Rocco Dispirito’s negative calorie brunch recipes

AVOCADO TOAST WITH SPINACH AND TOMATOES
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES
COOK TIME: 10 MINUTES

PER SERVING
180 calories
8.5g fat
10g protein
19g carbohydrates
5g fiber
200mg sodium

INGREDIENTS
8 cups spinach
Salt
Green hot sauce (such as Tabasco)
4 slices natural gluten-free bread (such as Canyon)
½ ripe avocado, mashed with a fork
4 thick (½-inch) slices ripe tomato
Freshly ground black pepper
4 medium eggs, poached

METHOD
1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Put in the spinach and cook until wilted. Transfer the spinach to a colander and press out as much of the water as possible. Put the drained spinach in a mixing bowl and season with salt and green hot sauce.
2. Toast the bread in the toaster. Season the avocado with salt. Once the toast is done, spread the avocado evenly over each piece of toast and place a slice of tomato on top. Season the tomatoes with salt and pepper and top each slice with an even amount of the spinach mixture.
3. Place each piece of toast on a plate, top with a poached egg, and serve.

PRO TIP
Hot sauce not hot enough for you? Try adding 1 teaspoon of minced jalapeno to the avocado mash for an extra kick.

MEATBALLS WITH MUSHROOM AND SPINACH GRAVY
PER SERVING
226 calories
6g fat
29g protein
15.5g carbohydrates
2g fiber
290mg sodium

INGREDIENTS
12 ounces 96% lean ground beef (such as Laura’s Lean)
1 cup finely chopped puffed brown rice (such as Arrowhead Mills)
4 cups unsalted beef stock (such as Kitchen Basics)
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil cooking spray
4 cups sliced cremini mushrooms
1 cup thinly sliced onion
8 cups washed spinach
2 tablespoons arrowroot, dissolved in 2 teaspoons of the stock
1 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated on a Microplane grater

METHOD
1. Place the beef in a large mixing bowl, pushing it to one side. Add the rice and 1. cups of the stock to the other side of the bowl. Season with salt and pepper and let the rice absorb the stock, about 1 minute. Using an electric hand mixer, mix the beef into the rice until homogeneous, about 1 minute. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Form the mixture into 16 equal-size meatballs.
2. Coat a large nonstick skillet with olive oil cooking spray and place over medium-high heat. Once the skillet is hot, add the meatballs and brown on one side, about 1 minute. Turn the meatballs over and brown the opposite sides, about 30 seconds. Transfer the meatballs to a holding plate.

INSTANT ALMOND CAKE WITH MIXED BERRIES
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
PREP T IME: 5 MINUTES
COOK T IME: 20 MINUTES

PER SERVING
155 calories
7g fat (1g sat, 8g mono, 2g poly)
53mg cholesterol
80mg sodium
17g carbohydrates
3g fiber
6.5g protein

INGREDIENTS
½ cup almond meal
2 eggs, separated; 1 yolk discarded
4 packets monk fruit extract (such as Monk Fruit In The Raw)
3 tablespoons raw coconut nectar (such as Coconut Secret)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Salt
Four 6-ounce
Noncoated paper cups
Olive oil cooking spray
1 cup mixed berries, mashed with a fork

METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Place the almond meal on a baking sheet and bake in the oven until toasted and aromatic, about 3–5 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer toasted meal to a cool baking sheet.
3. Add the egg whites and monk fruit extract to a mixing bowl and whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Spray four 6-ounce non-coated paper cups with cooking spray. Poke holes in the bottom of the cups with a toothpick or fork.
4. Pour the cooled almond meal into a clean mixing bowl and add the egg yolk, vanilla, salt, and coconut nectar. Fold the meringue into the almond mixture and spoon the batter into the prepared cups. Cook in the microwave until cooked through, about 30 seconds, then place the cups on their sides and cook until cooked through, about 45 seconds. Remove the cakes and place, upside down, on four serving plates; remove the cups and serve with the berries.

CLICK HERE to learn more.