AHHHH! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?!
I am so happy to show you the cookbook cover for Eating in the Middle: A Mostly Wholesome Cookbook! Are you as emotional as I am?? As my mom is?! As PJ is?! GAH!
This cookbook is so special to me. When I wrote it Eating in the Middle, of course I wanted to share all of these delicious recipes that I’d been force-feeding Sabrina for a year, but also, I wanted the book to serve as this very real reflection of my relationship with food: Balance. I also wanted it to have some of that same openness about food and weight that It Was Me All Along had, so it does–in 5 essays.
Balance looks and feels different for each of us, but for me, it’s about living a full, vibrant life where no food is off the table. I love kale, green juices, hemp seeds, and I believe in eating a giant salad once a day, but I can’t live feeling deprived. I can’t even bear to imagine a world where doughnuts are a non-option. The style of eating that I practice keeps me sane and feeling good, but better than that — it keeps me happy. There’s no compulsive cycle of dieting and overdoing it. Not anymore, anyway. Now, there’s a middle ground, where most of the time I’m making my own meals with an abundance of wholesome, good-for-me ingredients, and other times, I’m springing for the loaded chorizo nachos with my friends because it’s Friday and we’re nothing if not celebratory.
The vast majority of the recipes in this book are healthy, wholesome, and made from real food ingredients, with a focus on big flavors. You’d swear most of them are richer than they are. And then, there are two chapters — For Sharing and Dessert — with recipes that are richer and more decadent. “For Sharing” is full of the kinds of things you’d make on the weekends, when you have friends or family over for dinner — Lemon Cream Risotto, Slow Cooked Pork Cubano Sandwiches, Meatloaf Burgers with Bacon, Pepper Jack, and Frizzled Onions…They’re shareable meals with a real hearty, stick-to-your-ribs quality. The sweets, too, are rich and heavenly. They’re celebrations in and of themselves. I serve these on special occasions, or anytime there’s a need for lots of sharing. My take on dessert is: it’s a treat, so treat it like one. Anytime I’ve ever lightened something sweet, I’ve eaten double to make up for the lack of calories. But when I have a slice of some rich, gooey, and ultra-satisfying cake, or some life-altering cookie–both of which I don’t have every day, I’m in a state of total bliss for every single bite–and I can’t regret one calorie of how good that feels.
This book, and the way it breaks down into mostly wholesome with a sprinkling of decadence, is exactly how I live my life. It’s balance. It’s the testament to a life well-lived, with plenty of real, whole foods and some life-changing chocolate hazelnut bread pudding thrown in there, too.
For those of us who struggle or have struggled with eating or weight, the ultimate work is finding a way to mend our relationships with food. This book can’t heal your relationship, but it can certainly read as a love story of balance. If I’ve learned one thing in these 30 years, it’s that you can be healthy, happy, and feel good while eating food that you crave.
THANK YOU TO THESE AMAZING WOMEN FOR THEIR INCREDIBLY KIND WORDS OF PRAISE FOR THE BOOK!
“This book has exactly the kinds of foods I love—healthy, wholesome dishes you won’t believe are light, and a few decadent treats sprinkled in for those special occasions, because let’s be realistic, isn’t that what life’s about? Eating in the Middle is about balance, not about depravation. I adore Andie, and I can’t wait to dig in to that Peanut Butter Mousse Pie!”
—Gina Homolka, author of The Skinnytaste Cookbook
“Most every woman, at some point in her life, is able to relate to Andie’s struggle with weight and food. Therefore, many will find something in this book, whether it’s comforting advice or a satisfying meal. Eating in the Middle provides any level of cook with recipes that nourish the body while satisfying the taste buds—a difficult feat, which Andie masters flawlessly! Her stories are beautifully written and echo the inspiring mantras of her bestselling memoir. This cookbook will make you fall in love with food all over again, in a balanced, mostly wholesome way.”
—Ali Maffucci, author of Inspiralized
“This girl is not only a storyteller, but man, is she a chef. She knows what she is doing in the kitchen and she knows how to string words together in such a beautiful way to express herself and send her message directly to her readers’ hearts. I can’t think of anyone better suited to write a cookbook, and I hope there are many more where this came from. I credit Andie for reigniting my passion for cooking after my own eating disorder struggle. Thank you, Andie, for being a sensation and an inspiration.”
—Jordan Younger, author of Breaking Vegan and lifestyle blogger at The Balanced Blonde
“With Eating in the Middle, Andie is squashing the all-or-nothing dieting attitude one recipe at a time. You can feel her vibrant and genuine spirit in each word. In fact, Andie is your best friend on this journey with you. I’ve never seen a cookbook celebrate a realistic, healthful lifestyle (with the occasionally indulgence!) as well as Eating in the Middle. Fabulous!”
—Jessica Merchant, author of Seriously Delish and blogger at HowSweetEats.com
“Anyone who is or wants to be a mindful eater will treasure Eating in the Middle, as moderation has never been more approachable and satisfying. Those who loved Andie’s memoir, It Was Me All Along, will be thrilled that she’s back with another work as honest as it is delicious.”
—Kerry Diamond, cofounder of Cherry Bombe magazine
“Andie Mitchell makes balance possible for us all in her new book by reimagining her favorite dishes and foods for a modern (and moderate) lifestyle.”
—Claudia Wu, cofounder of Cherry Bombe magazine
“As someone who has obsessed over food my whole life, in both positive and challenging ways, I felt that reading Andie’s words was like hearing the voice inside of my head. I’m sure I’m not the only one to feel that way. Once again, just like she did in her moving memoir, Andie gives us so much. Not only are there recipes that will make you want to get in the kitchen immediately, there’s that honest and vulnerable voice that makes us feel less alone in the struggle to maintain healthy relationships with both food and ourselves.”
—Julia Turshen, cookbook writer (her new cookbook, Small Victories, soon to come!)
“I love Andie’s healthy approach to healthy eating. Stressing over what to eat can be just as bad for our health as eating poorly, but she definitely strikes the right balance in Eating in the Middle.”
—Lisa Leake, New York Times bestselling author of 100 Days of Real Food
The post Eating in the Middle: A Mostly Wholesome Cookbook appeared first on Andie Mitchell.
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