Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Volume 1)

Full disclosure: I'm friends and colleagues with Michelle Tam and Henry Fong. But this review is straight from the heart because I think their book is wonderful. Five Cool Things About Food For Humans 1. The vibrant photography and illustrations. If you’re a fan of NomNomPaleo.com, you’re familiar with the mouthwatering photography and charming comics of the family created by Henry, Michelle’s husband and creative partner. Like their app, this book is packed with glamour shots of sexy food — step-by-step process photos, full-page shots of the finished recipe, and in-between pages that grab you by the taste buds. Throughout the book, comic-style illustrations are like a Greek chorus, narrating the experience with jokes and other important info. 2. Michelle’s writing. Nom Nom is a gifted storyteller, and her ability to spin a yarn shows up not only in her excellent essays — don’t miss “I’m Michelle and I’m a foodaholic” — but in her recipe headnotes and how-to information, as well. This isn’t merely a collection of recipes; although the recipes are excellent. It’s a love letter to food and family. 3. Expert advice. A comprehensive list of kitchen tools, how to stock a paleo cook’s pantry, a primer on fats, an ode to the pressure cooker — Michelle shares how she created a paleo kitchen that works for a busy mom/pharmacist/cookbook author/dynamo. The recipes are also sprinkled with helpful tricks and cooking wisdom, including Tweak It! tips that show you how to modify the recipes. 4. Recipes for everyday and special occasions. The content of the book is broad and deep, which means there are recipes for every cooking occasion. There are “staples” that will be in your weekly cookup, like bone broth, sauces, and cauliflower rice. And then there are fun recipes — like creative deviled egg variations and a few treats for sweet endings to your meals — as well as main dish recipes for meat, seafood, poultry… soups… veggies. Everything you need is covered. 5. Family. This might be the best reason of all to buy this book: love and family. It’s evident on every page. Michelle and Henry love food, and they love their family. The best moments of my life have been enjoyed with my near and dear and something delicious on the table in front of us. This book celebrates moments like that. Recipe Test Drive I’ve made recipes from NomNomPaleo.com and the Nom Nom Paleo app plenty of times, so I knew that Michelle’s recipes are well-written, reliable, and delicious. I didn’t need to test them to be sure, but man! I wanted to. The table of contents is filled with luscious things that want to go into my belly. I picked Macadamia Nut “Ricotta” because I was curious and my husband was skeptical; Slow Cooker Korean Short Ribs because I wanted something “hands-off easy;" and Slow Cooker Kalua Pig because… pork! Macadamia Nut “Ricotta”: This was a huge hit! It’s shocking how quickly a pile of macadamia nuts can be transformed into something that is close enough to ricotta cheese to make even the Italian in me feel satisfied. I added minced garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, and fresh basil to the “ricotta,” then served it with my Old School Italian Meat Sauce. It was like deconstructed lasagna, and it was heavenly. Slow Cooker Korean Short Ribs: Tender, flavorful, silky, and super easy to make, I can definitely see this short ribs recipe going into my regular rotation. When they came out of the slow cooker, I removed the bones and shredded the meat, then refrigerated the meat and sauce overnight. The next day, I removed the solidified fat from the surface, simmered the whole shebang, then served the meat on cauliflower rice. We happily ate leftovers for a few days on various vegetable beds. Here’s a thing I love about Michelle’s recipes: They’re excellent on their own, but they also mesh well with the things I already make on a regular basis. Her recipes inspire me and that’s the highest compliment I can give to another chef. She inspires me, and I think she’ll inspire you, too.

