Nom Nom Paleo’s New Cookbook – A Must Have

Nom Nom Paleo: Ready or Not! 150+ Make-Ahead, Make-Over, and Make-Now Recipes Reviewed

When I first started getting interested in Paleo, Michelle Tam of Nom Nom Paleo was one of my go-tos.

Whether it was her blog or her cookbook – Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans – Michelle and her crew (husband Henry and two boys Owen and Ollie) were my guide in taking those first steps into the Paleo world.

I think a lot of people would agree with me on that.

Thankfully, for all of us Nom Nom fans out there, Michelle and Henry are back with a new cookbook – Ready or Not! 150+ Make-Ahead, Make-Over, and Make-Now Recipes. And let me tell you straight up – it’s worth every penny.

Why, you might be asking yourself? Well, first off, I’ve never had a recipe of Michelle’s that I didn’t like. Everything is delicious. Not only that, but the recipes are EASY to make. And, anything that’s not super intuitive, Michelle explains wonderfully. This is truly what it means to make Paleo accessible for everyone.

Michelle and Henry also bring so much humor to their creations. Whether it’s the cute cartoons, comic book-like style, or the general witty banter in the pages, it really makes this book a whole experience. It’s easy to read from cover to cover – which is more than I can say for almost any other cookbook I’ve picked up before.

Favorite aspects of this book

This book is great for so many reasons. First off, let’s talk about the photography. It is out of this world. I would challenge you to find better photography than this cookbook features. Not only are the pictures of the finished meals outstanding, but Michelle takes you through each step of the recipe with accompanying photographs.

Again – it’s about making Paleo simple, and the step-by-step pictures do just this.

This is more than a cookbook with fantastic pictures though. Michelle and Henry (with occasional appearances from the Ollie and Owen) dive into deep into Paleo and how to make it a sustainable lifestyle. One of my favorite points highlighted in the book – “Paleo is about eating as broadly as possible, not as restrictively as possible.”

I LOVE THAT. The book also covers making mindful food choices, how to turn your plate Paleo, the importance of eating fermented foods (yes!), and, there’s even a whole section outlining how to turn your pantry Paleo.

What is Paleo – according to Michelle and Henry

I love their opinion on Paleo so much that I wanted to feature it specifically in this blog post.

They say “Prioritize whole, unprocessed, nutrient-rich, nourishing foods. Eat vegetables, grass-fed and

pastured meat and eggs, wild-caught seafood, healthy fats, fermented foods, fruit, nuts, seeds, and spices. Avoid foods that are likely to be more harmful than healthful. Especially when regularly and heavily consumed, foods like grains, dairy, soy, sugar, and processed seed and vegetable oils can trigger

inflammation, cause digestive problems, or derail our natural metabolic processed.”

I want to echo that with a big HELL YES. Focusing on the foods that you CAN eat – the ones that are nourishing, nutrient-dense, and naturally delicious – will always lead to the most success.

I dare you to flip through this cookbook without your mouth watering. Nom Nom Paleo has a special way of highlighting simple foods that turn into a flavor explosion in your mouth.

“Readiness Level”

This book is divided up into sections that Michelle labels as levels of “readiness.” She’ll be the first to admit that cooking doesn’t always sound like fun. Some nights, you just won’t want to do it. This cookbook aims to help you work through those nights.

The first section – “Get Ready”

“Get Ready” shows you how to ensure your kitchen is stocked with the building blocks, so you always have things on hand. This section has recipes for things like sauces, condiments, and broths.

The second section – “Ready”

“Ready” contains all the recipes that are great for meal-prepping. When you’re ready to get a jumpstart on the week, these recipes will help with that. The first recipe I made out of this book was theTex-Mex Beef and Rice Casserole. It came together so easily and tasted insanely delicious.

The third section – “Kinda Ready”

As you can imagine, these are meals that are good to turn to when you only kind of want to cook. They utilize pre-made components or give you ideas for putting a fresh spin on your leftovers.

There’s also the “Not Ready” section

These are recipes that can be whipped up quick – think like 15-45 minutes TOTAL. This will be a lifesaver on those busy nights when the kitchen is the last place you want to be.

There’s over 150 recipes spread throughout those four sections that will please any palate. But – Michelle and Henry go one step further and provide you with four weeks of meal plans AND shopping lists to make this as easy as (gluten-free, dairy-free, Paleo-friendly) pie.

This book is worth every penny

Seriously. This book is comprehensive. But it doesn’t feel overwhelming. You can tell so much love went into making it. There’s humor. There’s cute cartoons. The photography is outstanding. The comic book feel makes it fun.

If you’ve been a long time fan of Nom Nom Paleo or if you’re a total Paleo newbie (or if you’re anywhere in between), I’d recommend snagging this book.

You can buy it here.