Who doesn't love dessert? From brownies to cookies and cakes, I could eat them all. I especially love cheesecake, but at more than 500 calories per slice and 36 grams of fat, it's an infrequent indulgence for me. Since I feel that you should enjoy dessert without the guilt, I created a low-fat, low-calorie version of this treat. I call it my Cheesecake Parfait with Blackberry Sauce.

I switched out the full-fat cream cheese for the fat-free version and traded the white sugar for a zero-calorie sweetener -- this reduced the fat and sugar content tremendously. For a kick of fiber, I included raspberries and blackberries, which also contain high levels of vitamin C and potassium. By swapping traditional cheesecake for my low-fat version, you are not only eating a fraction of the calories and fat, you are also getting a full serving of fruit from the berries. Sneaking a serving of fruit into your meal may not seem like a big deal, but most adults and children do not meet their daily recommendation of fruit and vegetables.

Want a better way to help meet your requirements? Try my delicious dish and satisfy your cheesecake craving!

As a mom, I work pretty hard (like all of you) to make sure that my kids not only eat a healthy diet, but that they learn how to make good choices about what they put in their mouth. Though my three-year-old still needs a little convincing, my five-year-old is really starting to get the picture. She tries new foods at meal times, knows the difference between "sometimes" foods and "all the time" foods, and looks forward to "treats" like fresh cucumbers from the garden or green peppers dipped in hummus.

After a busy day running errands last week, however, she really showed me that all the focus on nutrition was paying off. It was a grueling day of doctor appointments and car repair, and it was long past when they should have had an afternoon snack. I resorted to the bad behavior of bribing to get my cranky kids through, promising a trip to the ice cream store on the way home.

After our last errand, we passed the farmer's market and decided to stop. We picked up fresh, local cherries, raspberries, and melon to chop up into a fruit salad for dinner. After we all got loaded in the car, my daughter told me, "Mom, you don't need to get us ice cream now. We just want to eat those raspberries. Is that ok?"

Is that ok? I assured her that, yes, that was a great idea. We drove home, ate all of the raspberries before they could be put into the salad, and marveled at how, sometimes, our kids have so much to teach us.

One of the best parts about summer is all the fresh fruit that comes into season -- not only does it taste so much better when it didn't have to get shipped across the world but freshly ripened fruit is also full of much more in the way of nutrients, enzymes, and other health benefits. And although pretty much all fruits are good for you in one way or another, here are a few you'll want to make sure you incorporate as much as possible into your summer diet:

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I love this time of year. When my local produce stores start carrying fruits and vegetables that aren't labeled "product of some outlandishly far away country." Locally grown products are fresher, better for the environment, and even seem to taste better. Depending on where you live, many berries may be already in season. Strawberry season is just around the corner for me, and I can't wait! Berries pack a powerful nutritional punch (via FitSugar).

Berries such as blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries are rich in vitamins and antioxidants. They can help ward off certain diseases and may even slow the aging process. You can mix things up by looking for different tastes such as currants, gooseberries, and lingonberries.

Try topping your morning cereal or oatmeal with berries, enjoying a bowl of berries with some skim milk, mixing them in your yogurt, topping a small slice of angel food cake, or just popping them as they are. Your health -- and taste buds -- will thank you.

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There has been so much good press lately regarding the health benefits of fresh fruit, especially fresh raspberries and blueberries, that more and more shoppers are putting fruit on the weekly grocery list. Credited with helping in the fight against one of the biggest illnesses in this country, cancer, it's no wonder fresh fruit is getting so popular. So that's great and all, but there is a downside to this sudden interest in the produce aisle: prices are skyrocketing. Berries are flying by air, floating by sea, and traveling by truck from all over the world in an attempt to meet the drastically rising demand.

Of course it's never a good thing when prices at the grocery store go up, especially when it's related to something in the "health food" category. But hopefully people won't get too discouraged -- spending a few extra bucks on fresh fruit is so much better for you than blowing it on a big bag of Doritos.

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Are you a berry fan? Blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, etc. -- there are just a ton of different berries for every taste it seems. I use them in smoothies and breakfast cereals as well as eating them raw. There's quite possibly no better nutrition than fresh berries in my opinion.

It seems like there is a study or new research every so often that links berries to the prevention of cancer, and herbalists and nutritionists will be quick to tell you that the most potent form of cancer fighting there is can be found in fresh berries, not radioactive chemotherapy.

The most recent studies (yes, two of them) concluded that eating berries may make gastrointestinal cancers less likely., two new studies show. Although the tests are always conducted on mice (not people), the validity still reigns on in my mind strongly. How about you -- are you a "berry" fan?

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