Nom Nom Paleo Spice Blends!

Introducing: Nom Nom Paleo Spice Blends! Do you know and love our Magic Mushroom Powder? Well, prepare to make more room in your heart for some new and nomtastic seasonings that are sure to tickle your palate and umami-fy your meals—’cause we’re unveiling our new collection of Nom Nom Paleo spice blends!

Nom Nom Paleo Spice Blends

For years, Magic Mushroom Powder has been one of my most popular recipes. It’s so essential that it’s the ONLY recipe we had to reprint in every one of our three cookbooks, and over the past decade, I’ve developed something like a bazillion recipes (okay, more like dozens of recipes) calling for it. I posted the recipe here on my blog, and encouraged readers to make their own jars of the stuff and keep it on hand.

And we‘ve seen Magic Mushroom Powder take off like a rocket. It’s been featured on the Today show, Whole Foods Market sold it exclusively at store locations throughout the United States, and one popular U.S. grocery chain (which I won’t name) even started selling a knock-off version of homage to Magic Mushroom Powder.

But as I’ve incorporated more umami-rific spice blends into my recipes (including the many Asian-inspired dishes in my brand-spanking-new cookbook, Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go!), I’ve been developing even more seasoning blends as shortcuts to deliciousness. For TWO YEARS, we’ve been tinkering with these spice blends to get them just right—and for months now, I’ve desperately wanted to get these seasonings into your hands.

Still, I know that not everyone can make their way into a brick-and-mortar store to buy my spice blends—especially during a never-ending pandemic. I knew the best solution was to make ’em available online—something MANY of you have requested for years. So at long last [cue the drumroll, please…]:

I am SO. FREAKING. EXCITED. About these blends!

Here’s what I love about each of these new Nom Nom Paleo spice blends:

MAGIC MUSHROOM POWDER

This is the O.G. Nom Nom Paleo spice blend, people: the one-and-only Magic Mushroom Powder.

If you haven’t tried Magic Mushroom Powder yet, you MUST. Magic Mushroom Powder is the ultimate not-so-secret weapon in my kitchen; I use it in place of salt to add a burst of umami to just about any savory dish. As The Oregonian wrote:

[E]very once in a while we discover an ingredient or technique that makes us rethink everything we’ve been doing in the kitchen. That just happened with Magic Mushroom Powder. It’s a spice blend with a psychedelic-sounding name, and while it has no hallucinogenic powers, it truly is magic, adding much-desired umami to everything it touches.

Magic Mushroom Powder Ingredients: Sea Salt, Porcini Mushrooms, Red Pepper, Thyme, Black Pepper

SPICY SICHUAN POWDER

Have you ever had Sichuan peppercorns? Dried berries from prickly ash trees in southwestern China, these peppercorns are a unique way to spice up dishes because they produce a curious flavor sensation called “málà” (麻辣)—or “numb-spiciness.” In other words, Sichuan peppercorns trigger a pleasantly tingly, numbing effect on the tongue, which in turn transforms the taste of other foods eaten with these peppers.

For those who love spicy foods (like me!), my Spicy Sichuan Powder adds a new dimension to your cooking. Use it in place of salt, and this tingly seasoning salt will lend delightful heat to any stir-fries, stews, soups and sheet pan meals that could use a kick of flavor!

But don’t worry! Even though I just talked about the tingly sensation Sichuan peppercorns give you, my spice blend isn’t actually that spicy. It adds a little bit of a kick to your food, but it’s still kid-friendly, I promise.

Spicy Sichuan Powder Ingredients: Sea Salt, Garlic, Red Szechuan Pepper, White Pepper, Aleppo Pepper, Ginger

NOMTASTIC GRILLING POWDER

As Samin Nosrat wrote in the seminal Salt Fat Acid Heat: “Salt has a greater impact on flavor than any other ingredient. Learn to use it well, and your food will taste good.” But you wanna know what’s exponentially better than plain old salt? My Nomtastic Grilling Powder!

Nomtastic Grilling Powder is a staple of my kitchen because it’s the perfect marriage of salt and some of my favorite all-purpose spices that help level up whatever you decide to cook. And don’t be fooled by its name; this powder isn’t just for grilling. You can use it in place of salt on just about anything!

Nomtastic Grilling Powder Ingredients: Sea Salt, Garlic, Onion, Mustard, Black Pepper, Cumin, Coriander, Parsley, Allspice

UMAMI STIR-FRY POWDER

Unless you’re new here, you know I’m an unabashed umami evangelist—as well as a sucker for Asian comfort foods. That’s why Umami Stir-Fry Powder is so special to me: inspired by the flavors of the Chinese home cooking of my childhood, this all-purpose seasoning salt is another secret shortcut to deliciousness.

In place of salt, break out this heavenly blend of dried shiitake mushrooms, garlic, ginger, and green onion whenever you’re preparing dishes with an Asian flair. I promise it’ll take your Asian cooking to a whole new level.

