Double-Post Thursday

Besides being Diabetic Thursday, it's also Double-Post Thursday. Here are six recipes to help you through the day, including Healthier Cajun Chicken Pasta and Rhubarb Crisp. Enjoy!

APRICOT-MANGO MADNESS

This recipe, as well as the next one (Watermelon Wonder) are from “20 Super Healthy Smoothie Recipes” on the Runner’s World website. They’re originally from The Editors of Prevention.

This one begins, “Fresh lemon juice adds a tangy splash to this sweet smoothie.”

Serves: 2

6 apricots, peeled, pitted, and chopped (about 2 cups)

2 ripe mangoes, 10 to 12 ounces each, peeled and chopped (about 2 cups)

1 cup reduced-fat milk or plain low-fat yogurt

4 tsp fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

8 ice cubes

Lemon peel twists (garnish)

Place the apricots, mangoes, milk or yogurt, lemon juice, and vanilla extract in a blender. Process for 8 seconds. Add the ice cubes, and process 6 to 8 seconds longer, or until smooth.

Pour into tall glasses, garnish with lemon twists, if desired, and serve immediately.

Nutrition Information: Calories: 252; Protein: 7 g; Carbs: 53 g; Fiber: 6 g; Sugar: 45.5 g; Total fat: 3.5 g; Saturated fat: 1.5 g; Sodium: 57 mg

WATERMELON WONDER

This recipe begins, “Transform a summer fruit favorite into a delightful healthy smoothie. Just remember to buy seedless watermelon or remove the seeds before you blend!”

Servings: 2

2 cups chopped watermelon

1/4 cup fat-free milk

2 cups ice

Combine the watermelon and milk, and blend for 15 seconds, or until smooth. Add the ice, and blend 20 seconds longer, or to your desired consistency. Add more ice, if needed, and blend for 10 seconds.

Nutrition Information: Calories: 56; Protein: 2 g; Carbs: 13 g; Fiber: 0.5 g; Sugar: 11 g; Total fat: 0.3 g; Saturated fat: 0 g; Sodium: 19.5 mg

"BETTER THAN THE DELI” MACARONI SALAD

Kathy Kingsley is one of About.com's American Food guides. Kathy wrote, “Take your time, and use your sharpest knife to get a nice fine dice on the veggies in this classic pasta salad. When made right, this is a macaroni salad where every forkful bursts with flavor.” Serves 8; Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes

I couldn't find the original link to this recipe. If/when I do find it, I'll post it.

Ingredients:

1 pound dry elbow macaroni, cooked, rinsed in cold water, and drained well

1 1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 cup finely diced celery

1/4 cup minced red onion

1/2 cup sweet pickle relish

1/4 finely grated carrot

2 tablespoons finely diced roasted red pepper or pimento

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Preparation:

Whisk together all the dressing ingredients in a large mixing bowl, and add the drained pasta. Toss to combine thoroughly. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

BLT SKILLET PASTA

This also comes from Tablespoon.com. This one begins, “Bacon, arugula, and tomatoes in a creamy sauce.” Prep Time: 20 min; Total Time: 20; Servings: 3

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 can (14.5 oz) Muir Glen™ fire roasted diced tomatoes

2 cups packed baby arugula

6-8 slices of bacon

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 tablespoons heavy cream

7 ounces refrigerated fettuccine

Directions

Put a pot of water on the stove and bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, slice your bacon into 1/2-inch slices and put it into a hot skillet. Stir and cook on medium until cooked and starting to crisp, about 7 minutes. Strain out some of the fat but leave a good few tablespoons in the pan.

Add the can of tomatoes with the juices and the arugula and cook until the arugula is wilted, about 5 minutes. Whisk the mayo and cream together and pour it into the skillet. Stir well and turn heat to low.

The water should be boiling at this point, so make sure it is salted well and drop your pasta in. Cook the pasta for only about 3 minutes. Strain the pasta and add it directly to the skillet. Stir and cook for 2 minutes before serving.