I'd forgotten I'd pre-ordered this book back in August, so when it arrived it was almost like a holiday gift from Amazon (any of you remember those early days when Amazon sent out travel mugs to early adaptors?), except that I'd paid for it... It is an impressively hefty cookbook. First off, I will admit I'm not Paleo, although I do appreciate and use Paleo principles in meal planning. (I do eat dairy, some legumes, and rice in the context of Asian cooking.) Pros: the photos are nearly all extremely professional and make the food jump right off the page and onto your plate. Some you can almost smell cooking. You don't have to be Paleo or even Primal to appreciate the recipes in this book. This is a book where taste and healthy cooking reign together. Topics are well-organized: Introduction (why Paleo works; what is red-light, yellow-light, green-light foods, basic chef principles applicable to all cuisines, food and seasonings to stock, kitchen tools); building blocks (condiments, dressings, stock, and other things that are referred to a lot in the full-fledged recipes to follow); Nibbles (chips and quick finger food); Salads and Soups: Eggs; Plants; Seafood; Poultry; Meat; Treats. The authors like mushrooms. A LOT. (So do I... you can leave them out if you don't.) Mushrooms provide that savory umami to so many dishes, and I'm glad to expand my shroom repetoire, and I will make a variant of that Powdered Magic Mushroom seasoning (with less salt than she calls for, as some foods don't need added salt - even if others do). The seafood section is extensive. The treats section is not, which is a good thing. Directions are clear, and many recipes include ways to adapt to what you might have on hand. They are raising two small boys -- there are practical ideas for transitioning kids over to healthy eating; and suggestions for their lunchboxes. They note that it is a good idea to keep the kids in the loop on home made school lunches. If they have say on their choice of healthy items, this increases the chance they'll actually eat the stuff. (A lot of the dressings and such covered in this book were inspired by feeding their children -- this is a truly family-friendly cook book. I liked the personal touch, and the cartoons drawn by Melissa's husband, Henry Fong. I like Melissa Tam's honesty about failures and successes. In the hardcover, at least, this book is well-indexed. And it may be too early to tell, but the binding on this book is good when it comes to being able to open the book up and really cook from it. A big plus. AND the print size is large enough to look at from a kitchen counter distance, even for us taller and getting-older folk. Cons: (NOTE, none of these were sufficient for me to remove a star, but potential buyers might wish to know: True basics like zucchini noodles or tomato basil salad don't really need a two-page spread, even if the photos are delectable. But, they don't... I tried the poached egg suggestions. While they aesthetically look better than my usual, they're still not up to the level indicated by the photography. (But they taste good...) Some may find the number of photos of their children off-putting. They probably should have used less, but they are indeed rather adorable children. (Who will eventually, as noted in the book, be embarrassed once they turn into their teens...) Final thoughts: The book is new at my home, but so far their Citrus Vinaigrette was awesome over my arugula/red leaf lettuce/watercress/leek salad, and over their Crab Louie (I opted not to use their Remoulade dressing in favor of the viniagrette, whether or not authentic to the spirit of Crab Louie). Whole Roasted Branzini will feature at my Feast of the Seven Fishes tomorrow. I'm dying to try Korean Short Ribs, West Lake Soup, Slow Pho, Curried Cream of Broccoli Soup, and Crispy Gizzard Confit. PS: This review says it is for the Kindle Edition. I actually have the hardcover.

Michelle Tam and Henry Fong have hit it out of the park with their cookbook, Food for Humans. Whether or not you are Paleo, this cookbook teaches you about ingredients to stock in your cabinets and refrigerator, tools to have in your kitchen, and the rationale behind using particular flavor combinations and techniques. The photos are gorgeous, the cartoons are witty, and the book's heft and high quality production (complete with a ribbon bookmark!) make reading and handling the book enjoyable. Michelle Tam is an excellent teacher. When I began eating paleo two years ago, Michelle Tam's website was the one I found most appealing. I had never really cooked before -- instead I foraged for pre-made food at grocery stores -- and some of the recipes looked beyond my skill level. But Michelle broke down every single step into an easy-to-follow process and 100% of the time, the resulting food tasted amazing. I cannot say the same about recipes I found on other paleo recipe websites. Because of how Michelle teaches her readers what to do in the kitchen, I now prepare delicious meals for my family and never buy pre-made food. The photos in Food for Humans are gorgeous and make every step of the cooking process clear. For those of us who are still learning to cook, the photos of each step are more instructional than a photo of the final product. Now to the recipes. The kalua pork is a staple in our house and the flavor is out of this world. Fiona's grilled green chicken is delicious, the pork-tastic meatloaf is substantial and delicious, and the stew is next on my list to make. The mayo recipe and variations are wonderful. I could go on and on, but I know that every recipe is going to be terrific. As a parent, the section on paleo lunches is much appreciated. If you are looking for a cookbook that not only gives you recipes bursting with flavor but also teaches you how to prepare food for yourself and your family, this is the book to buy. It is amazing. And funny.

