This Zucchini Chicken Casserole is made with sliced zucchini, shredded chicken, and a creamy cheese sauce, baked together into a simple, comforting dinner. It’s a good way to use up a summer glut of zucchini without turning to bread or muffins. I make this on weeknights when I want something filling that doesn’t need a…

This Spinach Lasagna is made with layers of pasta, a ricotta and feta cheese filling, wilted spinach, and marinara sauce, baked until bubbly and golden on top. The feta adds a tangy edge that a plain ricotta filling doesn’t have, which keeps this from tasting like every other vegetarian lasagna. I make this for meatless…

This Chicken Spinach Cauliflower Casserole is made with shredded chicken, wilted spinach, and roasted cauliflower, all baked together in a creamy cheddar sauce. It’s a low-carb dinner that still eats like a full comfort food meal, with the cauliflower standing in for a heavier starch. I make this on weeknights when I want something filling…

This Zucchini Lasagna is made with thin zucchini strips standing in for pasta noodles, layered with a rich bolognese sauce, ricotta, and mozzarella, baked until bubbly. Salting and roasting the zucchini first is what keeps this low-carb version from turning into a watery mess. I make this when I want lasagna flavor without all the…

This Mushroom Spaghetti is made with browned cremini mushrooms tossed with spaghetti in a classic bechamel sauce, finished with a good amount of parmesan. Bechamel gives this a thicker, more velvety coating than a cream-based sauce, closer to what you’d find under a baked pasta dish. I make this when I want something that feels…

This Lasagna Soup is made with ground chicken, a rich tomato sauce, and broken lasagna noodles simmered right in the pot, finished with a dollop of ricotta and a sprinkle of mozzarella. It’s everything you like about lasagna, without the layering or the baking time. I make a big pot of this on weeknights when…

This Lemon Pepper Spaghetti is made with fresh lemon juice and zest stirred into a butter and parmesan cream sauce, finished with a generous crack of black pepper. It’s bright and a little sharp in a way that a plain alfredo isn’t, which keeps it from tasting heavy. I make this on nights when I…

This Fettuccine and Meatballs is made with tender homemade meatballs simmered in a rich tomato sauce, tossed with fettuccine instead of the usual spaghetti. Fettuccine’s wider shape holds onto the sauce better and gives this classic combination a slightly different texture. I make this on Sunday when I want a slower dinner project, since the…

This Baked Cabbage is made with cabbage wedges roasted until tender, covered in a garlicky mushroom cream sauce, and topped with melted cheese. It’s a simple vegetable side that eats more like a main dish once the sauce and cheese are involved. I make this when I want a low-carb side that isn’t just steamed…