Snacks

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.

Things like peppers are popular at Italian little plates restaurants. I’m offering you a recipe for mine here. Mine have a bit of an after-burner kick to them.

I ordered this dish at a restaurant in town. It was so good I said, “I have to figure out how to make this myself!” It was that wonderful.

These are delightfully decadent treats. A word of CAUTION: Treat them like candy!

LOVE these cheesy bits for an appetizer. They go great while you are sipping your wine.

Can’t get any easier than this. Toss all of the ingredients in a bowl and serve with your protein hot off the grill!

I found a recipe very similar to this one about 15 years in an old Southern cookbook. I have made a few changes to “Zola-fy” it. This goes over BIG at any party, and it's so simple!

This is what I call cheating when I’m in a hurry. I use my favorite bottled Italian dressing as the marinade and everyone thinks I put so much effort into this really pretty dish.

In addition to being crunchy, satisfying and delicious, pumpkin seeds are a nutritious snack. You can buy shelled pumpkin seeds in the grocery store (also know as pepitas), but when pumpkin season rolls around, you can buy a fresh pumpkin, scrape out the seeds, and toast the whole seeds yourself. YUM! 

This is an elegant meal you can serve to company or even just for a romantic meal at home. I served this with haricot vert (roasted French green beans). That kept the meal totally low carb.

This recipe was submitted by dieter Dave, who is an avid gardener and serious grill-master. He grows his own peppers and likes this recipe because it is so simple - and always delicious. Even though this recipe calls for Anaheim peppers, you can use any type of pepper that suits your fancy. 

My husband found this recipe and made it for me. It was delicious! I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

What will take the longest with this dish is peeling and taking the shells off the shrimp. You want fresh shrimp though and I’ll teach you how to boil down the shells to make it super-tasty. A deeper flavor is the bonus.

Most folks think of chicken wings as being a guy thing and even a sport fan thing but anyone can love this dip! I served it as a breakfast buffet item and it was hands down the dish that got the most comments and compliments. I think it was because it was so unexpected. The comments came from men and women alike but I must admit the guys were the ones who went gaga over this.

Here’s an idea from the Plan Z kitchen. Use this classic recipe and add a spooky twist for a hauntingly delicious Halloween snack. 

Here's a cute idea to offer children or family members around Halloween. There are so many ways to spin this.  The best part? No candy required.

Try this Zolafied coleslaw recipe and you'll never go hunting for the secret Chick-Fil-A recipe again.

The other day, potato pancakes came to mind and I they could probably be made with cauliflower. Turns out they can!

This comes together in a FLASH. When it’s hot outside and you want something easy but on the gourmet side, this hits the spot.

Maybe this is not news to you, but it took me six decades to learn about oven bacon. In our family, my husband has always been the bacon maker. He’s great at getting it perfectly crispy.

I love my acorn squash roasted with just butter in the center and a sprinkle of sea salt and pepper. But I know tons of people want brown sugar in the middle and more. So this version can satisfy the sweet tooth and add an optional spice/heat factor.

As far as brunch casseroles go, this one is very easy to make and pleases the crowd. It can be made ahead and heated the day of the party.

The pinecone idea is unique, festive and delicious. I am going to lay out a simple version and then give you suggestions for variations.

These nuts taste eerily like the ones in the famous Chex Mix only I left off the Chex and the pretzels. They were a huge hit!

A variation of my sea salt crusted snow peas recipe - but with snap peas!

I think this makes a beautiful, refreshing dessert. If you can’t get fresh strawberries go ahead and use frozen. Slices are best so they don’t get caught in the blender. For a special occasion top it with whipped cream! 

A ghoulish (and healthy) Halloween snack idea.

A tasty snack - perfect for a road trip.

The parfait is a serious twist on a Cooking Light recipe I came across, so I need to give them credit but I also wanted you to know it's light and rather healthy.

These easy to make Jalapeno poppers are Z3 friendly and only take 15 minutes!

This recipe works for breakfast or for dessert. Really satisfying! A great treat and super fast!

This crust can be used with any kind of a savory dish. This is going to be a super-popular recipe.

You will not believe how easy these are to make and how wonderful they taste! Once you start eating these “fries” you’ll never miss the other ones.

Add zip to your chip with Dieter Carolyn's version of guacamole. The secret she says is using lime instead of lemon!

This recipe was contributed by Plan Z dieter Darlene. Great idea! Super easy.

Debbie says, "I made some roasted nuts last night for an election party, they were so good I had to share them. These were amazing and so yummy."

You can even eat them warm and really savor the coating.

This is a Z3 (ZReboot) recipe contributed by Plan Z dieter Rollie. Colorado Spiced Nuts are easy to make. Super Easy!

These are perfect for a comforting snack or if you need to make an appetizer for a party. YUM!

These are perfect for a comforting snack or if you need to make an appetizer for a party. YUM!

This recipe comes from veteran Plan Z dieter Amy. This is adapted from an old recipe from the 1970’s. Even then some people knew how to eat.

Deviled eggs are great for summer parties. It’s sort of a retro-thing that I’m on a mission to bring back into style. My mother’s deviled eggs were quite simple.

To prep for this dish soak your wooden skewers in water for 15 or 20 minutes to they will be wet and won’t burn on the grill. Or use metal skewers.

You can serve these as an appetizer, a party buffet food, a lunch or even as a dinner option. If you have never had Thai food and want an easy way to try it, this is a perfect dish.

This is recipe was contributed by Plan Z dieter Shana. What a great idea! Super easy.

Stop, look now eat. Simple dish even the kids will enjoy.

Great as an appetizer or a main meal. Try them, your kids will love them too and their healthy.

This is one of the easiest appetizers on the planet.

I titled these Yum Yum Onions for the obvious reason. I am convinced they will receive rave reviews at your table, like they did at mine.

When you’re feeling in a retro mood, pull this recipe out, serve with crackers and you’ll be singing the yum-yum song.