By the way, you’ll find lots of new recipes in my new cookbook, Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go!, that feature Umami Stir-Fry Powder. That’s because Let’s Go! is chock-full of Asian-inspired comfort food recipes inspired by my mom’s cooking and the food I grew up on: namely immigrant cuisines of the San Francisco Bay Area. These foods and flavors bring me joy, and with my spice blends, I hope they’ll do the same for you.

Umami Stir-Fry Powder Ingredients: Sea Salt, Shiitake Mushroom, Garlic, Onion, Green Onion, Ginger, White Pepper

But the absolute best thing of all about these spice blends? They’re a collab with my big sister, Fiona Tam Kennedy!

Longtime Nomsters know Fiona well: she’s my inspiration, my second brain, my sounding board, and my secret weapon. She’s responsible for some of your favorite Nom Nom Paleo classic recipes, including Fiona’s Phenomenal Green Chicken, Spicy Tuna Cakes, and yes, MAGIC MUSHROOM POWDER. (In case you didn’t know, Fiona is the originator of our Magic Mushroom Powder!)

Having worked as a restaurant chef as well as a private chef, Fiona is now the chef-in-residence at The Spice Lab, the world’s premier supplier of sea salts and seasoning blends. The Spice Lab is a woman-owned and family-run business with an extensive product line of all-natural, award-winning seasonings and rubs, premium spices, salts, peppercorns, and unique gourmet gifts.

For the past 4 years, Fiona is the master maker behind the blends for The Spice Lab and private label customers—so Fiona’s the chef behind the curtain developing the seasonings you see at The Spice Lab!

And now: GUESS WHO’S COLLABORATING WITH US TO MAKE OUR SPICE BLENDS?

Yep—it’s my favorite Menlo Park Library Super Reader! My chef sister, Fiona!

Fiona helped us refine and formulate our recipes for these spice blends, and we’re selling them through The Spice Lab—which means we can finally offer our seasonings online!

You can buy individual bottles of each of the blends…

…or you can grab the complete box set of all four seasonings!

Right now, the Spice Lab is even offering a discounted package that includes a copy of my new book, Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go!

Got more questions? Here’s an FAQ:

Are these spice blends paleo, keto, Whole30-compatible, gluten-free, sugar-free, vegan, and kosher?

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, and yes! All four of my Nom Nom Paleo spice blends are paleo (of course), but they’re also keto-friendly, Whole30 compatible, gluten-free, sugar-free, vegan, and kosher. Plus, my Nomtastic Grilling Powder and Umami Stir-Fry powder are nightshade-free!

How can we buy these spice blends?

They’re available at The Spice Lab (a.k.a. Spices.com) and you can buy the whole Nom Nom Paleo spice blend collection! You can also buy them on Amazon and iHerb! International folks can stock up via iHerb!

Are they available in any physical stores or through other online shops?

Not right now! But if you’re a retailer who wants to stock our blends (either in-store or online), send an email to me and I’ll forward it to the right person at The Spice Lab.

Will Magic Mushroom Powder still be sold at Whole Foods Market Stores?

Nope! Magic Mushroom Powder will only be available through The Spice Lab, Amazon, and iHerb.

How do you cook with these spice blends?

Just like Magic Mushroom Powder, all of my new blends can be used in place of salt in virtually any dish, adding an immediate flavor punch to everything from scrambled eggs and ground meat to roasted veggies and stir-fries!

What recipes can I make with these spice blends?

I have tons of Magic Mushroom Powder recipes on this site, as well as on my iPhone/iPad app and in my three cookbooks, including my brand new cookbook, Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go!

Speaking of Let’s Go!, my latest book also includes a bunch of recipes that feature two of my newest seasonings, Umami Stir-Fry Powder and Nomtastic Grilling Powder:

• 2-Ingredient Crispy Chicken
• Roasted Winter Vegetables
• Garlic Mushroom Noodles
• Hash Brown Fish
• Shrimp and Sugar Snap Peas
• Umami Fried Shrimp
• Baby Bok Choy with Crab Meat Sauce

And over time, you can expect to see even more new recipes on my site and app that incorporate these amazing umami boosters, so stay tuned. But honestly: with these spice blends, you won’t even need a recipe. Use one of my spice blends in place of salt, and you’ll be amazed at how your food is transformed!

Can I get free shipping?

Yes, if you buy the blend from The Spice Lab and spend $50 or more (after any discount is applied—meaning you’re actually spending $50 or more). Remember: there are TONS of other spices and seasonings and salts that you can buy at The Spice Lab!

You can stock up on Red Alaea Hawaiian Sea Salt for Kalua Pig or anything else your spice-loving heart desires!

Where to buy Nom Nom Paleo Spice Blends

So what are you waiting for? Head to The Spice Lab, Amazon, or iHerb and start shopping!