17 light recipes

Light rum balls roll up in 5 minutes from ground walnuts, vanilla wafer crumbs, honey, and rum. No-bake holiday cookies that stash in a tin for over a month and only get better with age.

Light pumpkin pie with a fluffy chiffon-style filling on a graham cracker crust, sweetened with sugar substitute and lifted with whipped egg whites. The lower-sugar pumpkin pie for the holiday table.

The addition of ingredients like curry powder and grated Parmesan make this salad special. Great for sandwiches, on crackers as an appetizer or served on lettuce leaves.

A light and healthy version of a creamy ranch salad dressing.

Try this variation of a French sauce as a topping on pancakes.

Broiled sea scallops marinated in sherry, teriyaki sauce, and lemon zest with a thickened pan sauce. A light, Asian-inspired seafood dish thats low-fat and fast.

This reduced-fat Chicken Jubilee recipe broils chicken until the skin is golden brown and finishes the main dish on the stovetop. It can be prepared ahead, if desired, to save time the next day.

Light chicken chili with boneless breast, green chiles, cumin, and chicken broth, served in a flour tortilla bowl with olives and low-fat cheddar. Quick, lean, and full of flavor.

Light vegetable stock: a simple homemade base of onion, garlic, celery, carrot, and bouquet garni simmered for an hour. The clean vegetarian foundation for soups, sauces, and risottos.

Fluffy light meatloaf made with oatmeal, bran, and wheat germ instead of breadcrumbs for a lighter, more nutritious loaf. Ground beef with tomato paste and a chili sauce glaze.

Light fiesta shrimp dip with reduced-fat cream cheese, picante sauce, horseradish, and cumin. A creamy, zesty cold dip with real chopped shrimp served with vegetable dippers.

Italian marinated eggplant sott'olio made with Japanese eggplant simmered in red wine vinegar, then layered with fresh mint, garlic, and red pepper flakes under olive oil. Marinate two days for bold antipasto flavor.

Light fiesta shrimp dip blends chopped shrimp with reduced-fat cream cheese, picante sauce, horseradish, cumin, and green onions. Lighter than your average shrimp dip, full of southwest punch.

Light honey mustard dressing with non-fat yogurt, apple cider vinegar, and a touch of Dijon. Just 21 calories per batch, tangy and creamy without the oil for healthy salads.

This lighter chocolate dessert has a bonus because it is also easy to prepare. Plan to make this recipe one day ahead to let the yogurt drain in your refrigerator.

Crispy skinned red snapper crusted with eight spices including Szechuan peppercorn, star anise, cinnamon, and cumin. Pan-seared then oven-roasted for shatteringly crisp skin.