918 light recipes

Banana nut bread made with whole wheat and white flours, ginger and mace, plus chopped pecans and dates folded in. A spiced, fruit-and-nut-loaded quick bread that's denser and more interesting than the standard.

A scrumptious, light snack that is perfect for the kids lunches!

A meat-less loaf with a quick and fresh tomato sauce. Freezes well, an easy make-ahead favorite packed with chunks of corn, lentils and rice. One of the best vegetarian loafs I've ever tried.

A tantalizing and delicious pasta dish that's perfect for a light lunch!

Bow-tie pasta with scallops and green beans in a fresh tomato sauce with garlic, basil, marjoram, and red pepper flakes. A light, herb-forward Italian seafood pasta.

Southern lemon fruitcake with pecans, raisins, candied pineapple, and maraschino cherries. Light, golden, and lemon-forward, the alternative to traditional dark fruitcake.

Apple dessert bars with a buttery shortbread crust, cinnamon-lemon apple layer, and a rich coconut-nut custard topping that bakes into chewy squares.

Parkin is a variety of gingerbread, good warming stuff to eat out of doors in cold weather. When I was a child, it was always a firm favourite for the firework party on Bonfire Night each year. This is adapted from my mother's recipe.

Golden egg yolk bread loaded with dried cranberries, toasted pecans, and a hint of orange zest. A rich, buttery yeast loaf that puts those leftover yolks to brilliant use.

A bubbly, protein-packed casserole with ground turkey, lima beans, baked beans, and kidney beans in a sweet-tangy brown sugar and molasses sauce. Oven or microwave ready in about an hour.

Market mystery cookies with just five ingredients: butter, dark brown sugar, oats, egg, and vanilla. Cooked in a double boiler, then baked into tiny, crisp, toffee-like wafers.

Homemade oatmeal bread with honey, molasses, and rolled oats for a hearty loaf with deep sweetness and a chewy crumb. Simple knead-and-rise method, no bread machine needed.

Make-ahead brownie mix yields 12 fudgy brownies plus five mix-in variations: mint, coconut almond, raspberry hazelnut, cherry, and caramel pecan layered. The pantry shortcut you actually want.

Loaded chocolate chip cookies stuffed with pecans, white chocolate, milk chocolate, semisweet chocolate, and mini chips. The everything-in-the-cookie-jar classic.

Lincolnshire plum bread, a traditional English yeasted fruit loaf with prunes, currants, golden raisins, cinnamon, and allspice. A buttery, spiced bread that slices beautifully for tea.

Bread machine potato bread using instant potato flakes for a soft, fluffy crumb. Simple ingredients, light crust, and minimal hands-on effort for a 1.5 pound loaf.