Easy Italian Casserole

A very quick and simple family dinner.

My Mother’s 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. 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.

Zucchini Fritters (or Pancakes)

Fried till golden using coconut flour.

Butternut Squash Puree by Chef Josh

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.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

A rich and easy cream of mushroom soup.

Sloppy Joes

You could call this the “adult version” of Sloppy Joes.  It does have some ZIP to it. Don’t be intimidated by the length of the ingredients list. The recipe is worth it. And you probably have most of these ingredients in your pantry.

Roasted Tomato Sauce

You’ll think you’re eating at an Italian Grandma’s house when you taste this.

BBQ Bean Hash

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.

Pumpkin or Sweet Potato Bread

Everyone loves pumpkin, right? Well, how about a tea bread that’s made with pumpkin? Sort of like banana bread. Or even make it with sweet potato puree.

Caramelized Pears (ZReboot Version)

A no sugar variation of my caramelized pears recipe. Still very yummy!

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.

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!

Warm Apple Dessert (Compote)

This tastes amazingly like gooey apple pie! This is delightful. Just like Grandma used to make.

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.

Italian Sausage Tart

This meal is good for breakfast, lunch or dinner. With a side salad it makes a nice brunch offering too!

Basil Cream Chicken

I adapted this dish from one I saw in a recipe site. I had to change it quite a bit to “Zola-fy” it but it was just so decadent and creamy I had to share.

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. 

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.

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.

Burger and Egg

It’s all the rage in the big city. Have a runny egg on top of your burger. Well, you can do that in ZReduction too! I just ate mine and I’m stuffed!

Baked Chicken with Shiitake Mushroom Sauce

If we had a gourmet comfort food category this recipe would be the first one. Its easy to make, very satisfying, and tastes delicious. A great meal for a rainy day.

Chili Con Carne

This is a meaty chili with some veggies tossed in for crunch factor. Makes a satisfying lunch.

Turkey Meatball, Sweet Potato, and Kale Soup

With the winter months peeking over our shoulder this hearty soup will shake off the chill while the leaves are still falling. ZTeam coach Grace made this at home and enjoyed it so much she wanted to share it with the Plan Z community!

Chili #4

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.

French Crock Pot Rib Roast

Feels just like you are eating in the French countryside.

Braised Red Cabbage

For all you cabbage lovers out there, this recipe is a ZReduction take on a German classic. While you can whip this dish up in about 30 minutes, red cabbage tastes sweeter the longer you cook it -- so if you are on ZReduction and like your cabbage a little sweeter, cook it low and slow until the flavors mellow and meld to your liking.

Beef Stew in a Dutch Oven

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.

Famous Burger Meatloaf

This is a “Whopper” of a meatloaf, designed to taste like the famous burger. I hope you enjoy.

French Chicken with Lemon-Tarragon Cream Sauce

A delightful chicken dish that tastes very French. This is super easy to make and dieters are enjoying it all over the country.

Hot Brown Open-faced Sandwich

This is fast to make and is a wonderful comfort food addition to your recipes.

Creamed Orzo with Leeks and Parmesan

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!

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!

Italian Pepper Steak in a Crock Pot

This is a great crock pot recipe. Super simple but really tasty.

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.

Lockdown Chili (Z2 Version)

What better time to have a spicy chili than when I am in lockdown, practicing social distancing. 

Chicken Chili Enchilada Casserole

This casserole tastes just like a zippy chicken enchilada without the major carbohydrate intake.

American Amatriciana

Amatriciana is an Italian dish. Simple and traditional. I am calling this American Amatriciana because the Italian version is made with guanciale or pancetta. I make mine with good ole’ American bacon. This is one of my husband’s favorite dishes. I hope you love it too.

Crispy Chicken

You have a hankerin’ for Fried Chicken? This will fit the bill.

Italian Sausage Zucchini Casserole (with Pasta)

This dish is Italian comfort food. I curl up on sofa with a bowl of this and watch a movie. You can go totally low-carb with this one and make it without the pasta. Tastes just as good. This also makes a great casserole addition to a pot luck party.

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.

Seared and Baked Pork Chops

This is an easy preparation with a homey vibe, when you want comfort food this is a sure bet.

Beefy Pasta Casserole

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.

Beef & Vegetable Stew

This stew will contain your meat and vegetable portion, serve with salad greens for a complete meal.

Frito Meatloaf

This meatloaf makes six servings. When you serve it, remember that your crunch item is already included, so no breadstick or crackers with this meal.

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.

Caramelized Pears (ZReboot 3.5 Version)

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!

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.

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.

Onion Chicken and Homemade Applesauce

"My mom wasn’t a cook which I think I’ve told you, so when she made pork chops she would put them in a dish, pour French onion soup (Campbell’s from a can) over them and serve it with applesauce.

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