Fruit Purees, such as pear or applesauce, add sweetness and moistness to baked goods. Use one quarter of the oil called for and substitute puree for the rest.

Everyone has heard about the benefits of fiber. Oat bran can significantly lower blood cholesterol in addition to adding fiber. Experiment with your own recipes.

A perfectly ripe cantaloupe will have a sweet, fresh fragrance. It should feel heavy for its size and give slightly at both ends when gently pressed. If the cantaloupe is soft, yellowing or feels wet at the stem end, pass it by. To ripen a hard cantaloupe, store it in a warm place for several days, away from sunlight. Once it is ripe, refrigerate and use within a week. For a melon basket, use a nontoxic marker to draw zigzag pattern on melon. Cut deeply into fruit along pattern, separate halves, seed, and fill with fruit.