My Trader Joe Life

Okay, work is really stressful lately. My boss is getting ready to retire and I don't want her job. In fact, I get paid very well for doing a job that I like and I can imagine remaining in this position up until I retire myself. Unfortunately, that means that I will probably have to deal with a new manager, and I am not looking forward to breaking them in!

At stressful times like these, I am really glad that I have Trader Joe's to fall back on. Because of this store, the stress of preparing meals for my family are eliminated. Trader Joe's supplies so many exceptional products that I can cut corners here and there and still put out fantastic meals!

I just went shopping this morning, and am actually looking forward to some of our meals this week! Seriously! How often does that happen? When I used to shop at... ahem...Walmart, I never actually looked forward to what I was preparing. Plus, half of the food that I came home with was just crap: low priced, processed garbage!

At TJ's, I always get exceptional choices that give me a variety of high end products at reasonable prices! Here's what's on the menu for this week thanks to Trader Joe's!


LUNCHES:

Pizza Primavera served with Mozzarella & Tomato Salad and Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Wild Caught Salmon with Orzo Pasta and Spinach in Yogurt Mint Sauce

Garden Vegetable Lasagna and Romaine Heart Salad with Grated Romano Cheese

Black Angus Burger with a side of Macaroni and Cheese

Baked Cod Provençale with Ratatouille and Brown and Wild Rice

Grilled Peppered Turkey Breast and Swiss Cheese Sandwich with Red Pepper and Tomato Soup


DINNERS:

Rack of Lamb with Wild Rice Pilaf and Balsamic Glazed Brussel Sprouts

Chicken Enchiladas with Chimichurri Peruvian Rice and a Tossed Green Salad

Coq au Vin with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Buttered Asparagus

Mini-Meatloaf with Potato Gratin and Buttered Baby Beets

Pork Roast with Gravy, Baked Potatoes and Glazed Carrots

Teriyaki Venison with Five Spice Asian Chicken Salad

In addition, we have bananas, crab salad, English muffins, Ground beef, smoked apple and chardonnay chicken sausages, potato salad, onions, celery, red pepper, spinach and ricotta ravioli, breakfast sausage patties, and 6 different organic yogurts (for my breakfast).

Speaking of yogurt...

Trader Joe's has the most delicious, organic yogurt EVAH!

They are basically made with yogurt, fruit and cane sugar and come in five flavors (blueberry, peach, strawberry, vanilla, raspberry).  I enjoy a container of yogurt every day for breakfast with a cup of coffee.

So, in the end, I wind up having delicious meals every day of the week, thanks to TJ's wide variety.  I also will spend about 30 minutes or less preparing those meals, which is the really amazing part! So until those other grocery stores can match my TJ's in reducing my stress level, I will be sticking with Trader Joe's!

<God, I sound like a commercial, right?> LOL

Barramundi

Today I discovered the joys of Barramundi! I know that sounds like some sort of African tribal dance, but it is really a delicious type of fish, also known as Asian Sea Bass.  And yes, I got mine at Trader Joe's! Where else?

Now, even though I am a chef, I have never had this fish before and was really quite unsure of what to expect, but I forged ahead and took my best guess on the appropriate flavor combinations. It just so happens that this one I hit right out of the park!

Below, is my dinner creation:

"Lemon-Pepper Barramundi with Strawberry/Watermelon Salsa, Mushroom Fettuccine, and Sugar Snap Peas"

 

 

 

It was absolute "Perfection"!

 

The Barramundi is a sustainable resource fish, with a off-white, flaky flesh and a very mild flavor. It's flavor profile is that of just a slight fish flavor with an almost nut-like undertone and an extremely smooth and buttery finish. Like salmon, the flesh is more moist due to a higher ratio of oils.

 

To prepare this fish I sautéed it in butter at high heat with the skin on. After browning the flesh side, I turned the filets, skin-side down, seasoned them with Trader Joe's Lemon-Pepper seasoning, and then finished them with a splash of white wine, and covered the pan to allow the steam to quickly cook the filet's through.

 

 

 

While the fish was cooking, I quickly created my salsa. It consisted of chopped strawberries and watermelon, chopped cilantro, a squeeze of fresh lime, and just a dash of salt and cayenne for just a hint of heat. I kind of decided to make the salsa as an afterthought because I guessed that it would add to the flavor profile of the fish.

 

I had already prepped my sugar snap peas, so I just reheated them in the microwave. While all of that was going, I had another pan on the stove for my Trader Joe's Mushroom Fettuccine.  This pasta dish is REALLY versatile and you can use it as a base for a lot of quick meals. Here, I used it as a side dish and it's creamy, buttery flavor was a nice compliment to the Barramundi and a welcome contrast to the citrus elements of the lemon-pepper and the salsa. So, although fish and mushrooms are rarely thought of as complimentary, for this particular dish it worked very well.

