918 light recipes

Pasta fagiole with cannellini beans, tomato, and aromatics. The classic Italian pasta and bean one-pot dinner for eight, budget-friendly and filling.

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.

Smoked haddock potato pie with a fluffy mash topping, flaked fish, and tangy fromage frais in place of butter. Grilled until the cheese turns golden and crunchy on top. A lighter take on classic fish pie.

Salmon manicotti stuffed with pink salmon, broccoli, and cottage cheese, baked in a creamy lemon-dill sauce with Parmesan. A lighter take on stuffed pasta.

Jalapeno potatoes: a Southwestern scalloped potato casserole with red-skin potatoes, pimentos, red bell pepper, and a creamy jalapeño cheese sauce. Feeds eight.

Giant honey oat cookies made with egg whites instead of whole eggs for a lighter, chewy texture. Scooped by the quarter cup for bakery-sized treats with crisp edges and soft centers.

Enchilada bean bake layers corn tortillas with mashed beans simmered in red wine and spices, cottage cheese-yogurt cream, and cheddar. A lighter vegetarian Mexican casserole.

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.

White chicken chili with tomatillos, Ro-Tel, green chilies, and cannellini beans. A lighter twist on classic red chili with a bright lime finish.

Ardshane House Irish stew is an authentic lamb-and-potato slow simmer with pearl barley and a homemade scratch stock. Six ingredients, two hours, and a hearty result that feeds eight.

Smoky puréed black bean soup loaded with cumin, coriander, chili, and eight cloves of garlic. Finished with brandy and topped with Parmesan and fresh cilantro.

A lighter baked rice pudding studded with chopped apples and dates, lifted with folded egg whites for a soufflé-like texture. Warm, cinnamony, and comforting.

Delicious dirt cake made sugar-free with devil's food cake, chocolate pudding, cream cheese filling, and crushed cookie crumbs on top. A lighter dirt dessert.

Taco salad with crisp baked tortilla whiskers, seared steak glazed with cumin, cinnamon and vinegar, black beans, cheese and guacamole over shredded romaine. A lighter, restaurant-worthy taco salad in 20 minutes.

Chicken breast sandwiches on whole wheat toast with homemade ketchup-mustard sauce, served alongside crispy oven-baked potato wedges. A lighter take on the classic chicken sandwich combo.

Sweet potatoes with a hint of orange: cooked sweet potatoes baked with cinnamon, dried apricots, and fresh orange slices. A lighter, fruit-sweetened holiday side with no marshmallows or piles of sugar.