Baking

Smashed Roasted Garlic Potatoes and Eating in the Middle

Andie Mitchell is the author of the New York Times bestseller It Was Me All Along, a memoir where she talks about her 135 pounds weight loss, body image issues and her journey towards self-acceptance.

Eating in the Middle: A Mostly Wholesome Cookbook is her debut cookbook where she shares recipes that have helped her maintain these lifestyle changes.

With a very motivating and honest introduction, Andie Mitchell’s Eating in the Middle is loaded with “recipes that are healthy, wholesome with a focus on big, boisterous flavors“. She admits that depravation is not the key to a healthy lifestyle and so to keep a fair balance, the book also has its share of recipes that are richer and more decadent, which is what I love about the cookbook. Struggling with weight loss and going on the all or nothing diets is what makes lifestyle changes difficult. Andie dismisses these extreme changes and tells us through her recipes and storytelling to embrace a path that does not deny us the decadent treats and teaches us to enjoy food in a balanced way.

While on one hand you have nourishing dishes like butternut squash salad with kale and pomegranate and arugula with orange segments, spiced walnuts and goat cheese; on the other hand, to keep things realistic, you have gooey chocolate chip cookie pie and peanut butter mousse pie with marshmallow whipped cream (yum!).

And then there are more balanced meals like the chicken and mushrooms in mustard marsala cream sauce and spicy chipotle chicken enchiladas.

Each recipe has a corresponding picture of the finished product which photographer Aran Goyoaga and prop stylist Jenn Elliot Blake have beautifully captured. A per serving information chart is given along with every recipe, and even though I am not a calorie counting person it is definitely helpful to know.

The book has so many recipes that I would like to try and have already stocked up my refrigerator to make the spicy tofu stir-fry next.

Today though, I am sharing this quick and easy recipe for smashed roasted garlic potatoes from the book, which makes a perfect side dish. In Andie’s words “they are crisp and crusty with soft, mashy middles.”

Hope you enjoy them.

The book is available on Amazon here.

Smashed Roasted Garlic Potatoes and Eating in the Middle

Recipe Type: side dish

Cuisine: american

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 1 hour 15 mins

Total time: 1 hour 20 mins

Serves: serves 4

Ingredients

8 small yukon gold potatoes
4 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven 350 F/ 180 C.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the potatoes on the baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the sheet from oven and increase temperature to 450 F.
Using another baking sheet, gently press down the sheet on the potatoes to smash them. Don't use too much force, you don't want the potatoes to break.
Remove top baking sheet, and brush the potatoes with 2 tsp of the olive oil. Season with 1/4 tsp salt and half the pepper. Sprinkle the garlic on the tops.
Roast the potatoes for another 15 minutes and remove the pan from the oven.
Brush the tops again with 1 tsp of the EVOO and then flip the potatoes brushing with the remaining olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Roast until golden brown, another 15 minutes. Add the parmesan cheese and roast another 5 minutes. Remove and serve hot.

3.5.3208

Disclaimer: “I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.I was not compensated in any way for giving a positive review. The opinions contained herein are my own.