Fresh, ripe fruit plays an important part in any healthy diet, but it can be frustrating when your juicy apples get brown and bruised just days after purchasing them. If you'd like to select the ripest, freshest produce at the grocery store, check out these four tips!

1. Feel the weight. Fruits like melons, oranges, and lemons feel heavier when they’re ripe with juice, so pick them up before choosing which ones to buy. The fruit should feel heavy for its size if it’s truly ripe.
2. Test the texture. The above fruit should also feel firm to the touch, but not so firm that they feel dry and hard inside. Give them a gentle squeeze to check for bruising, as well.
3. Use your sense of smell. Fruits like berries, grapes, and nectarines begin to smell sour or rotten when they’re past their prime, so be sure to give them a good whiff before purchasing. Most fruits will give off a light, sweet scent when they’re ready to consume.
4. Inspect the whole surface. If all else fails, use your best judgment by simply inspecting the fruit. Turn over a melon or apple to check for bruising or discoloration, take a quick peek through a bag of grapes or oranges to see if any are mushy or rotten, and consider the color of the fruit’s skin, as this can often tell if it is too ripe.

How to Select Fresh, Ripe Produce [Lifehacker]
How to Pick Fruits & Veggies [Good Housekeeping]
Raw Produce: Selecting and Serving it Safely [FDA]
Choosing Fresh Fruits and Vegetables [Family Circle]

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr/Harsha K R

It's easy to miss tiny Southside Espresso–it's tucked behind other shops in a Montrose plaza–but regulars say this little coffee house is definitely worth seeking out. Southside Espresso offers everything you need to start your day off right. Order a double shot of espresso, either straight up or mixed with a bit of foamy, steamed milk, then grab a chocolate croissant or blueberry muffin for the road.

Southside Espresso is also a good place to linger if you've got the time. Free Wi-Fi makes it easy to catch up on email or get a bit of work done, while the shop's specialty drinks, like the sweet potato latte or cardamom and clove spiked latte, are ideal for slow, leisurely sipping. A variety of house-made syrups complete the shop's flavor possibilities, and a line-up of beers and wines rounds out the evening possibilities at this hotspot.

Southside Espresso
904 Westheimer Road
Houston, TX 77006
(713) 942-9990
southsideespresso.com
www.yelp.com/biz/southside-espresso-houston

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr/olfiika

With warm, gooey chocolate inside of a moist cake exterior, molten lava cake is a chocolate lover’s dream. This decadent dessert may look like a gourmet treat, but it’s actually surprisingly easy to make. Here are two sweet and simple molten lava cake recipes!

Paula Deen’s Molten Lava Cakes [Food Network]
Everything that Food Network host Paula Deen makes is delightfully sinful, and these Molten Lava Cakes are no exception. They take just 30 minutes to prepare, and the mix of bittersweet and semisweet chocolate with orange liqueur adds a unique taste that your guests and family will love.

Healthier Molten Lava Cakes for Two [Texanerin Baking]
If you want to cut calories while still maintaining the indulgent taste and texture, this Healthier Molten Lava Cake recipe from Texanerin Baking is the perfect choice. It makes just enough for two people so that you can share with a friend, but you won’t be tempted with leftovers. Plus, the dark chocolate and espresso powder add major chocolate flavor without the added sugar of milk chocolate.

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr/Alpha