918 light recipes

Whole wheat banana muffins made low-fat with mashed ripe bananas, egg substitute, and a half-and-half whole wheat flour blend. A lighter breakfast muffin that uses up brown bananas.

Apricot ice cream with low-fat yogurt and fromage frais instead of cream. A lighter frozen dessert built on dried apricot puree, perfect for hot afternoons without the heaviness of dairy ice cream.

Black bean and chicken chili simmers tender chicken breast, black beans and sweet red peppers in a spiced tomato base splashed with beer for depth. A lighter, quicker chili ready in about 45 minutes.

Skinny banana muffins lean on ripe mashed banana for moisture and sweetness, with just a quarter cup of oil and skim milk. A lighter, fluffy banana muffin that doesn't taste like a diet compromise.

Supernatural brownies are Nick Malgieri's legendary fudge bricks: a full pound each of butter and semisweet chocolate, eight eggs, two sugars, and a shiny crackled top. Bakes a full half-sheet, rests overnight for perfect texture.

Bright, tangy white chicken chili with tomatillos, jalapeno, green chilies, cannellini beans, and fresh cilantro. A lighter take on chili that comes together in just 20 minutes.

Ravioli in roasted garlic broth with sauteed bell peppers, green peas, and golden garlic breadcrumb topping. A lighter, brothy take on stuffed pasta.

Ground turkey casserole layered with cheesy egg noodles, tomato sauce, cream cheese, cottage cheese, and yogurt. A lighter take on a retro noodle bake that feeds a crowd.

Savoy cabbage rolls stuffed with turkey sausage, rice, scallions, and celery, simmered in a rosemary-thyme tomato sauce. A lighter version of classic stuffed cabbage.

Broiled porterhouse steak with caramelized Spanish onions and a mushroom-sherry pan sauce. A lighter steakhouse dinner for two with a Weight Watchers-friendly approach.

Ridiculously easy lentil soup simmers brown lentils with sauteed onion and garlic, then finishes with fresh lemon juice. Eight ingredients, pantry-friendly, vegan.

A dump-and-go slow cooker lentil soup with crushed tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, and curry powder. Ten minutes of prep, eight hours in the crockpot, and dinner is done. Naturally vegan and loaded with fiber.

White chicken chili with white beans, green chiles, poblano pepper, cumin, and oregano. A lighter, brothy chili loaded with garnish options.

Crispy lemon oatmeal cookies made with egg whites, brown sugar, and rice cereal for extra crunch. No butter, no yolks. A lighter, citrus-bright cookie.

Chilled garbanzo and potato salad tosses boiled red potatoes with chickpeas, roma tomatoes, red onion, and spinach, then marinates for hours in the fridge. A lighter twist on picnic potato salad.

Quick sweet pickles for canning, eight pounds of cucumbers in a sugar-vinegar brine spiced with allspice, celery seed, and mustard seed. A big-batch summer canning project.