Like others, I've been a follower of the Nom Nom blog for quite some time & pre-ordered this ages ago. So yeah, there was a lot to live up. And boy...does it ever! Michelle Tam herself is a cookbook collector. Even if she were not the author of this one, I'm sure it'd be her new favourite. It's high quality, luxurious & oh so fun to read. While I've only had it in my hands for 2 days now, I can safely say this is my absolute favourite cookbook. It reads like a book (a hilarious one) & the recipes range from easy-peasy (oven-baked sweet potatoes) to delicious but a bit more involved (Siu Yoke). While I haven't had a chance to make many of the recipes from the book yet, I have used several of the Nom Nom Paleo app & website recipes & they always come out beautifully. Some of my favs include many of the simple recipes: perfect hard-boiled eggs (really - they do turn out "perfect"!), oven-roasted sweet potatoes / portabello mushrooms, spicy collards & bacon, brussel sprout chips. I can almost guarantee that you will not be disappointed in the quality of the recipes you will make from Nom Nom. But there's so much more beyond the recipes... One thing I've noticed in the Paleo community is that many of the cookbook authors / web bloggers are childfree and many make their living by blogging / creating cookbooks. I think that's wonderful (and probably enough work in & of itself) but as a working out of the home professional & mom of a preschooler & toddler, it's hard not to love the Nom Nom family that much more. When I feel stressed after a long day of work & would love to order a pizza or two, I think WWNND (What Would Nom Nom Do)? :) If a mom of two / night shift pharmacist / food blogger / cookbook author (I'm getting tired just thinking about it - it's no wonder she has her own action figure :)) whose husband is a busy lawyer can whip up a healthy, from scratch dinner for her family, why can't I? And that's why, for me, a full page photo of her son makes this cookbook all the more approachable & warm. Not to mention funny. The numerous photos of Michelle staring at cakes throughout the years is priceless! Love this. An easy 5+ star book.

Wow, I'm impressed. I had had some reservations because I religiously follow her blog, and I have the ipad cookbook, but the majority of the recipes are unique to the cookbook, and these recipes seem better than the blog recipes. For me, the blog recipes are a bit too basic and not challenging enough most of the time ( though I still do like them a lot) but there were a lot of recipes here that really piqued my interest. Particularly the soups, egg dishes, and veggie dishes were really interesting. I love the asian recipes too, because asian food is pretty intimidating to me, but she makes it easy! I can't wait to make a thai omelette. I still wish there were more recipes that were more show-stopping and required more effort/prep. I like easy recipes, but not always. I'm still waiting for the paleo cookbook that isn't dominated by roasted veggies and seared meat, I guess. I was kind of surprised how old school paleo the recipes were. 0 dairy, potatoes, etc. because on the blog it's clear she eats full fat dairy and potatoes. I would've liked to have seen some recipes with those ingredients. The book is eye-popping. The cover alone is gorgeous. The photos are SO good. Some things I would've liked to have seen are conversion instructions - I don't have a slow cooker and I don't like using my pressure cooker - sorry the food does NOT come out as good, so how do I make the kahlua pork :( ? Also freezing instructions for foods that require a lot of effort would be amazing. If sriracha only lasts a week there's no way I'm going to that much trouble. One more gripe is that many of the recipes call for marinating.. Marinating doesn't work! Well, it doesn't do anything more than basting the meat with the sauce immediately before cooking. I think the cookbook is very good, and I will be buying it for people I'm trying to convert to paleo. Some of the recipes - chicken nuggets, eggs in purgatory, etc. are much more interesting than others (roasted sweet potatoes). I'll be making many of these recipes, and I'm sure some are excellent, but I'm still waiting for a show stopper that doesn't require a slow-cooker!

