Ready or Not!: 150+ Make-Ahead, Make-Over, and Make-Now Recipes by Nom Nom Paleo (Volume 2)

Our family sincerely appreciates the efforts of Michelle and Henry in creating this fantastic recipe book. Several factors make this the go-to initial recipe book for those on a Paleo/Primal/Keto diet: 1) Your prototypical recipe book these days seems to be geared towards the Pottery Barn crowd stylistically speaking, which can be uninviting as a layout model to some of us. Here, the layout is in very attractive 'comic-book' layout and bright, vibrant coloring, inviting me to look at the recipes even when I'm not preparing to cook something. This is the first cookbook I've ever looked at all the recipes before making one; typically I'd just thumb through them casually, but this book is so attractive in it's presentation that you feel compelled to grab it and thumb through it. 2) This layout has the additional feature of being perfect for step-by-step cooking instructions. While the layout and style get a lot of deserved credit, the pictures and very clear yet concise instructions deserve just as much credit (I have yet to be confused by a single instruction/step). 3) Beyond the aesthetic and structural aspects of the book itself, it's physically constructed like an old-school encyclopedia in an elementary school library: the implication is that you will grab the book, your kids will grab it, pages will be pulled on hard, the cover will be banged and bashed around the kitchen a lot (and the car; yep, I've even grabbed this to take out the door to know what ingredients to pick up on my way home for dinner it's that good!). The book is constructed with the physicality of a tank, meant to withstand years of abuse. 4) Most importantly are the recipes. So far all have been above great and most are simply excellent. Quite simply put, we likely make around 20+ dinner meals a month out of these recipes since we opened this Christmas 2017. The option to use either slow-cooker vs instapot in many recipes is a fantastic feature. I now have a semi-regular habit of going to the butcher on Sundays, book in stow, looking to get cuts for the week of cooking ahead. 5) You don't have to have children or a family to appreciate this book in the least, though the recipe quantities are perfectly constructed around a family of 4 (in line with the co-author's family unit). The couple w/o children will find nice left-overs for lunch the next day. A couple with a pair of guests will find the perfect number portions to go around. The lone wolf will find a great way to meal plan without much work. 6) Probably the most telling feature of this book on it's quality and value are the ways it's giving the family a way to eat whole foods together, even when everyone isn't eating according to the Paleo/Primal/Keto (insert whatever label you prefer here) approach. Literally just cook the grain/starch on the side of any of these recipes and everyone is happy. 7) Umami finally gets it's fair share of the limelight. Some of the best items in here are ones that use heavy-doses of umami flavoring. This is what sets the book way above other Paleo recipes: their saliva-inducing responses upon first bite. Other highly notable recipes are the simplest: kimchi for instance. Some of the recipes are a bit more carb heavy (honey, dates for example) so it's not a one-size-fits-all, but what is in this age of hyper-individualization? I'll most certainly be purchasing the Nom Nom book sometime in the future.

I'm an idiot when it comes to cooking. I need a photos for every step in the process and I need to know what the dish should look like at the end of every step (because most likely mine will look nothing like it.) That's why, when I add a cookbook to my collection it HAS to have 2-3 photos for every recipe. I'm not imaginative to know how to cook with random items in my pantry, but less visualize how big to chop those onions. So I need lots of help in the kitchen and I need to be treated like a 6 year old when it comes to cooking. I need bright, big, colorful photos and text and very short, clear instructions. Well if you're like me, you'll love this cookbook. It is a thick, gorgeous, funny, well organized and well-indexed cookbook. Besides the fact that every recipe is clearly explained and accompanied by beautiful step-by-step photos, the dishes seem easy to make and delicious! She's also provided a "cheat sheet" with 4 weekly dinner plans for every day of the week, with a shopping list and daily prep tips. She's also organized the recipes by dish type (poultry, seafood, etc) and your level of panic when it comes to dinner (kinda ready! not ready!). I've tried a couple of recipes from her blog, and they were delicious! I can't wait to dive into these recipes. The funny thing is, I'm not even on the Paleo diet. I just like the recipes because they're delicious and I stumbled onto her blog by looking for easy Instant Pot recipes (and she has about a dozen of those too!) Do yourself a favor. Buy the book!

I was given a galley of this book in exchange for an honest review. I also pre-ordered the hardback copy, which should come today. Michelle Tam is my favorite paleo author. No one compares. Even when I’m not eating Paleo, I use her original cookbook regularly, and I’ve given away at least three copies to friends. I also refer to the website, NomNomPaleo.com, where Her Super Easy Tandoori Chicken appears—it’s terrific. I love the Ready or Not concept, in which she sorts recipes based on what you have on hand—or not. Paleo cooking cuts out so many ingredients, that it's important to have some staples on hand. But I bought the book sight unseen because Tam knows how to cook great food. The Cracklin’ Chicken Thighs recipe in this book is one of my favorite recipes—the chicken skin is like bacon, and the meat is tender and moist. I made the Sweet and Sour Soup, which is delicious, fast, and easy. I made her Wimpchi over the weekend—it’s the not-spicy version of her Kimchi recipe—also in the book. I’m dying to try the Betel Leaf Beef Rolls, her Thai Roasted Chicken, the Asian Citrus Brussels Sprouts Slaw, the Mango Cabbage Slaw, and the Potsticker Stir Fry. Both of her cookbooks have staples to substitute for non-Whole30-compliant condiments. The Sriracha in her first cookbook is a must-have. I’m anxious to try her Fauxchujang, a substitute for the noncompliant Korean Gochujang (served with Bo Ssam) and her Sunbutter Hoisin Sauce. I love Vietnamese food, so I was happy to have her compliant pickled carrots recipe from her original book, and there’s a recipe in this book for Fridge-Pickled Cucumbers. I own at least ten books on Paleo cooking, and this one, with her original book, Nom Nom Paleo, is the best!

