Episode 19: Ready or Not! by Michelle Tam https://nomnompaleo.com


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Episode 19: Ready or Not!

We’re back! Yeah, I know it’s been over two months since our last podcast, but we think you’ll really dig this hour-long episode packed with juicy details about my favorite Hawaiian-inspired summer dish, our exciting new cookbook, volunteering with the family at the food bank, and my favorite green powder: Matcha! Download the episode and take us along with you on your next road trip, mountain hike, or traffic-packed slog to work!

Here’s a bit about what you’ll hear in this episode:

What We Ate

A few months back, out of the blue, Sunset Magazine reached out and asked if I’d contribute a recipe and a story to its June issue and be a featured chef at their Sunset Celebration Weekend.

Sunset Magazine has been a fixture in my life since I was a kid, so naturally, I was nervous about doing a cooking demo—but I agreed to both right away. In the past, I’ve let my irrational fear of failure hold me back from doing certain things that scare me, but as I share in the podcast, I now dive headfirst into “Heck ya!” opportunities when they present themselves. I’ve tried to encourage my boys to embrace new experiences, too: Do cool things, even if they scare you—’cause what’s the worst that can happen, right?

Episode 19: Ready or Not! by Michelle Tam https://nomnompaleo.com

Pick up the June issue of Sunset Magazine and you’ll get a super-rare picture of me in a swimsuit(!)—and oh yeah, my recipe for tasty Paleo Fish Tacos with Pineapple Cilantro Salsa recipe, too!

Also, here’s the link to the ever-popular Cracklin’ Chicken recipe I demonstrated at Sunset Celebration Weekend—though as my nine-year-old keeps reminding me, it’s been renamed after him in the pages of our new cookbook, Ready or Not!, so we all need to get with the program and start calling it Ollie’s Cracklin’ Chicken from now on.

Episode 19: Ready or Not! by Michelle Tam https://nomnompaleo.com

The Main Course

Next, we dive deep into our upcoming cookbook, Ready or Not!, and reveal all about the…umm…unique (unorthodox? naïve? foolhardy? really, really weird?) way we put together our two cookbooks, starting with 2013’s Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans. Our second book is certainly one-of-a-kind; no one else tackles cookbook creation quite the way we do—and this time, we really went over-the-top.

Ready or Not! by Michelle Tam & Henry Fong https://nomnompaleo.com

Want the the nitty-gritty details? Listen to the podcast! Also:

  • Learn more about Ready or Not! in this epic blog post with photos of sample pages and a link to the book’s recipe index.
  • Check out the companion 2018 wall calendar for Ready or Not! that we created, complete with ridiculously cute Nom Nom Paleo stickers! (Sneak a peek and pre-order the calendar here!)
  • If you preordered Ready or Not!—THANK YOU! You’re a true Nomster, and I want you to have some free stuff because you’re the awesomest. Click here to claim your exclusive preorder bonuses! (And don’t delay—the download link for these bonus gifts will disappear when the book hits stores in August!)
  • Wanna meet me on my book tour? ’Cause I sure want to meet you! Check out where and when I’ll be signing books in your neck of the woods, and RSVP here (so I’ll know how much Nom Nom Paleo swag to bring)!

Crush of the Week

In this episode, my growing-like-a-weed twelve-year-old, Owen, shared his crush of the week: volunteering at The Oregon Food Bank. If you can, I really hope you’ll consider volunteering at a local food bank. Millions of Americans are struggling, and many are just one job loss or medical crisis away from dire straits, and some—including seniors and children—are at greater risk of hunger than others. Visit Feeding America’s website here to find a food bank near you, and give back this summer. (If you do it in Portland, you might even spot us working a shift alongside you!)

Episode 19: Ready or Not! by Michelle Tam https://nomnompaleo.com

Question of the Week

Laura, a friendly Nomster from Atlanta, emailed me this note:

“Hi Michelle! I know that coffee is okay for Paleo eaters, and one of my favorite summer drinks in the morning is a glass of cold brewed coffee. Unfortunately, I’m finding that even one cup in the morning keeps me from being able to sleep at night. I see that you have been posting on your Instagram Stories about your morning matcha lattes, so I’m curious what that’s all about and whether it’s affecting your sleep. Thanks!”

Indeed, I’ve switched from swigging a cup of cold brew in the a.m. to savoring a glass of my Cold Matcha Latte. Here’s a link to my recipe and rationale for why I made the change. Listen to the podcast episode for more about my new morning favorite!

Cold Matcha Latte by Michelle Tam https://nomnompaleo.com

Got a head-scratcher or two for us to ponder for a future episode? Leave ’em in the comments below, or shoot them to me via email. If we answer your question on the air, you’ll win some Nom Nom Paleo swag!

That said, our podcasts certainly aren’t the only way to pose your queries to me. I’ve been on a tear with my weekly live and interactive cooking demonstrations on my Facebook page, during which I answer viewers’ questions, too. So tune in every Wednesday night at 5 pm Pacific / 8 pm Eastern and ask your questions while I cook!

Like what you heard on this episode? Please subscribe to our podcast and leave us an honest review by clicking here! Your feedback makes a huge difference. Also, please visit our sponsor, Thrive Market—if you’re a new user, you can get 25% off your entire purchase and free shipping on your first order!


Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013) and Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017)!

Recipe IndexNom Nom Paleo CookbooksNom Nom Paleo App

About Michelle Tam

Hello! My name is Michelle Tam, and I love to eat. I think about food all the time. It borders on obsession. I’ve always loved the sights and smells of the kitchen. My mother was (and is) an excellent cook, and as a kid, I was her little shadow as she prepared supper each night. From her, I gained a deep, abiding love for magically transforming pantry items into mouth-watering family meals.

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1 Comment

  1. I’m not sure where to put this question. I also know that rice isn’t paleo, but I’m guessing that maybe you make some now and then since lots of paleo folks eat white rice sometimes.

    I cannot figure out how to get the instant pot to make decent rice. I hate having to have a rice cooker (zojirushi, best EVER rice cooker) and an instant pot since, in theory, the IP makes rice.

    I’ve tried a bunch of recipes, and they are all terrible. It comes out gummy or underdone or BOTH. The cookbook that comes with it … that recipe doesn’t work either.

    Any ideas?