I must admit, my experience with Paleo cookbooks is limited. This is actually the second one I have read. Even before reading, my experience with the Paleo lifestyle was limited to hearsay about a cousin's ex-husband "Going Paleo and losing a lot of weight.". I had dismissed the Paleo lifestyle as yet another lose weight quick diet. I mean, you can only eat bacon for so long before getting tired of it, amirite? I came across Nom Nom Paleo while looking for a recipe on making kale chips. I spent the next two hours reading through the website. Then I discovered they had just put out a cookbook. I ordered a copy. I'm glad I did. Nom Nom Paleo is a must have for any cook's collection of cook and recipe books. It is a great, well rounded cookbook, period, whether you go Paleo or not. Michelle does a great job of presenting a moderate viewpoint on the Paleo lifestyle. She has turned me from a skeptic to someone accepting that this is a real lifestyle and not some fad that will involve eating nothing but bacon. This is a wonderful book to read if you are new to the concept of Paleo eating and want to learn more without being overwhelmed or intimidated. It's also a very well made cookbook. It's got a good satisfying heft to it that I was not expecting. It's chockablock full of information, recipes, comics and is such a fun book to read. It includes the following: Preface Introduction:My Kitchen Recipes:Food for Humans Chapter One: Building Blocks Chapter Two: Nibbles Chapter Three: Salads + Soups Chapter Four: Eggs Chapter Five: Plants Chapter Six: Seafood Chapter Seven: Poultry Chapter Eight: Meat Chapter Nine: Treats Where Credits Due Bibliography Metric Conversions + Equivalents Index I appreciate the focus on vegetables and animals and less on treats. If you are looking for a book to teach you how to make a Paleo version of cupcakes, pancakes, casseroles, or bread, look elsewhere. But if you are looking for a book that is a fun read with lots of great recipes to keep you fed, happy and healthy for breakfast, lunch, dinner,and yes the occasional treat, pick up this book.

My family tried a Whole30 this past summer. I was on the hunt for recipes that tasted like food and felt like a meal without relying on my old standbys of pasta and rice. I happened upon the Nom Nom Paleo website and found a number of great food ideas that far exceeded my expectations. Following the Whole30, my daughter and I both discovered that we had Celiac Disease. I was so grateful that we had been exposed to Michelle Tam's approach to cooking. There are days when I could start feeling bad about not being able to have birthday cake, but overall I think that we eat better--not only in term of nutrition, but also flavor--than we ever have. This cookbook is a literal feast. I spent two days just enjoying the text and images before I made my first recipes. To date I've made about six meals and one of the deserts, all of which have been outstanding. I think I may have heard people saying "nom nom" as they ate on several occasions. I love experimenting in the kitchen and developing my own recipes, but Michelle Tam provides recipes that expand my cooking lexicon. The spice is always right, and her advice regarding cooking techniques has helped me refine my own approach to issue (such as grainy texture in chocolate deserts or a poor sear on meat) that has freed me from vexing problems. This book is a good fit for all humans, regardless of your choice of diet, becuase it is just plain tasty. However, one notable aspect to all of Michelle Tam's recipes is that they work well for families. Most of the paleo books I have seen have recipes that work for 1, 2, or perhaps 4 servings. I feed 6 at each meal, and it is nice if we have a leftover once in a while. I've grown accustomed to quadrupling recipes from another paleo cookbook I enjoy, but I'm not sure that the recipes are always as they were intended to be with these adjustments. Nom Nom Paleo provides portions that feed the whole crew. If you are single, don't let this deter you. You will create some of the best left-overs you ever produced with these recipes, so enjoy them!

I only have two of my several cookbooks on my countertop that I use daily and this is definitely one of them. The book is very informative and I wish I had had this when I began cooking because it is extremely instructional in the basics. The recipes are easy to follow and have beautiful pictures to inspire you and to show you step by step. That works great for someone like me that is visual learner. My kids are in love with this cookbook! Their favorite is Phionas chicken! Not sure I spelled that correctly. But it's delicious! As for me I just love it all it's hard to pick only one as my favorite. I will tell you how that ranch dressing recipe is the best I have ever made and it is very easy to make. A little bit of a warning with the salt. Be aware if you're using kosher well grinded or diamond cut salt or you will end up with extremely salty food like I did in the beginning. I watch Michelle on Facebook live on Wednesday evenings and that's where I learned about the different salts she uses. Perhaps it was in the book somewhere and I forgot about that. I think she may mention it somewhere in her book but I don't remember. I am anxiously waiting for the new cookbook! I am also getting one for my best friend.

