Sides,ZSpecialties,Z3.5-Entrees,Z3.5-Vegetarian
Orzo is a wonderful, tiny pasta. This is the most requested side dish recipe I get from dinner guests–but watch your portion size. Enjoy!
Butternut Squash Puree by Chef Josh
ZS-Holiday,Z3.5-Vegetarian,ZSpecialties,ZS-5 Ingredients or Less,Z3.5-Sides
Cooking does not have to be complicated. In this recipe Chef Josh shows us how to make a simple and delicious puree using butternut squash. Easy. Decadent. Delicious.
Shrimp Cocktail Chowder
Talk about easy to make. This soup is done in a flash. If you’re like me you’ll make a triple batch. You can freeze the portions and just add shrimp bits when you go to serve it.
Zola Lasagna
What makes this Zola lasagna is a reasonable amount of pasta. Most lasagna recipes run at least 3 or 4 layers of noodles. This one has 2. And I promise, you won’t miss the other two layers.
Spinach Stuffed Roasted Chicken
Z2-Entrees,ZS-Dieter Favorites,Z2-Poultry,ZSpecialties
A unique way to stuff a chicken! From our dieting friend from Canada…Loretta.
Mushroom-Bacon Soup
I had a hankering for bacon. My husband wanted mushroom soup. And this recipe was born.
Shrimp and “Grits”
My husband loves shrimp and grits. His mother was from Arkansas and they ate grits often. Trouble is grits are very high carb. Traditional grits are made from cornmeal. I took an inspiration recipe and came up with my own version of shrimp and grits. There is just enough corn in here to help you get the corn flavor without the cornmeal. And there’s enough cheese in here that even though you’ll be using almond meal (aka almond flour) for your grits base, you won’t taste the almond.
Warm Apple Dessert (Compote)
This tastes amazingly like gooey apple pie! This is delightful. Just like Grandma used to make.
Roasted Tomato Sauce
Z2-Vegetarian,Z2-Sauces & Dressings
You’ll think you’re eating at an Italian Grandma’s house when you taste this.
Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
You know how you can eat mac and cheese and not even use your teeth? This had the same result. BIG YUM!
Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls
Dieter Jessica made this meal on one of her first days of ZReduction. It was so delicious she wanted to share it with everyone.
Mexican Avocado Soup with Chicken or Turkey
Z3-Entrees,Z3-Poultry,ZS-Holiday,Z3-Soups & Stews,ZSpecialties
I love this soup. You can make this with leftover turkey and have a colorful way to use your extras.


















