RHUBARB CRISP

This is from Mark Bittman, also in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Mark wrote, "When you think of rhubarb you probably think of strawberry-rhubarb pie, a quintessential spring dessert, especially if it’s made by someone who makes good pies. I usually manage around one pie crust annually, so I need alternatives. Thus, when the spring’s first rhubarb shows up, I adjust the execution and produce a crisp. If rhubarb is young and fresh, you can trim it in seconds. If it has fibrous outer strings, peel them off as you would those of celery. Toss the rhubarb with orange or lemon juice and zest, and only a little sugar. (You can also substitute strawberries for some of the rhubarb if you want the classic combination.) Blend the ingredients for the crisp topping in a food processor, crumble the topping over the rhubarb mixture, and bake — it is nearly effortless and as good or better than a pie."

Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Time: 1 hour.

This was featured in "Rhubarb Crisp That Stands Up to Pie" and can be viewe online here.

Ingredients

6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces, plus more for greasing pan

2 1/2 to 3 pounds rhubarb, trimmed, tough strings removed, and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces (about 5 to 6 cups)

1/4 cup white sugar

1 tablespoon orange or lemon juice

1 teaspoon orange or lemon zest

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, or to taste

Pinch salt

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup pecans

Preparation

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease an 8- or 9-inch square baking or gratin dish with a little butter. Toss rhubarb with white sugar, orange or lemon juice and zest, and spread in baking dish.

Put the 6 tablespoons butter in a food processor along with brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt, and pulse for about 20 or 30 seconds, until it looks like small peas and just begins to clump together. Add oats and pecans and pulse just a few times to combine.

Crumble the topping over rhubarb and bake until golden and beginning to brown, 45 to 50 minutes.

HEALTHIER CAJUN CHICKEN PASTA

This is from Casey Barber on The Today Show website. The recipe begins, “It's easy to see why Cajun chicken pasta keeps popping up on fast-casual restaurant menus nationwide. Even picky eaters agree that the combination of spicy chicken and creamy sauce (not to mention mountains of irresistible noodles!) is across-the-board appealing. What's not to love? Well, the whopping waistline implications of indulging in all that Alfredo sauce and pasta can certainly add up.

“When you want the satisfaction of your favorite restaurant standby without the heavy-sauced hangover, give this at-home version a try. Clocking in at about 450 calories per serving, it's a healthy excuse to have what you're craving. Boost the health benefits even more by adding a handful of fresh or frozen spinach or broccoli to the pan with the red bell pepper.”

Cook Time: 20 minutes; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Servings: 4.

To view this online, go to http://www.today.com/recipes/healthier-cajun-chicken-pasta-t66376.

Ingredients

1/2 pound (8 ounces) linguini or penne

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 3-4 breasts)

3 teaspoons olive oil, divided

1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

1 medium red bell pepper, diced

1 large garlic clove, minced

1 cup low-fat milk

1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

1 medium Roma tomato, finely diced

1 large scallion, thinly sliced into rounds

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Bring a large (4-quart) pot of water to a boil and add the salt, stirring to dissolve. Add the pasta and cook for about 10 minutes or al dente. Drain and reserve.

While the pasta cooks, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

Sprinkle the chicken breasts evenly on both sides with 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning. Carefully place the breasts in the skillet. Cook for about 4-5 minutes per side, until the chicken is deeply browned and crisp.

Transfer the chicken to the baking sheet and into the oven to finish cooking through. Remove the chicken when a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reaches 165 degrees F.

Add the remaining teaspoon oil to the skillet and stir in the bell peppers. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peppers begin to soften, then stir in the garlic and cook for a minute more.

Pour the milk into the skillet and bring to a simmer.

Whisk the water and cornstarch together in a measuring cup, then pour into the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens.

Turn the burner off and stir in the Parmesan cheese until melted, then stir in the cooked pasta.

To serve, divide the pasta between 4 bowls. Slice the chicken into bite-size pieces and divide evenly between the pasta dishes, then top each with handfuls of tomato and scallion. Serve immediately.

Note: The pasta sauce will thicken as it cools. Reheat in a covered skillet over medium-low heat, stirring in 1-2 tablespoons water as needed to help the sauce retain its consistency.