902 light recipes

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.

A no-egg, no-butter, no-milk chocolate cake you can mix right in the pan. Eight pantry staples, 40 minutes, and zero cleanup headaches. The classic "wacky cake" that's been saving dessert since the Depression era.

Soft cocoa oatmeal cookies with plump raisins, made with egg whites instead of whole eggs. A lighter chocolate cookie that stays chewy and satisfying for days.

Lean ground beef simmered in a spiced no-salt tomato sauce, served in crispy baked tortilla bowls on a bed of shredded lettuce with cherry tomatoes, carrots, and Parmesan. A lighter taco salad that doesn't skimp on flavor.

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.

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.

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.

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.

A lighter green chili loaded with beans, green peppers, jalapenos, green chiles, and cumin in chicken broth. No tomatoes, all heat, ready in 30 minutes flat.

Zucchini bread with applesauce instead of oil, raisins, and cinnamon, baked into 2 moist loaves. A lighter zucchini bread recipe that uses applesauce to replace oil without sacrificing texture.

Four-ingredient garlic and white bean soup made entirely in the microwave. Eight cloves of mellowed garlic, creamy pureed beans, vegetable broth. High-fiber, low-fat, vegan.

Fruit and nut mini muffins sweetened naturally with boiled dates, raisins, and cranberries. No added sugar, made with egg substitute for a lighter, diabetic-friendly breakfast treat.

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.

Vegetable tamale pie with pinto beans, peppers, tomatoes, and melted cheddar under a yogurt-cornmeal biscuit topping. A vegetarian Tex-Mex casserole that swaps cornbread for a lighter tamale crown.

Rich, velvety black bean soup with bacon, ham, brown rice, and eight onions simmered for hours then blended smooth. Finished with white wine and sherry for a luxurious bowl.

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.