Acabo de hacer el furikake receta en pagina 126. Y igual q el niño (si hijo pequeno) en la foto estoy comiendo el furikake sin hacer los huevos y asparagus. Está tan deliciosa hecho con nori, sesamo y sal. Me gusta mucho el blog de Michelle Tam, la sigo en YouTube y Facebook y he comprado sus dos libros en Amazon. Sobre todo me gusta mucho el editorial Andrews mcMeel publishing; ya he comprado 3 libros de ESA editorial y compraré más PQ son libros de calidad.

This book is amazing! I love the cute cartoons drawn through it and you can really feel the authors passion in every page( the little notes to reader are super helpful as well) I have made about 6 things from this book and everything has been great! so great my guy who won't eat veggies half the time dove into 3 bowls of the broccoli soup! The Madras Chicken Salad is easily the best chicken salad I have ever had. From Perfect hard boiled eggs, to a good old fashioned Pot roast this book has something for everyone and lots of recipients are kid friendly to! I have all the staple Paleo cookbooks and a few more (I love cookbooks!) Including: Well Fed, Everyday Italian, Practical Paleo, a Few of Mark's books, and Gather and while I love all of those books "NomNom Paleo:food for humans" is by far the most accessible and easiest to cook from! Thanks Michelle and family!

Si estas intentando empezar una dieta paleo y como yo no tienes idea por dónde empezar pues este es un libro que te da una buena idea de empezar sin agobiarte. Muy bonito libro.

Michelle and Henry have created one of the best looking, modern and witty paleo books around. The photography is gorgeous and the range of recipes is fantastic. This is the book you give your non-paleo, doubting friends who say that paleo is boring and limited. Michelle's food covers a wide range of modern, simple and delicious food, all which would stand up against the cookbooks of many professional chefs. This is a true labour of love infused with humour, common sense and a commitment to make paleo cooking something that everyone can do. I've only just downloaded it after months of waiting and it's been worth the wait. All busy families can access these great ideas and tips and know that they are putting great food on the table, even if they work nights or in busy law practices like Michelle and Henry.

If you are new to eating Paleo, or just in need of some new ideas, this is the book for you. It is fair to say that this is not just a recipe book - it is so much more. It is an A-Z guide of cooking, from the the most basic to the sublime and I guarantee it will have you in the kitchen eager to cook up a storm! It is charming, beautifully photographed, witty and informative, all without being too 'sciency'. The step-by-step, clear photos for every recipe and funky illustrations throughout make this so easy to use. It seems they have combined fonts, photos and pictures perfectly, so that each page plays out its recipe without you having to laboriously pore over it. The recommendations for kitchen tools/utensils, supplies, sauces and spices and advice on how and when to use them is invaluable and a definite read if, like me, you have been debating on which essentials you really should have to help in the kitchen. There is plenty of nutritional advice in a nice, easy-to-read format and lots of tips on how to stay on track if you are trying to eat Paleo. I have been eating Paleo for nearly two years and although my family are supportive, getting this book has been the catalyst to getting them to change their eating habits. My husband and daughter have finally ditched their cereal in favour of Maple Sausage Patties and we have had Curried Cream of Broccoli Soup 3 weeks running. We served it to our local greengrocer across the road (as she was intrigued by the mix of ingredients used) and she loved it too! There is not a week that goes by now, without consulting and cooking from this book at least twice. My daughter loves the little cartoons in it and likes to read out the little captions on various pages when she's flicking through. The recipes are simple, yet beuatiul and have bought new flavours into our kitchen and our home. Not only has it inspired us, but all the little tips and tricks have been so useful (like how to really caramalize your onions). I love this book so much, I have bought 3 copies - one for our home, one for my sister-in-law and another for my brother. Want a new cookbook? Buy this one!