Easy dinner recipes: Fruit for dinner!

Using fruit in savory dishes is a great way to sweeten and liven up any meal. Citrus is great in salads and dried fruit pairs well with grains and hearty proteins.

Here are three options for dinner that use fruit to add a touch of sweetness.

PINK GRAPEFRUIT AND FENNEL SALAD WITH CRAB

Total time: 20 minutes | Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 pink grapefruit
• 1 head fennel
• 1/4 red onion
• Salt
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 cup torn arugula
• 4 ounces lump Dungeness crab meat

Directions:

Peel the grapefruit and cut it into sections: Using a very sharp knife, cut off the top and the bottom of the grapefruit, so it will sit flat on the cutting board. Starting where you see the pink grapefruit separate from the white pith, cut away one section of peel and pith, following the line of the fruit. This will expose the underlying fruit. Continue cutting away sections of the peel and pith until only fruit remains. When you’re done, go back over the fruit, removing any traces of pith.

Working over a small bowl to catch the juice, slice the fruit into sections -- make a cut between the fruit and membrane, then do the same on the other side, freeing pure fruit. Repeat until you have removed all the fruit from the membrane. Squeeze any juice from the remaining membrane into the bowl. You will need about 2 tablespoons

Quarter the fennel lengthwise and remove the triangular core at the center. Use a mandolin or a very sharp knife to slice the fennel as thin as possible, about one-eighth inch; you’ll have about 3 cups, lightly packed. Do the same with the red onion; you’ll have about one-half cup. Combine the fennel and red onion in a large bowl.

Add one-half teaspoon salt and the red pepper flakes to the reserved grapefruit juice and whisk in the olive oil.

Toss the fennel with just enough of the dressing to lightly moisten it. Arrange the fennel on a platter in a low mound.

Add the arugula to the same bowl and toss to moisten it; you may need to add another teaspoon of vinaigrette. Arrange the arugula on top of the fennel.

Add the grapefruit and crab meat to the same bowl and toss very gently to avoid breaking up the citrus or the crab. You want it barely moistened; if you need, add another teaspoon of vinaigrette. Arrange this on top of the arugula and serve immediately.

Each serving: 224 calories; 8 grams protein; 18 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams fiber; 14 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 21 mg cholesterol; 284 mg sodium; 8 grams sugar.

KALE SALAD WITH FARRO, DRIED FRUIT AND BLUE CHEESE

Total time: 1 hour | Servings: 4 to 6

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup farro
• Water
• Salt
• 1/4 cup mixed dried fruit (such as sour cherries, cranberries, raisins)
• 1 tablespoon orange-flavored liqueur, such as Grand Marnier
• 1 pound kale (about 2 bunches)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 2 tablespoons minced red onion
• 2 tablespoons chopped toasted pecans
• 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• Freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:

Toast the farro in a dry medium saucepan over medium heat until it smells nutty and turns golden, about 5 minutes. Add 2 cups water and bring to a simmer. Season with one-half teaspoon salt and cook until the farro is tender but still a little chewy, about 45 minutes. Drain (there will probably still be some liquid left), rinse under cold running water and gently pat dry in a kitchen towel.

Place the dried fruit in a small bowl with the Grand Marnier. Add just enough warm water to cover and set aside until softened, about 15 minutes. Alternatively, you can microwave them for 30 seconds and let stand for 5 minutes.

Remove and discard the stems from the kale. Chop the leaves into bite-sized pieces. Place in a large mixing bowl with 1 teaspoon salt and the olive oil. Grab the leaves by the handfuls and massage them roughly. Don’t be timid. After a minute or two, the coarse, stiff leaves will turn soft and silky. You’ll have about half the volume of kale you started with.

Drain the dried fruit and add it to the kale, along with the cooked farro, blue cheese, red onion, pecans and vinegar. Toss to mix well, then season to taste with black pepper and more salt and vinegar, if necessary.

Each of 6 servings: 127 calories; 4 grams protein; 16 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams fiber; 6 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 4 mg cholesterol; 5 grams sugar; 688 mg sodium.

CROWN ROAST OF PORK STUFFED WITH WILD RICE AND DRIED FRUIT

Total time: 3 1/2 hours | Serves 12

Ingredients:

• 1 (8-pound) crown pork roast
• Salt, pepper
• 1 pound wild rice
• 10 cups water
• 2 shallots, minced
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup slivered dried pears (about 6 ounces)
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
• 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
• 1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar

Directions:

Heat the oven to 300 degrees. Season the roast generously with salt and pepper and place it upside-down in a roasting pan, so it is supported by the rib bones. Roast 30 minutes, then turn the meat over and continue cooking to an internal temperature of about 140 degrees, about 2 hours.

While the roast is cooking, combine the wild rice, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and the water in a large saucepan and cook uncovered over medium-high heat until the rice is tender, about 45 minutes. Drain the rice and return to the pan. Add the shallots, cranberries, pears and rosemary, cover the pan and let stand until the roast is ready.

When the roast is ready, add the walnuts to the wild rice, season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in the red wine vinegar. Spoon as much of the rice filling as possible into the center of the crown roast, spoon some of the fat from the bottom of the roasting pan over the stuffing, and return the meat to the oven. (Place the remaining wild rice stuffing in a baking dish alongside the roast.) Cook the roast to an internal temperature of 145 degrees, an additional 10 to 15 minutes.

Each serving: 446 calories; 60 mg. sodium; 105 mg. cholesterol; 24 grams fat; 13 grams saturated fat; 25 grams carbohydrates; 34 grams protein; 2.71 grams fiber.

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Twitter: @Jenn_Harris_