Just received my preordered book and I'm in love already! The comic and conversation layout is adorable, makes the book fun to read and not just skip to the recipes right away. It's not preachy when discussing the benefits of cooking or of a paleo lifestyle which makes it more approachable to people who may not be sold on paleo just yet but want to try it out. For those of us who hate flipping through cookbooks searching for a less time consuming recipe, the organizing by readiness should make it easier to find recipes based on how much time I have to spare. The ingredients used in the recipes aren't hard to find and mostly not very expensive in my neighborhood which is a major plus because I'm not ready to give my whole paycheck to Whole Foods lol. The photos of the food are beautiful and really get you in the mood to cook; the pages can seem a bit busy but I think it makes it more interesting than boring black and white photos or just one end result photo with no instructional photos. Oh and of course the recipe that I tried was yummy, as all of her recipes tend to be! I'd recommend to anyone!

THIS is an absolutely fabulous cookbook!! I have a collection of Paleo cookbooks and this one deserves to be right up there with the 2 from Danille Walker and the newest one I purchased on baking ( making cannolis. tarts and some fabulous baking by for treats~ not every day by Jenni Hulet)~ I was looking for a heavy hitting downright *good * book for Paleo that I could use, tweak and had a wide variety of recipes with as little " filler recipes" as possible~ bc after a few yrs I am very tired of the same old same old,, and I am helping my husband change his eating habits also so, it HAD to be good! This book is FILLED with fresh ideas, lovely recipes that literally scream at me" MAKE ME TODAY"!! ( and that is exactly what I did!!) With recipe books on steroids in the Paleo area, I want to be very discerning and this book hit it ALL the requirements I wanted , All days are different in my life so there are few times I want to play in the kitchen a lot, and there are times I need to eat dinner and have NO idea what I will be making~, I LOVE LOVE LOVE the fresh and beautiful ideas,,,the pictures ( always helps, though I do have ethnic cookbooks with absolutely no pictures but filled with great recipes) so my " kitchen helpers" are asking to grab their aprons and help out, I would absolutely give this book 10 stars if I could~ That said. I did receive a book brand new that was filled with grease and binding less than new, Amazon is replacing it no cost and I dont even have to drop off the old one at the post office nor pay for return~ Makes me a very happy customer,,,thanks Amazon!!

I love her second book! I feel like the ingredients are more simple (for those that don't have access to some fancier stores). I have many Paleo cookbooks and this book has more recipes the whole family will love and it's great for novice to professional cooks. The step by step pictures are a great feature! The only reason I deducted 1 star is because of the recipe index. I appreciate how she organized the book with "ready, not ready, etc" however unless you memorized the exact name of the recipe or remember exactly what section of the book it was in, it is hard to find things. Every other cookbook I have has easier index such as "chicken" with all chicken recipes listed under that. This is a VERY SIMPLE fix. She can create an additional index and put on her website for download. I've seen how Danielle Walker has a downloadable resource for each of her Against All Grain cookbooks that has all the Whole30 recipes to provide her readers with a valuable resource so I'm just saying that creating an index that makes it much easier to search for a specific recipe just by remembering it has chicken in it would be easy and from the sounds of the reviews, there are many frustrated with this one "lack of feature" in the book. Other than that I'd give it 5 stars!

She's done it once again!!! Her first book is my very favorite paleo book. This one will be my new favorite. So many amazing recipes presented in an easy to follow fun way! There are so many pictures in this book. Every step is photographed for some recipes. It's great to be able to see what my food should be looking like. Visual learners this book is for you. Everything is broken down into manageable steps. There is great background information and tons of practical help for those new to paleo cooking. The recipes vary in difficulty but none are unattainable by any means. There are multiple cooking methods included. Instantpot recipes are plentiful! She even presents different methods to cook the same recipe. The book has tons of cartoons in it so my kids loved it too. I want them to love cooking and these features have really made them love to look at the cookbooks. I received a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I have since purchased this book because I liked it that much!

I absolutely love this cookbook. In fact, I also bought a copy for my son who's in his 20's and is just starting to really cook for himself. Some favorites: "Chicken Curry in a Hurry", which I make with Thai green curry paste (you can also use red or yellow) may be the most delicious recipe I've had in my life, EVER. Everyone I make it for goes crazy for it. "Pot Sticker Stir Fry" is also delicious and has become a staple at our house. "Green Beast Dressing" is a paleo green goddess-type dressing that you'll want to eat on everything you make. Same for "Ginger Sesame Sauce", which is amazing on roasted carrots but also delicious on everything. The instructions are very clear, and I like that there are recipes that can be prepped ahead, and also recipes that can be made at the last minute. Sometimes I'm well-prepared and I want to make some things in advance, and other times I just need to get dinner on the table. This is my current favorite cookbook. I use it several times a week.