Summertime is a perfect time for fruit, yet it rarely appears in dinner recipes even thought fruit is packed with healthful nutrients (like it’s veggie cousins) and can be pleasingly savory. Plus, fruits’ antioxidants may prevent cell damage linked with aging and disease.

Paired with the recipes is a guide highlighting the benefits of each fruit, how it works and what vitamins it is loaded with. Learn which fruit:

  • Fight cancer and fine lines (cantaloupes, kiwifruit, oranges, pineapples, etc)
  • Safeguard your heart,(bananas, honeydew, mango, plantains, etc)
  • Stop weight creep (bananas, apples, blueberries, pears, blackberries, etc)
  • Be fitter longer (blueberries, cherries, pomegranates)
  • Maintain a sharp mind (apples, blueberries, grapes, plums, etc)

Shrimp and Watermelon Skillet

Watermelon is a heart-healthy heavyweight.  It has about twice as much ticker-protecting lycopene as tomatoes do. Serves 4

-2 whole-wheat pitas (8 inches each), both cut into 8 triangles
-2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
-12 oz medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
-1/2 cup sliced shallots
-4 cups cubed (1 inch) seedless watermelon
-1/4 tsp salt (preferably kosher)
-1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
-1 large cucumber, peeled and chopped
-2 oz crumbled feta
-2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
-2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
-2 limes, cut into wedges

Heat oven to 450 degrees.  On a baking sheet, toast pita triangles, turning once, until crisp and brown, 3 to 5 minutes each side.  In a large skillet, heat oil over high heat.  Cook shrimp and shallots, stirring, until shrimp is pink and shallots are crisp, 2 to 4 minutes; transfer to bowl.  In same skillet, cook watermelon and 1/4 cup water over high heat, stirring, until liquid becomes syrupy, about 3 minutes.  Remove skillet from heat, add shrimp mixture, salt and pepper; stir.  Divide shrimp-watermelon mixture (warm or chilled) among 4 plates; add cucumber and feta.  Sprinkle with dill and mint.  Serve with 4 pita pieces and lime wedges.

THE DISH 307 calories, 12 g fat (3 g saturated), 36 g carbs, 4 g fiber, 19 g protein.