Michelle Tam

Michelle Tam of Nom Nom Paleo shares recipes for sheet pan pineapple chicken, chicken and spinach velvet soup, an Italian-inspired chicken bake, and more.

This dinner is easy to prepare, and cleanup is a snap too.

The prep and cleanup are so easy!

They're loaded with avocado, bacon, and more, and served on lettuce leaves.

This soup is pure comfort.

You only need one pan to make this hearty and delicious dish.

It’s true: You can enjoy a satisfying Thai-style chicken curry on a weeknight without leaving home. I’ve pared down the classic recipe to the bare essentials, which means you can get this one-pot stew from stove to craw in less than 30 minutes. You’ll love the complex spices, fresh herbs, and creamy coconut milk base. Ladle this curry over a steaming bowl of cauliflower rice, and your supper will be Thai-rific!

Once a year, our family escapes to Hawaii — our home away from home. I love everything about the islands: the friendly people, the unhurried pace, the balmy climate, the sweeping beaches, the glorious sunsets, and the comforting local food. Foremost among the Hawaiian dishes I crave? Kalua pig. Often the headlining dish at a lu’au, kalua pig is the epitome of slow-roasted porky goodness.

My chef sister, Fiona, is my go-to source for hands-on cooking advice and one of my biggest culinary heroes and influences. But even more important? Fiona came up with an umami-packed, Thai-inspired chicken recipe that immediately became a family favorite. Her green marinade is a breeze to throw together: Simply blend together a sweet onion, handfuls of herbs, fish sauce, apple juice, lime zest, and pepper.

Going Paleo doesn’t mean giving up sushi — especially if you make it yourself. Temaki (seaweed-wrapped hand rolls) make a regular appearance in our household because I usually have all the ingredients in my refrigerator and pantry. I simply chop up a few vegetables and make a simple crab salad before hollering at my family to assemble their own no-cook meal.

Back when I was working graveyard shifts as a hospital pharmacist, cooking dinner was the absolute last thing I wanted to do when I got home. Fortunately, I learned that I could quickly toss some ingredients into my slow cooker and pass out, confident that I’d wake up when things started smelling good — like these slow-cooked, Asian-spiced ribs.

Adopting a Paleo lifestyle doesn’t mean that fried rice is forever off the menu. You just have to get creative. Years ago, when I went Paleo, I experimented in the kitchen until I developed an Asian cauliflower fried “rice” that easily trumps the greasy, soy-drenched stuff peddled by your local Chinese restaurant. As long as you prep the veggies the night before, it’s a cinch to throw this one-wok meal together on a weeknight.