When thinking of an appetizer to serve at upcoming holiday parties, skip processed, premade food and serve something fresh and whole instead. We love this idea from FitSugar reader CheesePlease; she posted it in the Snack Attack: Healthy Snack Ideas community group. Think of Grana Padana as Parmigiano Reggiano's high-maintenance cousin. This cheese is less nutty and salty; a much more delicate Read more

Fig season is like pre-Fall in the fashion world, a tasty little teaser that helps bridge the gap between Summer and Autumn. Perhaps it's partly because the season is so fleeting that this fruit tastes so sweet, but when figs are just right, they taste downright sinful. When people tell me they don't like figs, I say, they just haven't had a good one yet. This soft, fleshy fruit with a thick but Read more

I recently hit up a trendy restaurant for brunch, where I found myself feasting on crusty bread topped with macerated raspberries and mascarpone cheese. The dish was chock-full of peak season sweetness, but I couldn't help but think that, at an overpriced $9, it'd be better off made at home. So, with that inspiration in mind, I took to my market and picked up a bounty of end-of-season apricots Read more

Cheese is one of those party-ready pantry items that I always have on hand; nothing's easier (or classier) than putting together a last-minute spread for a dinner party with crackers, nuts, and dried fruit. I didn't think anything could improve the old standby of the cheese platter, but I was proven wrong when I came across this elegant arrangement of late-Summer figs and cantaloupe, blue cheese Read more

While most of you would rather eat black figs, I love all figs equally and will jump at the chance to try something new with them. This weekend, on a lovely Fall afternoon, I preheated my oven and got to work baking my first fig tart with both Calimyrna and black mission figs. Making a crust can be a nerve-wracking experience, but this one is incredibly easy. The addition of vanilla extract Read more

Since figs are in season, I've been looking for delicious savory ways to use them. They're delectable as an appetizer and scrumptious on a pizza, but did you know that they're also absolutely divine in a sandwich? Give this grilled ham and cheese sandwich a try and you'll realize how amazing fresh figs are. It's a simple recipe with a rewarding result that's elegant enough for entertaining. Pair Read more

FitSugar reader summer m shared her healthy breakfast in the Healthy Recipe Group. Fresh fruit from the farmers market is the best. And Sunday mornings (the day after the market) are perfect for a fresh and simple breakfast of fruit, yogurt and granola. For this quick meal I mixed together some fresh strawberries, raspberries, peaches and fresh figs. Mixed the fruit together and topped my fat Read more