Celebrity Chefs

Chef Rocco’s Chicken & White Bean Soup with Spinach & Parmesan

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Rocco_DiSpiritoI have been trying to eat healthy in the past month, and I have to say that I think my efforts are paying off! First thing I did was to quit eating so much fried food – believe it or not, I used to eat fried something every single day. Another thing was to buy more chicken and fish and less beef and pork. Of course, looking for easy but good recipes was the next step.

In the course of my search, I ran across a recipe from Rocco DiSpirito. It combines three of my favorite ingredients – chicken, beans, and parmesan. It also makes use of spinach, but I am thinking that if I don’t feel like it, it can be removed from the recipe.

Buy
FRESH: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts; basil; baby spinach; Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
STAPLES: Crushed red pepper; low-sodium chicken broth; salt and pepper
PACKAGED: Pasta sauce; cannellini beans

Ingredients
3 14-ounce cans low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups plus 3 tablespoons tomato-and-basil pasta sauce
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced thin
Salt and pepper
6 ounces prewashed baby spinach
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
3/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1. In a Dutch oven, bring chicken broth, pasta sauce, cannellini beans, and crushed red pepper to a simmer. Turn heat to low.
2. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper; add to broth. Gently poach chicken, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes. (The broth should barely simmer.)
3. Stir in baby spinach. Continue cooking soup until spinach is wilted and chicken is just cooked through, about 2 minutes more.
4. Stir in basil; season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle soup into bowls, and top with grated cheese.

Nutrition facts per serving: 407 calories, 43g protein, 36g carbohydrate, 10g fat (3g saturated), 10g fiber.

Makes 4 servings.

Recipe adapted from Rocco Gets Real by Rocco DiSpirito, Meredith Books, 2008.

Let’s go try it!

Recipe courtesy of Fitness Magazine

Rocco’s Penne Alla Vodka

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A delicious yet simple pasta recipe from Rocco Dispirito. He says the recipe originates from Tuscany. While most Italian dishes use wine, the vodka leaves a unique tangy flavor.

Ingredients
Salt
2 cups Marinara sauce
1 1/2 cups of heavy cream
1 pound penne
1/4 cup of vodka (least expensive kind)
1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon of red pepper flakes

1. Put a big pot of water over high heat and bring to a boil. Add a handful of salt when it starts to simmer..

2. In a sauce pot over a medium flame, heat up the marinara sauce, then slowly pour in the cream, stirring until uniform. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, then lower the heat if necessary, and simmer until it reduces slightly. Add the red pepper flakes.

3. When the water comes to a boil, drop the penne in. When the pasta is almost done, pour the vodka into the sauce and raise the heat slightly. Drain the pasta reserving about half a cup of the cooking water. Toss the pasta into the sauce with the Parmigiano-Reggiano, adding a splash of the pasta water if the sauce is very thick. Sprinkle parsley on top and serve.