7,057 light recipes

Easy fruit cake made with applesauce instead of butter for a lighter, lower-fat version. Packed with mixed dried fruit, baked low and slow. No oil, no egg yolks. Makes one dense, fragrant loaf.

High-fiber bread quiche uses stale multigrain bread as the crust, filled with low-fat cottage cheese, eggs, and evaporated skim milk. A lighter take on classic quiche with no pastry dough required.

Buttermilk pear pound cake built on reduced pear puree and nutty brown butter, with whipped egg whites folded in for a tender, moist crumb. A lighter spin on a classic tube cake.

Low calorie graham cracker crust with just 3 ingredients. Uses less butter and sugar than standard recipes for a lighter pie base that still holds together.

Chicken and bean burritos with spiced poached chicken shredded into smooth pureed pinto beans, rolled in flour tortillas with cheese and sour cream, then baked crisp. A lighter, hearty burrito with all the taco toppings.

Indian-style garlic wheat flatbread with cardamom and crushed garlic, griddle-cooked into eight tender rounds. Yeast-free Indian roti-style bread for curries and stews.

One-skillet chicken meatballs with sauerkraut, rice, and crushed tomatoes. A lighter take on a German-inspired comfort dish that cooks rice right in the pot.

Mango brulee with a custard made from double cream, fromage frais, and egg yolks topped with caramelized demerara sugar. A lighter take on classic creme brulee.

Turkey piccata: flour-dredged turkey cutlets sauteed in butter and finished with a fresh lemon pan sauce. A lighter, faster take on the Italian veal classic.

Fresh herb turkey loaf with oats, egg whites, red bell pepper, celery, parsley, and basil. A lighter take on meatloaf that's leaner and packed with vegetables.

Pasta shells stuffed with tofu, mozzarella, mushrooms, and red pepper, baked under a fresh fennel and tomato sauce. A lighter, plant-forward spin on stuffed shells.

Fourth of July grilled Cornish hens split lengthwise and basted with a lemon-garlic-Italian dressing marinade. Backyard BBQ centerpiece that feeds eight for summer holidays.

Whole wheat French toast with orange zest, cinnamon, and vanilla, served with sugar-macerated orange slices and a sprinkle of wheat germ. A lighter brunch option.

Pear and raisin charoset with dried apricots, honey, cinnamon, lemon juice, and sweet red wine. A lighter Passover charoset that's no-cook and Weight Watchers friendly.

Garlic shrimp linguine with rosemary, oregano, and a touch of cayenne. Eight cloves of garlic, lemon-spiked olive oil, fresh spinach and tomato, finished with parmesan.

Slice and bake sugar cookies: a make-ahead dough rolled in wax paper and chilled, then sliced and baked into tender cookies. Yields nearly eight dozen.