Chef Rocco DiSpirito Shares Recipes From New Cookbook ‘Healthy + Delicious’

Celebrity chef Rocco DiSpirito’s new book, “Rocco’s Healthy + Delicious: More Than 200 (Mostly) Plant-Based Recipes for Everyday Life” is available now. In it, Rocco avoids  a more traditional diet theory, in favor of easy recipes that will kick-start a healthier overall lifestyle. Here, Rocco shares some of these easy and delicious plant-based recipes.

Protein Pizza Crust

I’ve baked nutrition right into this pizza crust—baby spinach, a supergreen, is incorporated into the dough! I left it open for you to top the crust with anything you desire, but I suggest sticking to veggies, nondairy cheese, and turkey sausage.

Makes 4 servings

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients    

2 cups baby spinach

1 scoop protein baking mix

Pinch of salt

1⁄4 cup liquid egg whites

1 egg

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or use a nonstick pan.
  2. In a food processor, combine the spinach, protein baking mix, and salt and pulse until it is almost the texture of sand, 8 to 10 times. With the processor running, pour in the liquid egg whites and whole egg.
  3. Transfer the dough to the baking sheet and bake until the center of the pizza crust is set, 12 to 15 minutes.

Tip: Put any ingredients you would like on your crust and broil for a few minutes to warm through—and melt any cheese. (Per serving /62 calories / 1g fat / 9g protein / 3g carbohydrates / 3g fiber)

Rocco’s Healthy + Delicious Cookbook

Pesto White Bean Soup

Makes 4 servings

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 cups diced onions

2 cups sliced leeks (cut into half-moons)

1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

4 cups vegetable stock

1 cup basil, torn into bite-size pieces

Method

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and leeks and sweat until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes.
  2. Add the cannellini beans and vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Cook until the beans begin to break apart and the soup starts to thicken, about 5 minutes.
  3.  Remove from the heat, stir in the basil, and serve.

(Per serving: 148 calories / 4g fat / 4g protein / 23g carbohydrates / 4g fiber)

Pumpkin Spice Trail Mix

Makes 4 servings

Prep time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

1⁄4 cup raw whole almonds

1⁄4 cup raw pumpkin seeds

1⁄4 cup freeze-dried cranberries

1⁄4 cup rolled oats

1⁄4 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

1⁄2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Method

  1. In a small bowl, combine the almonds, pumpkin seeds, cranberries, oats, olive oil, and pumpkin pie spice and toss to mix well.

(Per serving:  110 calories / 8g fat / 5g protein /7g carbohydrates / 3g fiber)

No-Bake Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cookie dough served up in a dish is all the rage where I live. Well, this recipe is just as good. You mold the batter into cookies, but it’s okay if you take a few swipes with your spoon, too.

Makes 4 servings

Prep time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

1⁄4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1⁄4 cup almond meal/flour

2 tablespoons unsweetened almond butter

1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons stevia-sweetened chocolate chips

1 tablespoon raw coconut nectar

Method

  1. In a medium bowl, combine the shredded coconut, almond meal, almond butter, vanilla, chocolate chips, and coconut nectar and mix well with your hands. Form into 8 balls, then press into round disks with the palm of your hand.

(Per serving: 153 calories / 11g fat / 4g protein/ 12g carbohydrates / 4g fiber)

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