Nom Nom Paleo

Chock full of humour, quirky cartoons, breathtaking photography, wonderful global recipes and tips, Michelle Tam and Henry Fong's brand spanking new book is lovely to pore over like a novel and to cook from. I couldn't help but notice many familiar books in their culinary library, though my books are not as beautifully arranged! Their two sons are now in their teens and cook, too.

Other things to love about this book are the inclusion of nutritional information and the "use this for..." with each suggested recipes in the book along with page numbers. The Thanks/Acknowledgement page made me smile...I ALWAYS read them! The amount of time and energy involved in the detailed photography and cartoons (all by Henry) is staggering. Truly a labour of love.

One needn't follow the paleo lifestyle to enjoy the benefits and recipes here. I must avoid gluten (celiac) and am keto..there is a richness of inspiration on these pages, especially for condiment-making nuts like me. But these condiments are very simple. I have yet to make No-Fish Sauce (certainly will) but the All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce is incredibly tasty. Nearly all the recipes here interest me enough to make them but one that stands out especially is Nom Nom Chili Crisp. A game changer! The Umami Stir-Fry Powder is easy and flavourful (we are using it with Umami Fried Shrimp tomorrow)...I bet the Nomtastic Grilling Powder is equally good. The Zucchini Carpaccio Salad will be our go-to version now. Can't wait to make the Scallion Pancakes and Tsukune Chicken Meatballs, Wonton Meatballs, Dan Tat (Hong Kong Egg Tarts) and Coconut Almond Jelly (hopefully the latter tomorrow, too).

All cooks with all skill levels and dietary lifestyles ought to prioritize this book...a few recipes do contain harder-to-find ingredients but most do not. Explanations and descriptions are very clear.

My sincere thank you to Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for the privilege of reading and cooking from this delightful book!