 

As a final note, I would like to address the use of my salsa. Americans have unfortunately been taught that there is one fruit to serve with fish and that is lemon. Through the process of globalization, we have also come to accept the lime as another fruit that pairs well with fish. However, when you are experimenting in your own kitchen, I highly recommend trying other fruit flavors with your fish. Strawberry, for example, is a brilliant accompaniment to the oilier fish like salmon, and Barramundi! But really explore what is out there. play with the flavors. See what you like and what you don't. In the end, you may discover the next taste sensation. And if not, at least you will have fun trying!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

Vegetable Pad Thai

One of my favorite things about Trader Joe's is the selection of internationally inspired foods. From Italian and Greek, to Brazilian and Thai, there are so many interesting flavor combinations.

Today I had the frozen Vegetable Pad Thai for lunch.

I have to say, I was actually surprised by the quality of this dish. It is completely vegan and really quite good.  The texture of frozen rice noodles will never compare with fresh, but the balance of flavors in this dish are spot on!

I love Pad Thai in general, and really do not get out to my favorite Thai restaurant often enough. But to get Pad Thai this good, in the middle of my work day, was really quite a treat.

The dish itself is a full 10.5 ounces, really a fairly substantial portion. I prepared the dish as directed on the package and the noodles came out nicely cooked. The scallions, not surprisingly, were what could be expected. That is to say, they were limp and looked as if they had been frozen and then overcooked in the microwave, but still palatable.

Where this dish truly shines, though is the flavor.  It is a very nicely balanced Pad Thai with both well-balanced nutty and tart flavors.  In the future, I may actually use this dish at home for a quick dinner with the addition of some freshly cooked vegetables, for a little brightness. All in all, though, I was quite happy with this one and will definitely be getting it again.

My Love Affair With Joe

I am in love.

No, seriously, I am deeply in love. His name is Joe. Well, okay, it isn't actually a "him". It is actually a "what".   It is, of course, Trader Joe's!

I just finished my weekly grocery shopping. It took me twenty minutes. TWENTY MINUTES! Can you believe that? Yes, I am a fast shopper, but still. Part of that speed is really due to the great layout of the Trader Joe stores. I know where everything is and everything is very intuitively stocked, so even if I am looking for a product that I have never bought before, I can almost guarantee where I will find it!

More important than the time savings though, are the savings in food cost! I continuously have this long-running dialogue with my friends about why they should be shopping at Trader Joe's instead of <gag> Walmart. But they just don't get it!

Today's shopping trip cost $124. I purchased enough food for two people for over a week, plus some additional odds and ends! That comes out to less than three dollars a meal! My friends routinely spend more than that a week at Walmart, and it goes without saying that the food quality is not even remotely close! Here's my recent take from Trader Joe's:



Here's a list of everything I bought:

• Peanut Butter Dog Biscuits- 2 Boxes (Our dogs LOVE them!)
• Bouquet of Spring Flowers
• Tea Tree Oil Soap (2 bars)
• Half and Half
• Butter (2 lbs)
• Organic Yogurt (6 each)
• Sliced Roasted Turkey
• Sliced Cojack Cheese
• Multigrain English Muffins (6)
• Whole Wheat English Muffins (6)
• Blueberry Scones (6)
• Bananas (2 bunches)
• Mini Watermelon
• Avocados (6 each)
• Red D'Anjou Pears (2 each)
• Limes (2 each)
• Brussel Sprouts
• Asparagus
• Strawberries
• Organic Jelly Beans
• Peanut Butter and Jelly Chocolate Bar
• Kona Coffee-Chocolate Truffles
• California Roll Sushi Tray
• Wild Salmon in Yogurt Mint Sauce with Orzo Pasta- Frozen Entrée (2 each)
• Reduced Guilt Macaroni and Cheese Frozen Entrée
• Garden Vegetable Lasagna Frozen Entrée
• Vegetable Pad Thai Frozen Entrée
• Indian Tikka Masala Frozen Entrée
• Beef Stroganoff Meal for Two
• Grilled Chicken Cacciatore Meal for Two
• Fully Cooked Pork Belly-12 oz
• Frozen Barramundi- Sustainable Source
• Lemon-Pepper Spice Mill
• Linguini with White Clam Sauce
• Tomato Basil Marinara Sauce
• Mini Meatballs- Frozen

So, I think that you can see the value of the food just by volume. But the even bigger value is really in the quality of the food as well as the variety. For example, let's just look at the frozen entrees. I work Monday through Friday, nine to ten hour days. Lunch is a short 30 minutes, so the options are to either bring something from home or run out for gross, fast food. That's why the frozen entrees work for me.

