2,200 light recipes

Make glace fruit at home with this classic four-day method, slowly saturating apples, peaches, cherries, or citrus peel in sugar syrup until candied and leathery. The spent syrup becomes a fruit-flavored pancake syrup.

Layered fudge squares sandwich a homemade marshmallow fondant between two layers of milk chocolate fudge, then top with chopped nuts. Old-school candy-shop technique that yields about 48 squares of three-textured chocolate.

Thai-style sweet mung bean soup with brown sugar and fresh ginger, simmered until creamy. A warm, comforting 3-ingredient Asian dessert that's naturally vegan and high in protein.

Rich, glossy chocolate mint sauce made in the microwave in just 15 minutes. Drizzle over ice cream, brownies, or cake for a cool minty finish.

Peanut butter raisin bars are no-bake snack bars made with crushed shredded wheat, raisins, and a peanut butter caramel binder. Five ingredients, no oven, lunchbox-ready in 30 minutes.

Homemade strawberry syrup made with frozen strawberries and light corn syrup, blended smooth and boiled for 5 minutes. A three-ingredient topping for pancakes, waffles, and ice cream.

Balmain bugs simmered until the shells blush orange-red, then shelled and paired with a tropical mango sauce spiked with Thai chili and lemon. A quick Australian seafood dish that's ready in 15 minutes flat.

Fresh blackberries macerated in aged balsamic vinegar, layered with creamy Greek yogurt and honey, then topped with a crackly torched sugar crust. A no-bake crème brûlée that's elegant enough for a dinner party.

Quebec maple syrup pie (tarte au sirop d'erable) with a custard filling of pure maple syrup, cream, and eggs in a flaky shell. Five ingredients, intensely sweet, purely Canadian.

Mango passion fruit gelato blends fresh mango puree with tangy passion fruit nectar and half-and-half for a creamy tropical frozen dessert. Churns up in minutes with no egg yolks.

This is a basic vinaigrette-style dressing that works well with shredded vegetables.

Plains peach honey: a thick, clear old-fashioned Southern peach spread made with just two ingredients, ripe peaches and brown sugar. No pectin, no lemon, pure peach flavor.

Asparagus spears wrapped in bologna with a Dijon mustard and mayo spread, microwaved until hot. A quick diabetic-friendly appetizer ready in 12 minutes with just 4 ingredients.

A creamy apple marshmallow Waldorf salad: crisp Granny Smith apples, celery, walnuts, and dried fruit folded into whipped cream and mayonnaise with mini marshmallows. A retro, fluffy holiday side the whole table loves.

The classic Southern Living sweet potato casserole: a creamy, custardy mash of sweet potatoes baked under a buttery brown-sugar pecan crumble. No marshmallows here, just a crunchy praline-style topping. A holiday must.

Baked pears with vanilla ice cream: firm pears poached in apple juice, lemon, and brown sugar syrup until tender, chilled overnight, and served cored-side up with a scoop of ice cream.