Andie Mitchell’s – It Was Me All Along

Written by food blogger Andie Mitchell, It Was Me All Along is a beautifully written memoir about Mitchell’s journey through body image issues, food addiction, losing half her body weight and ultimately, self-love. I read this book 4 months ago and I have tried at least 6 times to write this review. Not an easy task, as I am no expert, but here it goes. There are two things that make this book so special: first, the raw honesty with which Mitchell conveys thoughts about herself and her relationship with food and two, Mitchell has an unaffected, charming way about her that is irresistible. I wish she lived near me, I think we would be friends! This book has it all; at times it is tragically sad, very funny, romantic, exciting, and best of all, there are great lessons about having balance in your life. It is safe to say every woman can learn a thing or two from Andie Mitchell. I highly recommend this book.

I also recently made a recipe from her website and it’s yummy, easy, and a relatively quick weeknight dinner.

Jerk Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Makes: 4 Servings

Ingredients

Jerk Chicken:
Juice and zest of 1 lime
1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves
1 jalapeño pepper, ribs and seeds removed, chopped (optional)
2 teaspoons packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts

Orange Vinaigrette:
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 tablespoon orange marmalade or honey*
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Wrap Ingredients:
1 head iceberg, green leaf, or bibb lettuce
1 avocado, pitted and sliced
2 to 3 medium carrots, cut into matchsticks or coarsely grated on a box grater
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Instructions

Marinate the chicken: In a food processor, combine all marinade ingredients (orange zest through black pepper), except for chicken, and process until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a large resealable plastic bag and add the chicken. Press out as much air as possible, seal the bag, toss to coat the chicken with the marinade, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.
For the orange vinaigrette, in a small bowl, whisk the cider vinegar, orange juice, zest, and marmalade until smooth. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until blended. Whisk in the salt and pepper. Cover and let stand while you make the rest of the salad. Whisk once more before serving, as the dressing will separate a little as it sits. It will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1 week.
To broil the chicken (see grill instructions below): Adjust your oven racks so that the top rack is about 5 inches from the heat source (top of the oven). Preheat the broiler. Line a broiler pan with aluminum foil and spray the foil with cooking spray. Remove the chicken from the marinade, shaking off the excess and discarding the rest of the marinade, and lay the chicken breasts on the prepared pan. Broil until well browned and cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes, flipping halfway. You can also grill these outside.
To grill the chicken: Coat your gas grill grates lightly with oil and then set the grill to medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade, shaking off the excess and discarding the rest of the marinade, add the chicken to the grill, cover, and grill until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.
Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes , then cut into thin strips.
To assemble the wraps, lay 2 lettuce leaves side by side on a work surface (for a sturdier wrap and better crunch, use a double layer of lettuce for each lettuce wrap!). Using about ¼ of the chicken, divide the strips among the 2 wraps, followed by ¼ of the avocado slices, the carrots, red onion slices, and fresh cilantro. Repeat the process to make more servings and serve.

Recipe courtesy of Andie Mitchell
 Print This Post