1,451 light recipes

To make the kebabs, you’ll need eight 10-inch wooden or bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 20 minutes. Metal skewers may overcook the lamb, so use only metal if you like your meat well done.

This hearty dish features jumbo pasta shells filled with a savory ground beef mixture, seasoned with garlic, onions, and herbs, then baked under a rich spaghetti sauce and melted mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. It’s a crowd-pleasing, make-ahead meal that’s freezer-friendly and skips ricotta for a lighter twist.

Bright, herb-forward hummus with no tahini needed. Sautéed onion and garlic blend with fresh parsley, basil, oregano, and coriander into silky chickpeas for a lighter Middle Eastern dip that skips the paste but keeps all the flavor. Ready in 25 minutes.

Low-fat pumpkin raisin cake made with egg whites, no butter, and pumpkin pie spice. Served with a strained yogurt cream sauce for a lighter fall dessert.

Whole wheat carrot spice quickbread with orange zest, golden raisins, and walnuts. A lighter, warmly spiced loaf that comes together fast with no yeast required.

Fat-free pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving with a no-butter bread crumb crust, egg-white-only filling, and skim evaporated milk. A lighter holiday classic with all the warm spice.

Cereal crunch coffee cake with crushed wheat flakes baked into the batter and a cinnamon-cereal crumble on top. A lighter brunch cake with raisins, brown sugar, and a hint of nutmeg.

Italian-style pot roast is a beef chuck braised for three hours with soffritto, tomato paste, red wine, and Italian herbs. Sliced beef plus pasta sauce over spaghetti, feeds eight.

Hearty spaghetti meat sauce with ground beef, spicy Italian sausage, mushrooms, and tomatoes simmered in a Dutch oven. Feeds eight and tastes like it took all day.

Steamed potato salad tossed with green peas, celery, and scallions in a lighter dressing of mayonnaise, yogurt, Dijon mustard, and loads of fresh dill. A bright, tangy side for cookouts and potlucks.

Mazetti: a dump-and-go slow cooker casserole with ground beef, egg noodles, tomato soup, corn, and mushrooms. Eight-hour weeknight dinner that feeds a family on autopilot.

Lettuce cups with ground beef and tofu in a savory chili-garlic, hoisin, and sesame sauce. A lighter take on Chinese lettuce wraps with hidden tofu stretching the beef.

Spinach ricotta stuffed shells with a cabbage twist, baked in tomato-broth sauce with nutmeg. A lighter Italian-American main with hidden-vegetable smarts.

Orange sweet potatoes whipped with fresh orange juice, zest, brown sugar, and a secret splash of Angostura bitters. A lighter, butterless holiday side dish.

No-noodle turkey spinach lasagna layered with low-fat ricotta, spaghetti sauce, and non-fat mozzarella. A lighter take on lasagna that skips the pasta entirely and uses spinach as the base.

Chicken and shrimp gumbo with okra, mustard greens, collard greens, and a custom Cajun seasoning blend thickened with browned flour. A lighter take on gumbo with no oil-based roux and loads of greens.