Double-Post Monday

Besides being Meatless Monday, it's also Double-Post Monday. Here are six chicken recipes to help you through the day, including Ginger-Blueberry Parfait and Crispy Chickpeas With Ground Meat. Enjoy!

BERRY VANILLA SENSATION

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

This one begins, “Vanilla yogurt adds a touch of sweetness to this tangy fruit smoothie recipe.”

Servings: 2

1/2 cup frozen unsweetened raspberries

1/2 cup frozen unsweetened strawberries

3/4 cup unsweetened pineapple juice

1 cup (8 oz) fat-free vanilla yogurt

Combine the raspberries, strawberries, and pineapple juice. Add the yogurt. Blend until smooth.

Nutrition Information: Calories: 192; Protein: 7 g; Carbs: 41 g; Fiber: 2.5 g; Sugar: 35 g; Total fat: 0.5 g; Saturated fat: 0.1 g; Sodium: 86.5 mg

TUTTI-FRUTTI SMOOTHIE

This recipe begins, “A splash of orange juice infuses summer citrus into this healthy and refreshing snack.”

Servings: 2

1/2 cup loose-pack mixed frozen berries or strawberries

1/2 cup canned crushed pineapple in juice

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1/2 cup sliced ripe banana

1/2 cup orange juice

Combine the berries, pineapple (with juice), yogurt, banana, and orange juice in a food processor fitted with the metal blade, in a blender, or in a large measuring cup with an immersion blender. Process for about 2 minutes, or until smooth.

Nutrition Information: Calories (per serving): 140; Protein: 3.5 g; Carbs: 29 g; Fiber: 2.5 g; Sugar: 16 g; Total fat: 2.5 g; Saturated fat: 1.5 g; Sodium: 30 mg

SKILLET CHICKEN WITH TOMATOES, PANCETTA AND MOZZARELLA

This comes from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Melissa wrote, “With a topping of tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella, it’s no wonder that I always think of this easy skillet dish as "pizza chicken." It’s a tangy, milky, gooey, lovable meal that’s somewhat reminiscent of chicken Parmesan, but with succulent bone-in chicken pieces instead of breaded and fried cutlets. Even better, it has pancetta and anchovies for complexity of flavor, and the whole thing comes together in under an hour.”

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 45 minutes

This was originally featured in “Skillet Chicken Swimming in Tomato Sauce” and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

3 1/2 pounds bone-in chicken pieces (or use a 31/2 pound chicken cut into 8 pieces)

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

5 ounces pancetta, diced

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 anchovy fillets

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes

1 large basil sprig, plus more chopped basil for serving

8 ounces bocconcini, halved (or use mozzarella cut into 3/4-inch pieces)

Preparation

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper.

In a large oven-proof skillet, warm oil over medium-high heat. Add pancetta and cook, stirring frequently, until browned. Use a slotted spoon to transfer pancetta to a paper-towel-lined plate.

Add chicken to skillet. Sear, turning only occasionally, until well browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a large plate. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon oil.

Add garlic, anchovy and red pepper flakes to skillet; fry 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes and basil. Cook, breaking up tomatoes with a spatula, until sauce thickens somewhat, about 10 minutes.

Return chicken to skillet. Transfer skillet to oven and cook, uncovered, until chicken is no longer pink, about 30 minutes.

Scatter bocconcini or mozzarella pieces over skillet. Adjust oven temperature to broil. Return skillet to oven and broil until cheese is melted and bubbling, 2 to 3 minutes (watch carefully to see that it does not burn). Garnish with pancetta and chopped basil before serving.

CRISPY CHICKPEAS WITH GROUND MEAT

This is from Mark Bittman, also in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Mark wrote, “Chickpeas have characteristics other legumes don't share. When cooked until tender, they don't turn to mush, and their cooking broth is delicious. This recipe takes advantage of both assets. Related to a classic chili, it combines chickpeas, meat and spices. The cooked chickpeas are sautéed over high heat until browned and slightly crisp, and the pan is deglazed with chickpea cooking liquid.

“This dish works equally well with canned or homecooked chickpeas, and if you like a bit more kick, double or triple the ancho chiles or chile powder. Turmeric or saffron, as a couple of readers suggested, also work well. Don't want to use ground beef? Ground turkey, chicken or pork would sub in well here. For a bit more flavor, add a clove or two of chopped garlic to the browning meat. The point is: Improvise. This recipe begs for it.”

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 30 minutes

This was featured in “THE MINIMALIST; Chickpeas, Dressed Up To Show Off’ and can be viewed onlinehere.

Ingredients

1/2 to 1 pound ground beef or other meat

4 cups cooked chickpeas (about 1 28-ounce can), drained (reserve 1 cup liquid)

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 ancho or chipotle chile, soaked, stemmed, seeded and minced; or 1 teaspoon good chile powder

2 teaspoons minced garlic

Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Minced cilantro or parsley for garnish (optional)

Preparation

Turn heat to high under a large, deep skillet, and add meat a little at a time, breaking it into small pieces as you do. Stir and break up meat a bit more, then add chickpeas. Keep heat high, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally until chickpeas begin to brown and pop, 5 to 10 minutes. Don't worry if mixture sticks a bit, but if it begins to scorch, lower heat slightly.

Add cumin, chili or chili powder and garlic. Cook, stirring, for about a minute. Add reserved cooking liquid, and stir, scraping bottom of pan to loosen any browned bits. Season with salt and pepper, then turn heat to medium-low. Continue to cook until mixture is no longer soupy but not dry.

Stir in olive oil, then taste, and adjust seasoning if necessary. Garnish if you like, and serve immediately, with rice or pita bread.

BLUEBERRY SAUCE

This recipe and the next one (Ginger-Blueberry Parfait) are from an article on Prevention, titled “11 Recipes with Fresh Blueberries.” Click here to see the article and all twelve recipes.

This sauce would go well over ice cream. Yum!

SERVINGS: 4 – 6

1 pt fresh blueberries (2 C)

1/4 C + 1 Tbsp confectioners' sugar

1/4 C water

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

2 Tbsp butter

Put blueberries, sugar, water, and cinnamon in medium saucepan.

Cover and cook over medium heat until blueberries have broken down a bit and mixture becomes soupy, about 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and swirl in butter. Serve warm or at room temperature over waffles, pancakes, ice cream, or pound cake.

NUTRITION (per serving) 140 cal, 1 g pro, 22 g carb, 2 g fiber, 6 g fat, 3.5 g sat fat, 50 mg sodium

GINGER-BLUEBERRY PARFAIT

SERVINGS: 4

1 C blueberries

1 tsp grated peeled fresh ginger

4 Tbsp maple syrup, divided

1 Hass avocado, peeled, pitted, and chopped

1 C part-skim ricotta cheese

4 sprigs fresh mint

Combine the blueberries, ginger, and 1 Tbsp of the maple syrup in a small bowl until well mixed. Let stand for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine the avocado, ricotta, and the remaining 3 Tbsp maple syrup. Puree the mixture.

Layer the blueberry mixture with the ricotta mixture alternately in 4 parfait glasses or dessert dishes, ending with the berries. Garnish with the mint sprigs.

NUTRITION (per serving) 217 cal, 8 g pro, 25 g carb, 10 g fat, 4 g sat fat,3 g fiber, 83 mg sodium