FUN, NEW, YUM cookbook

I pulled into the driveway last week to find a brown box on my porch, inside that box was a brand new cookbook. A cookbook that I had preordered on a whim months prior, by Michelle Tam of nom nom paleo. READY OR NOT is a cookbook to enjoy cover to cover. At first glance I am taken by how much she shared in the book.

The book provides a glimpse into Michelle’s life, her husband, kids, along with the effort she puts into creating a family meal each day, “80% of the recipes are things that her kids will eat.” Now that’s pretty good stats! Try using a family policy to get kids on board, like you gotta try three bites before you knock it, or practice saying this is delicious before putting a questionable food into your mouth, as this little trick stunts the gag reflex.

Maybe I’m such a fan, because Michelle is Chinese/American and Asian styled food is something she does really well. That said her recipes are simple, really creative, and yummy. Michelle is Paleo in style, although she has some great vegetable dishes too! Check out her recipe file here. She also has a great number of instant pot recipes, which are great for mom’s on the go.

Tam has a serious palate for tasty food, and uses umami well. Umami is that fifth taste bud that we often forget, and is key in creating that sense of satiety. Umami comes from bacon, mushrooms, stocks, and fish sauce… careful don’t overdo the fish sauce as, an American palate can have a hard time with too much of it!

The other four taste buds include sweet, salty, sour, and bitter. We are likely familiar with the sweet and salty flavors, which are common in the American diet. Introducing more sour into our diets with lemon, lime, and apple cider vinegar can stir up stomach acid and aide in digestion. Sour also includes fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, kimchi (a Korean sauerkraut), and kombucha. Bitter foods include coffee, dandelion greens, arugula, jerusalem artichokes, jicama, and kale to name a few. These bitter foods are great for gut health, whether adding prebiotic fiber to the diet (jerusalem artichokes & jicama) or supporting our bodies natural detoxification process. Detoxification or biotransformation is the bodies way of breaking down chemicals, either internal (hormones and neurotransmitters) or external (found in air and water), and making them less harmful for the body.

You can find Michelle Tam’s new book READY OR NOT! here.