This recipe took almost three weeks of trial and error before I perfected it. But the fantastic result was well worth the aggravation! With three kinds of chocolate for flavor—cocoa powder, cacao nibs, and chocolate chips—you won't miss the fat and sugar in the standard version of this most beloved cookie. Pour a glass of (skim) milk and get happy.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 20 cookies

　　Nonstick cooking spray

　　1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

　　1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted

　　1 cup canned white cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

　　2 tablespoons light agave syrup

　　3 large egg whites

　　1 1/2 cups granulated Splenda

　　1/4 cup dark chocolate covered cacao nibs

　　1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 375˚F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and spray lightly with cooking spray. Set aside.

　　

Step 2

In the bowl of a food processor, combine vanilla, cocoa, cannellini beans, and the agave syrup, and blend the mixture until smooth, about 3 minutes, scraping down the side of the bowl halfway through blending.

　　

Step 3

In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a whip attachment, beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Gradually beat in the Splenda. Continue to beat the whites until they are creamy and nearly stiff. Add one-third of the egg-white mixture to the cocoa-bean mixture in the food processor. Blend to combine, about 30 seconds. In 2 batches, fold the lightened cocoa mixture into the egg whites until they are almost fully combined. Add cacao nibs to the batter. Fold batter until cacao nibs are evenly dispersed and cocoa mixture is completely incorporated.

　　

Step 4

Drop mounded spoonfuls of batter onto the prepared sheets. Spread batter out to form cookies about 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top of the cookies.

　　

Step 5

Bake for 20 minutes, rotating the pans one turn halfway through baking. Using a metal spatula, transfer cookies to wire racks to cool.

　　

Nutrition Per Serving

Per serving: 500.0 calories

　　90.0 calories from fat

　　10.0g total fat

　　5.0g saturated fat

　　10.0mg cholesterol

　　90.0mg sodium

　　102.0g total carbs

　　4.0g dietary fiber

　　68.0g sugars

　　8.0g protein

　　#### Nutritional analysis provided by [TasteBook

　　using the USDA Nutrition Database]( )

　　Now Eat This: 150 of America's Favorite Comfort Foods, All Under 350 Calories by Rocco DiSpirito. Copyright © 2010 by Rocco DiSpirito. Published by the Random House Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Hailed as the "Leading Chef of his Generation" by Gourmet magazine, Rocco DiSpirito received the James Beard Award for his first cookbook, Flavor. He went on to author Rocco's Italian-American (2004), Rocco's Five Minute Flavor (2005), Rocco's Real-Life Recipes (2007), and Rocco Gets Real (2009). DiSpirito also starred in the Food Network series Melting Pot, the NBC hit reality series The Restaurant, and the A&E series Rocco Gets Real.