Dried, fruits, nuts, oatmeal and spices are my favorite ingredients for healthful desserts and snacks to satisfy the sweet tooth. You can vary these recipes endlessly by using different fruits and nuts.

Oatmeal Bars
2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup powdered (dry) skim milk
1/2 cup Splenda (or use the sweetener of your choice, to taste)
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
2 cups applesauce (or use 1 cup of applesauce and 1 cup canned crushed pineapple)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix all ingredients together. Pat into a non-stick 9x13" baking pan. Bake about 20 minutes, or until a little brown on top. Let cool slightly and cut into bars, then cool completely before removing from the pan.

Yield: about 16 bars

You can make many variations of this basic recipe with other fruits, nuts, and 2 cups of any moist, sweet ingredient such as apple butter, fruit puree and so forth. For another delicious version try:

Mango-Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars
2 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1 cup powdered (dry) skim milk
1 cup bottled mango sauce (Trader Joe's brand)
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup sliced almonds
2 tablespoons buttermilk, milk or yogurt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix all ingredients together. Pat into a non-stick 9x13" baking pan (spray with Pam or line with foil if desired). Bake about 20 minutes, or until a little brown on top. Let cool slightly and cut into bars, then cool completely before removing from the pan.

Yield: about 16 bars

Fruity Pebbles
3 cups mixed dried fruits
1 cup finely chopped pecans
grated rind of 1 lemon
cup toasted wheat germ, plus more for rolling
teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons chocolate-orange liqueur (optional)

Chop the fruits in a food processor to blend. (If they are very dry, soak them in some water for several hours or steam them in a countertop steamer for about 15 minutes. Drain.) Combine the fruit mixture with the remaining ingredients. Shape into small (") balls and roll in additional toasted wheat germ. If you have extra nuts, you can use finely ground pecans for rolling instead of wheat germ.

Yield: 40-50 small balls

Gabe Mirkin, M.D.

Dr. Gabe Mirkin has been a radio talk show host for 25 years and practicing physician for more than 40 years; he is board certified in Sports Medicine and three other specialties.

Dr. Mirkin's daily features on fitness have been heard on CBS Radio News stations since the 1970's. He has written 16 books including The Sportsmedicine Book, the best-selling book on the subject that has been translated into many languages. His latest book is The Healthy Heart Miracle, published by HarperCollins.

Dr. Mirkin is a graduate of Harvard University and Baylor University College of Medicine. A Boston native, Dr. Mirkin did his residency at the Massachusetts General Hospital. He has served as a Teaching Fellow at Johns Hopkins Medical School, Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland, and Associate Clinical Professor in Pediatrics at the Georgetown University School of Medicine. He has run more than forty marathons and is now a serious tandem bicycle rider with his wife, nutritionist Diana Mirkin.