Our Plexus Ambassadors recently enjoyed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, dining on the culinary creations of celebrity chef Rocco DiSpirito, prepared up-close and personal.

In his diet book, “The Negative Calorie Diet,” DiSpirito shares his recipes featuring delicious foods that support weight loss. He calls these foods “negative calorie foods”—foods that help you to burn body fat, lose weight, and boost your metabolism. All negative calorie foods are whole (unprocessed), thermogenic, and satiate. Negative calorie foods include:

• Almonds
• Apples
• Berries
• Celery
• Citrus fruits
• Cruciferous veggies
• Cucumbers
• Green leafy veggies
• Mushrooms
• Nightshades (i.e., tomatoes, red and green bell peppers, hot peppers, and eggplant)

Chef Rocco agreed to let us share one of his favorite recipes, chicken with mustard greens, quinoa, and oranges. Featuring protein-packed quinoa, chicken, and TWO negative calorie foods, this is one dinner sure to become part of your weekly routine.

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Chicken with Mustard Greens, Quinoa and Oranges

Serves 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Dairy free, Nut free, Gluten free

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
• 2 cups orange segments, drained with juices reserved
• 2 cups water
• ¼ cup quinoa, rinsed
• 4 4-ounce boneless, skinless chicken cutlets
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8 cups mustard greens, chopped
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon gluten-free, reduced-sodium soy sauce

Directions

Place the mustard seeds and reserved orange juice in a small dish and set aside.

Bring the water to a boil in a saucepot. Add the quinoa and simmer until cooked, about 12 minutes. Set aside.

Lightly coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and place over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, and add to the skillet. Cook until browned, about 2 minutes per side.

Transfer chicken to a plate.

Add the mustard greens to the skillet and cook until wilted, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the orange segments and quinoa and cook until warmed through. Season with salt. Spoon the greens onto four plates.

Add the orange-mustard seed mix, Dijon mustard, and soy sauce to the skillet and bring to a simmer. Then, add the chicken and warm through.

Serve the glazed chicken over greens.

Nutrition Analysis: 250 cal, 3 g fat, 65 mg chol, 400 mg sodium, 25 g carbs, 5 g fiber, 13 g sugar, 32 g protein.

Excerpt from The Negative Calorie Diet by Rocco DiSpirito. Copyright © 2016 by Flavorworks, Inc. A HarperWave book, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.