1,293 light recipes

Light, crisp peppermint meringue cookies made with egg whites, sugar, and crushed candy canes. Slow-baked until dry and melt-in-your-mouth airy.

Mushroom salad tosses crisp iceberg and Boston lettuce with cucumbers, green beans, and raw sliced mushrooms in French dressing. Light, vegetarian, diabetic-friendly side.

Rasgulla, the classic Bengali cheese ball dessert of spongy homemade chenna simmered in light sugar syrup until pillowy and sweet. Four ingredients, big payoff.

Belgian waffles using flour, salt, and liquid egg substitute, crisp-edged from the waffle iron and topped with whipped cream. A light brunch favorite.

Soft honey walnut drop cookies with sour cream, flaked coconut, and vanilla. Chewy, cakey, and lightly sweet with a walnut half pressed on top of each one.

Soft, pillowy potato doughnuts made with mashed potatoes and buttermilk, fried golden, and dipped in a quick chocolate fudge frosting. This big-batch recipe yields about 48 doughnuts.

Rice with black beans, stewed tomatoes, garlic, and oregano cooked in one pot. An oil-free, plant-based side dish or light meal ready in under 30 minutes.

Fat-free tomato onion dressing blended with sauteed sweet onion, herb vinegar, basil, poppy seeds, celery seeds, and dill. A light, tangy salad dressing with no oil.

Light mixed bean salad with green beans, broad beans, kidney beans, and firm tofu tossed in lemon juice and served with a fresh herb fromage frais dressing. A low-fat vegetarian side dish ready in 15 minutes.

Pasta shells tossed in a carrot sauce made by simmering chopped carrots, celery, garlic, and thyme in vegetable stock until reduced by half. Vegan, light, and naturally sweet with a red pepper flake kick.

Marinated broccoli chunks in a light rice vinegar, olive oil, dill, and garlic dressing. A crisp, no-cook appetizer that uses broccoli stalks instead of florets.

A clean, light Asian-style soup of tender napa cabbage and celery in a simple broth, topped with cooked shrimp and fresh scallions. Just 6 ingredients and under 50 calories per bowl.

Grilled angel food cake with skewered nectarines basted in a lemon-sugar glaze, served alongside fresh blueberries for a light summer dessert straight off the grill.

No-bake fresh peach pie with ripe peach wedges arranged in a swirl pattern, glazed with melted apricot preserves on a graham cracker crust. A summer dessert that lets perfectly ripe peaches do all the work.

Gingered holiday chutney simmers Anjou pears, red and green bell peppers, lemon, lime and crystallized ginger in a brown sugar vinegar syrup. A sweet-tangy condiment for cheese boards, ham, turkey or roasted pork.

Tuna pita pockets stuffed with creamy yogurt-mustard tuna salad, fresh dill, crisp celery, lettuce, and tomato. A light, mayo-free lunch ready in 10 minutes.