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Italian Sausage Tart
This meal is good for breakfast, lunch or dinner. With a side salad it makes a nice brunch offering too!
Turkey Meatball, Sweet Potato, and Kale Soup
Z3-Poultry,Z3-Entrees,Z3-Soups & Stews
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!
Lockdown Chili (Z3.5 Version)
I thought – what better time to have a spicy chili than when I am in lockdown, practicing social distancing.
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.
Strawberry “Almost Ice Cream”
Z2-Beverages,ZS-Dieter Favorites,Z2-Vegetarian,Z2-Desserts,ZSpecialties
Dieter Claire invented this recipe by modifying the fruit parfait recipe and adding extra frozen strawberries. She says, "it's as close to ice cream as you can get." We agree.
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.
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?
Tomato Basil Soup
ZS-Zola to Go,Z2-Soup,ZSpecialties,ZS-Dieter Favorites
Tomato basil soup is very easy to make. It comes together in a flash. The addition of cooked chicken elevates it to a one bowl meal.
Mushroom-Bacon Soup
I had a hankering for bacon. My husband wanted mushroom soup. And this recipe was born.
Roasted Lemon Chicken
ZSpecialties,Z2-Poultry,ZS-5 Ingredients or Less,ZS-Holiday,ZS-Dieter Favorites
When you are in the ZReduction portion of Plan Z you will not be eating the skin of the chicken or any of the dark meat. Breast meat only.
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.
French Crock Pot Rib Roast
Z2-Entrees,ZS-5 Ingredients or Less,Z2-Beef,ZSpecialties
Feels just like you are eating in the French countryside.
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.
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
ZS-Holiday,Z3-Appetizers & Snacks,ZSpecialties,ZS-5 Ingredients or Less
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!
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!
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.
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!
Turkey Fricassee
ZS-Holiday,Z3-Entrees,Z3-Poultry,ZSpecialties
I love to take the leftover turkey and transform it into something different. French comfort food. BIG YUM.
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.
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 Pepper Steak in a Crock Pot
This is a great crock pot recipe. Super simple but really tasty.
Shallot Onion Rings
Z2-Appetizers & Snacks,Z2-Vegetarian,Z2-Sides
My husband loves these so much he asks for them probably 4 times a week and has even begun making them himself! They taste every bit as good as regular onion rings without the breading.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
Healthy Orange Creamsicle
ZS-Dieter Favorites,ZSpecialties,Z2-Desserts,Z2-Vegetarian
We have to thank Dieter Claire for inventing this recipe. She modified the fruit parfait recipe and developed a strawberry "ice cream" recipe and this recipe with frozen mandarin oranges. She says, “it’s like an orange creamsicle.” YUM!
French Chicken with Lemon-Tarragon Cream Sauce
Z2-Entrees,ZS-Dieter Favorites,Z2-Poultry,ZSpecialties
A delightful chicken dish that tastes very French. This is super easy to make and dieters are enjoying it all over the country.
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.
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.
Quick Coquilles St. Jacques (Scallops in a Creamy Mushroom-Parmesan Sauce)
I remember my first introduction to scallops like it was yesterday. As I took my first bite and swooned I knew these were to become a new favorite.
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.
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.
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 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.
Lobster Thermidor
Lobster thermidor is a classic dish. It’s decadent because of the cost of the lobster but it also has one of the dreamiest sauces you can possibly imagine.
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.
Pumpkin Mousse
Z3-Desserts,ZSpecialties,ZS-Holiday
Light and dreamy. If you like pumpkin you’ll love this smooth and easy dessert.
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.
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.
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.
Authentic Italian Meatballs
ZSpecialties,Z3-Entrees,Z3-Beef,ZS-Zola to Go
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!
Famous Burger Meatloaf
ZS-Dieter Favorites,Z2-Entrees,ZSpecialties,Z2-Beef
This is a “Whopper” of a meatloaf, designed to taste like the famous burger. I hope you enjoy.
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 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.

















































