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We all love sweets. Fortunately, plenty of sweet but healthy foods can be made at home. So next time, skip the triple-layer chocolate cake and try a delicious homemade fruit snack.

Dried fruit snacks are a delicious and convenient way to enjoy a snack. You can purchase them at our local supermarket but we suggest you try making them yourself as they are much healthier!

Here are instructions to make your own dried fruit snack.

1 - Select the type of fruit that you would like to use for your fruit snacks. Good choices are bananas, peaches, grapes, pears, kiwi, mango and pineapple. The fruit must be fully ripe and unblemished.

2 - Rinse the fruit in lukewarm water. Peel the fruits that need to be peeled, such as bananas, peaches, pears, kiwi, mango and pineapple.

3 - Dip any light-colored fruits in lemon juice to prevent darkening while in the oven. This includes apples, apricots, bananas, peaches, pears, mango and pineapple.

4 - Cut the fruit into quarter-inch slices. Cut smaller fruits, such as grapes, in half. Pears and apples must be cored, and you will need to remove the pits from peaches, cherries, mango and apricots.

5 - Preheat your oven to 150 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the fruit in one layer on a cookie sheet. After the oven has heated up, place the cookie sheet in the oven. Open the oven door a few inches to allow air to circulate.

6 - Check on the fruit and flip with a spatula every hour. Fruit can take anywhere from eight to 24 hours to dry out. If your fruit is taking a very long time and you must leave it unattended, turn the oven down to 100 degrees F. Flip the fruit again as soon as possible to avoid overdrying. When the fruit becomes leather-like, it is done.

7 - Allow the fruit to cool. Fruit snacks are best when consumed immediately but will last for about four days to a week. Store in plastic bags and place in the refrigerator.

Enjoy your healthy dried fruit snacks! It's always great to have your dried fruit snacks at your fingertips

Is that true that watermelon store and keep ripe at room temperature is more nutritious than ice cold watermelon? Researchers compared the level of antioxidant between watermelon ripe at store room temperature for two weeks increases it nutritional value than one stored in the lower temperature.

Watermelon is like tomatoes that owes its ripening process on the amount of antioxidant lycopene, an organic pigment of carotenoid family. The only differences the watermelon has lower level of beta carotene than tomatoes. 

Based on the research, the lycopene level is dependent on the storage temperature. Watermelon left uncut at the kitchen or room temperature doubled its beta carotene compared to the one stored in lower temperature did not increase. Low temperature halted the ripening process of watermelon reducing the beneficial antioxidant to build up.

But, it's not good to leave your food sitting in the table for safety concerns. It's better to put it inside the fridge once you cut it.

Ingredients:

1 watermelon

8 oz fat free frozen whipped topping, thawed

8 oz nonfat light lemon yogurt

Fresh fruit to decorate cake (strawberries, blueberries, kiwi fruit, grapes, apples,

pineapples)

Method:

 Choose 7 inches diameter symmetrical watermelon.  Cut 3 "thick cross section from watermelon.  Cut 4 slits through rind without cutting the red flesh.  Cut the white rind.  Fold together whipped topping and yogurt. Pat watermelon cake dry with paper towel. Place the watermelon cake on serving plate.  Put around the top and sides with whipped topping mixture. Decorate with fresh fruit as desired.  Refrigerate until ready to serve. Cut to 10 pieces.

I am always looking for new recipes and this recipe comes from a cousin of mine. It is a pleasant change from the normal pumpkin bars, pumpkin pie and even pumpkin cookies that we are so used to. It also makes a wonderful centerpiece with its bright orange color and white topping. Simply take it out of the pan and transfer into a pretty, clear bowl.

Here are the ingredients that you will need to make your praline pumpkin dessert:

1 fifteen ounce can of pumpkin ( not the pumpkin pie mix)

1 twelve ounce can of evaporated milk

3 large eggs

1 cup of white sugar

4 teaspoons of cinnamon

1 yellow or white cake mix

1 ½ cups of finely chopped nuts

¾ butter or margarine

Whipped cream

This recipe will easily serve twelve people.

The first thing you need to do after you have your ingredients measured out is to beat together your pumpkin and milk in a large mixing bowl. A hand mixer is very handy for this recipe. When the milk and pumpkin are well blended, add the eggs, sugar, and cinnamon and beat until it is smooth.

Once beaten until smooth, pour the pumpkin mixture into a well greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Then sprinkle the dry cake mix over the top of the pumpkin mixture. Next, sprinkle the chopped nuts evenly over the cake mix. Then melt your butter or margarine and pour it over the nuts.

Bake your dessert at 350 degrees for fifty to sixty minutes. Top with whipped topping and serve. You can serve this dessert warm or chilled. Store it in your refrigerator or in a cool place.top class food

The pudding in the cake makes it stay nice and moist. And the toppings and spices make it have the taste of a traditional coffee cake.

The first thing you will want to do is get your ingredients ready and measured out. Here is a list of the ingredients you will need to make this coffee cake:

1 box of your favorite yellow cake mix

1 small box of instant vanilla pudding

1 small box of instant butterscotch pudding

4 large eggs

1 cup plus one tablespoon of vegetable oil

¾ cup of water

1 tightly packed cup of brown sugar

1 Tablespoon of cinnamon

1 cup of finely chopped nuts

After you have all the ingredients measured out, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Then, in a medium size mixing bowl, begin by mixing together your yellow cake mix and your vanilla and butterscotch puddings. When well mixed, add your eggs and your vegetable oil. Mix these in by hand and then add your three quarter cup of water and your nuts. Mix all this very well.

Divide the dough in half and spread one half into a well greased nine by thirteen inch pan. Spread evenly across the bottom of the pan. Then in a small mixing bowl, combine your brown sugar and cinnamon with a fork. When evenly mixed, divide in half and sprinkle half of the sugar over the dough in the pan. Then spread the remaining dough over the sugar and top with the rest of your sugar and cinnamon.

Bake at 350 degrees for fifty minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. This coffee cake is good no matter what the occasion! Serve with hot coffee, tea or cold milk.