This week, while other people I work with will be eating fast food or other boring lunches, I will be indulging in dishes like: Wild Salmon in Yogurt Mint Sauce with Orzo Pasta... or Vegetable Pad Thai... or Garden Vegetable Lasagna... or Indian Tikka Masala! And the kicker? They are ALL really quite good!

After a long day of work, I have to come home and prepare dinner, and even with my culinary background, it is sometimes the last thing that I want to do after a long, hard day. But I also like to have good food. That's another reason why Trader Joe's is perfect for my situation. Their pre-packaged meals are designed to serve 2-3 people. So there is no waste! Compare that to trying to reproduce these meals from a store like Walmart and you can instantly see why Trader Joe's is a better value.

This week, our dinners will include:

Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Mini Meatballs in Tomato-Basil Marinara Sauce
Lemon-Pepper Barramundi with Sugar Snap Peas
Seared, Sliced Pork Belly with Fingerling Potatoes and Brussel Sprouts
Beef Stroganoff with Pappardelle Pasta, Pearl Onions and Mushrooms and Asparagus
Grilled Chicken Cacciatore with Sugar Snap Peas.

Add to that all of the fresh fruit, and the occasional Kona-Chocolate Truffle! It just doesn't get any better than that!

Oh wait, yes it does! Because all of the above meals will take less than an hour to prepare, and most will be prepared in under 30 minutes! Now THAT fits my lifestyle.

So now you know why I am in love. But can you blame me? I mean, Trader Joe treats me like a king. What more could I want?

Cajun Shrimp and Grits with Balsamic Glazed Asparagus

 

So the other day for dinner I was craving...no...seriously CRAVING seafood. I had purchased some frozen shrimp at Trader Joe's and decided to make something with them. 

 

 

First, let me say that as far as frozen seafood goes, Trader Joe's has exceptionally high quality products; a much higher quality than ANY other store in my area. Yes, it is frozen, which is nowhere near as good as fresh, but when you live in the high desert region of the United States, you pretty much resign yourself to eating frozen fish and seafood.

Okay...enough about that.

So I had these shell on, deveined shrimp and was trying to decide how I would prepare them. That's when I stumbled upon a bag of grits that my sister-in-law had brought back from a trip down south. Now, if you are one of the uninitiated, one of the premier and truly iconic dishes of the south is "Shrimp and Grits". This dish actually originated as a breakfast dish for gulf coast fisherman and consisted of grits, bacon and shrimp as the central feature. Through time and travel, the dish has changed and evolved and is now more likely to be seen on a dinner menu than as breakfast fare.  Many regions of the south have their own variation on this dish, but I decided to stick with a Cajun/Bayou kind of variation.

First, I cooked my grits. Usually you can, and probably should, cook your grits in water. The standard measure is a 4 to 1 ratio of water to grits. Heat to a boil, then reduce your heat to a low simmer and cook your grits to a creamy texture, stirring every couple of minutes. A little salt added never hurt.
Since I new that I was using these grits for a savory dish, I actually used half water and half stock. This is a great way to impart extra flavor to the dish, without sacrificing that brilliant cream color.

So after cooking my grits, I started on the shrimp! First, I shelled the shrimp, leaving the tails on. I then set the shrimp aside in the refrigerator while I made my sauce.

In a large pan I melted about half a stick of butter and then added about 3 Tablespoons of olive oil. You could use any oil, but I like the complexity that olive oil adds to the final dish.  I then added my shrimp shells to the pan and sautéed the shells until they turned color. To this pan I added fresh garlic, onion, red bell pepper, chopped bacon, cayenne pepper, file powder, paprika, oregano and thyme. I sautéed these ingredients together just until the onion started to become translucent. I then added a couple of tablespoons of flour and cooked the mixture until I achieved a ruddy-brown color.  To this I added a can of chicken stock (you could use vegetable stock as well) and some white wine.
Once the sauce started to thicken, I removed it from the stove and strained it into a bowl.

The great thing about this dish is that all of the above steps can be done way ahead of time. Which is exactly what I did!

When it was time for dinner, I reached for my Trader Joe's Asparagus pack. They have these great, pre-packaged microwaveable vegetables that I absolutely love! They take minutes in the microwave and come out perfect every time!

While my asparagus spears were nuking, I sprayed a pan with oil and sautéed the shrimp until they were almost done, then added my previously made sauce to the pan. Then it was a quick adjustment of the seasoning, and a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley, and the dish was done.

When my asparagus were done, I opened the package and added some Trader Joe's Balsamic Glaze to the container. Then it was just a quick shake to spread the glaze over the spears, and it was dinner time!! By the way, if you haven't tried Trader Joe's Balsamic Glaze, you MUST! It is perfect.

Actually, it took me longer to write about this meal than it did to prepare it. The final result was a little slice of heaven and really took me back to New Orleans, one of my favorite places in the world! I know that I will be making this one again in the near future.