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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!
Beef Stroganoff
You can have your stroganoff and eat it too! Most stroganoff recipes are served over rice or a big pile of noodles. You don’t have to do that. You have other choices.
Breaking Thanksgiving Tradition
Featured Posts,ZSpecialties,ZS-Holiday
Everyone has their Thanksgiving traditions; especially when it comes to food. Do you ever think about breaking tradition and making something different?
Southern Tomato Pie
ZS-Holiday,Z3.5-Sides,ZSpecialties,Z3.5-Appetizers,Z3.5-Vegetarian
Two things I love about living mid-South: fried green tomatoes, and tomato pie.
Pumpkin Mousse
Z3-Desserts,ZSpecialties,ZS-Holiday
Light and dreamy. If you like pumpkin you’ll love this smooth and easy dessert.
Warm Apple Dessert (Compote)
This tastes amazingly like gooey apple pie! This is delightful. Just like Grandma used to make.
Creamy, Cheesy, Garlicky Shrimp
This dish tastes very much like Shrimp Scampi that you might order in an Italian restaurant. The addition of cheese takes it over the top in terms of BIG YUM.
Caramelized Pears (ZReboot Version)
ZS-5 Ingredients or Less,ZSpecialties,Z3-Desserts
A no sugar variation of my caramelized pears recipe. Still very yummy!
Baked Pasta with Sausage, Tomatoes and Mushrooms
This dish can be made a day ahead and reheated.
Hot Brown Open-faced Sandwich
This is fast to make and is a wonderful comfort food addition to your recipes.
Beef & Vegetable Stew
This stew will contain your meat and vegetable portion, serve with salad greens for a complete meal.
Butternut Squash Casserole
Z3-Sides,Z3-Vegetarian,Z3-Entrees
Serve this at your next family event instead of potatoes and you’ll save 30% of the carbs.
Can be a vegetarian entrée or a side dish. SUPER Yummy because as the squash bakes it becomes sweet.
Butternut Squash Puree by Chef Josh
ZS-5 Ingredients or Less,Z3.5-Sides,ZS-Holiday,Z3.5-Vegetarian,ZSpecialties
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.
Beef Taco Soup (EASY)
What’s the difference between chili and taco soup? Broth, of course. There is more broth in taco soup is more so it’s thinner than chili. The internet tells me that chili is technically considered a stew. Go figure.
Caramelized Pears (ZReboot 3.5 Version)
ZS-5 Ingredients or Less,ZSpecialties,Z3.5-Desserts
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!
Curried Asparagus Soup
Serve in soup bowls with a protein of choice. In Z2 this is your veggie portion. You can have plain salad greens on the side if you need more. It’s very filling though.
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.
Angela’s Shortcut Ratatouille
Z2-Vegetarian,ZS-Dieter Favorites,Z2-Entrees,ZSpecialties
When you need some serious cold weather comfort food, ratatouille hits the spot. This shortcut ratatouille-inspired recipe was submitted by dieter Angela. She Zolafied the original recipe and created a delicious ZReduction veggie sauté that can be made in less than half the time of a traditional ratatouille.
Chicken and Green Chiles Casserole
This chicken casserole will remind you of chilies Rellenos. If you like those you’ll be a big fan of this low-carb dish. Simple to put together and toss in the oven. And Voila! Dinner. I serve with slices of avocado on the side dusted with a bit of grated sea salt.
Instant Pot Corned Beef
When you buy corned beef, there is a little packet of corned beef spices that accompanies the brisket. The secret is to use that and ADD your own corned beef spices to the mix -- after you toast them.
Beef Bourguignon
Z3-Entrees,Z3-Soups & Stews,Z3-Beef
This is a remake of Beef Bourguignon. Who can resist this traditional French dish? So lush-tasting. It just about melts in your mouth.
Creamed Orzo with Leeks and Parmesan
Z3.5-Entrees,Z3.5-Vegetarian,ZS-Holiday,Z3.5-Sides,ZSpecialties
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!
Easy Enchiladas
This dish comes together in a flash. If you are doing beef enchiladas, I recommend red sauce. If you are doing chicken, I recommend you go wild and use a green sauce.
Baked Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Z3-Vegetarian,ZS-Holiday,Z3-Appetizers & Snacks,ZSpecialties
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.
Shrimp and Mushroom Casserole
This is elegant comfort food. It’s sort of like the American version of the French dish called Coquille St. Jacque.
Lockdown Chili (Z3.5 Version)
I thought – what better time to have a spicy chili than when I am in lockdown, practicing social distancing.
Italian Sausage Tart
This meal is good for breakfast, lunch or dinner. With a side salad it makes a nice brunch offering too!
BBQ Bean Hash
Z3.5-Beef,Z3.5-Entrees,Z3.5-Sides
When I was a kid my father traveled a lot. When he was gone, sometimes my mom would let us just fry up some hamburger meat and add a can of Campbell’s baked beans. We called it bean hash. I loved it.
Potatoes Brabant (Zola Style)
I don’t eat potatoes very often but these are worth the splurge a few times a year. The yellow potatoes they are made from in my recipe are lower in carbohydrates than a Russet potato, so that’s a bonus, too.
Beef Stew in a Dutch Oven
Z3.5-Beef,Z3.5-Soups & Stews,Z3.5-Entrees
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.
Apple Crisp
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.
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.
Tomato Steak Stew
Made this tonight and was very happy with it – it would count as your vegetable and your meat although you could definitely add a green salad. I found it to be very filling.
Chicken Scallopini
ZSpecialties,Z3-Poultry,ZS-Dieter Favorites
A traditional Italian meal made the Plan Z way. My husband declared this one of his favorite meals of the year.
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.
Roasted Tomato Sauce
Z2-Sauces & Dressings,Z2-Vegetarian
You’ll think you’re eating at an Italian Grandma’s house when you taste this.
Outlaw Chili Verde
Z2-Pork,ZS-Holiday,Z2-Soup,ZSpecialties
This award-winning chili recipe won best Verde Chili by the International Chili Society in 2018. "Texas Chuck," the creator of this awesome recipe, made this chili using Mild Bills Spices (in case you're trying to get his authentic flavor).
Seared and Baked Pork Chops
This is an easy preparation with a homey vibe, when you want comfort food this is a sure bet.
Sunday Chicken
Pierre Franey was a cooking hero of mine. He was the original “60 Minute Gourmet.” I adapted this recipe from one of his and turned it into a wonderful diet meal.
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.
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!
Roasted Fennel
Z2-Vegetarian,ZSpecialties,Z2-Sides,ZS-5 Ingredients or Less
Fennel has a distinct flavor, but when it's roasted, the flavor mellows. If you like fennel, this recipe is great, and it's very easy to make.
Hot Wing Dip
ZS-Holiday,Z3-Appetizers & Snacks,ZSpecialties,ZS-Dieter Favorites,Z3-Poultry
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.
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.
Taco Casserole
This is a throw it together FAST meal for any weeknight. It is not a spicy dish but you can if you wish, add hot sauce at the table for a little extra zing.

















































