21
Foodie Friday: The AYMB Guide To Trader Joe’s
You know those *haul* shopping videos on youtube? This is my version.
Who doesn’t love Trader Joe’s?!?
No. Really. I actually want to know who you are, because I’ve yet to meet someone that doesn’t love that place. I’ve been a loyal customer of Trader Joe’s since about 1997 and I tend to move to areas that have a TJ’s within 10 minutes of my house. When realtors talk about location, location, location, all I want to know is if there is a TJ’s nearby.
All loyal TJ’s customers have their favorites and I am no exception. I may have relied on their frozen meals and cheap wine (Two Buck Chuck!) back in the 90′s, but now I rely on their organic and healthy products to feed my family. Trader Joe’s proves that organic, healthy, and natural products do not have to cost an arm and a leg. From a starving college student on a tight budget to a mom cooking for her family, Trader Joe’s has come through for me time and time again. The majority of my grocery receipts come from TJ’s, which should tell you everything.
Without further ado, these are my favorite Trader Joe’s products. Prices are current as of this post date:
Breakfast/Bread
Organic Oats & Flax Instant Oatmeal ($3.29) – when I feel the need to have a particularly healthy breakfast, these individual packets of oatmeal do the job.
8 Plus 2 100% Stone Ground Whole Grain Bread ($2.29) – my favorite bread, made with natural whole grains, soy & flax.
Vanilla Almond Crunch Cereal ($3.99) - this cereal is a favorite in my family. It’s good with or without milk!
Trader Joe’s Low-Fat Cereal Bars ($1.69) – made with organic grains, these cereal bars are perfect for a quick breakfast or healthy snack. I always have a few of these in my bag for when the the Monkey gets hungry.
Lavosh Bread ($1.99) - perfect for wraps or a snack with tahini or hummus.
Condiments
Organic Creamy Peanut Butter ($2.99) – this is quite possibly the best peanut butter I’ve tried. When mixed well, it doesn’t dry out, either.
Aioli Garlic Mustard Sauce ($2.49) - this mustard is incredible and works deliciously on anything from a turkey sandwich to grilled sausage.
Garlic Hummus ($2.49) – spread on lavosh or pita bread or dip your chips and veggies in it. This hummus is the best!
Organic Marinara Sauce ($2.29) - I use this tasty marinara for individual pizzas on English muffins or in pastas.
Panko Breadcrumbs ($1.69) – I prefer panko breadcrumbs to regular breadcrumbs and this panko is one of my favorites.
Himalayan Pink Salt Crystals ($1.99) – this fabulous pink salt comes with a built-in grinder!
Taco Seasoning Mix ($0.79) - this is a great alternative to other taco seasoning packs because you can actually pronounce the ingredients. (continues…)
07
Foodie Friday: Eat Your Heart Out, San Francisco
From this view, there is a whole world of wonderful restaurants and delicious food.
It’s been two years since I moved away from San Francisco, a place I called home for about 12 years. I miss many aspects of that city, but I mostly miss the food. For any foodie that has lived in or visited San Francisco, you know that it’s food heaven.
Each San Francisco neighborhood is unique with its own flavor and food culture. From fine dining in Nob Hill and picnic-ing in the Embarcadero to tamales in the Mission and brunch in the Castro to spicy Indian food in South of Market (SOMA) and Ethiopian food in Western Addition, San Francisco has everything. This list of where to eat is my own personal food diary of the places that helped refine my palate.
So, in homage of the fabulous Foggy City and the various neighborhoods and eateries that I frequented, I want to share all my secret and not-so secret places to eat great food and shop for delectable treats.
Note: Not all San Francisco Districts are listed. Neighborhoods are listed in alphabetical order. This list is subject to change. (continues…)
23
Guest Post: Foodie Friday — Sunday Morning Bacon & Zucchini Frittata
perfect Sunday breakfast (click to enlarge)
According to Ben Franklin, “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” Much as I’d like to believe that, I find bacon more reliable proof of divine benevolence. Combined with the some good ingredients, patience, TLC, and the right soundtrack, that cured pork treat serves as the foundation of a perfect Sunday morning frittata. (More pics after the jump.)
The Setup
Put the White Album on the hi-fi, turn your oven to 350F, power up your espresso machine, park the little one(s) in front of a blank notebook and crayons, and begin prep.
The Ingredients
- 4 slices of thick bacon, diced
- 1 onion, small dice
- 4 small zucchinis, sliced into 1/8”-1/4” rounds (use the slicing disc on your food processor or a Japanese mandoline)
- a handful of freshly-grated parmigiano-reggiano
- 8 organic brown eggs (six plus two egg whites)
- lemon pepper
- chili powder
- tbsp of freshly-minced garlic
- fresh-brewed double-shot Americano
16
Foodie Friday: Mustard Crusted Rack of Lamb
I love lamb.
Lamb is such a great protein and an excellent source of essential amino acids, zinc, vitamins B12 and B3, and is relatively low in fat once it’s trimmed. Can’t beat that! As a huge fan of lamb, I’m always looking for new recipes to try out. I’ve recently adapted a quick and easy mustard crusted rack of lamb recipe from Emeril Lagasse and made a few small changes to make it my own. Since I’ve prepared it a number of times now, I can vouch that it is absolutely delectable.
Quick tip: Rack of lamb can be expensive to purchase however, if you have a Trader Joe’s nearby, go there first for their excellent New Zealand rack of lamb. I always prefer organic, grass-fed, and local but, if it comes down to buying a $15 rack of good quality lamb versus a $40+ rack of organic local lamb, you can guess where I’ll be spending my money.
(click on pics for a larger view)
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- right out of the oven
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- sliced
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- plated with couscous and roasted Brussels sprouts
Ingredients:
- 1 rack of lamb, trimmed (about 1.5 lbs) – if you have to trim the fat yourself, make sure to use kitchen scissors
- 3/4 teaspoon of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard (I prefer whole grain Dijon for better texture and flavor)
- 2 teaspoons of minced garlic
- 1/4 cup of seasoned bread crumbs (I prefer organic panko )
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan (Do not use the stuff in a green canister! Grate fresh Parmesan yourself) (continues…)
18
Foodie Friday: Pork Tenderloin With POM Glaze
The folks over at POM Wonderful graciously sent me a box of their 100% pomegranate juice a few weeks back. It was very kind of them. The only problem is that I don’t drink much juice and neither does my family. So, instead of drinking the juice, I decided to try out POM Wonderful in a recipe. I had been looking to change up my usual way of preparing pork tenderloin and thought that a nice pomegranate marinade or glaze would make a great meal. Since I was too lazy to try to create my own recipe, I checked online and found this pork tenderloin with pomegranate glaze recipe on www.myrecipes.com. I made a few slight changes and went from there. The meal was a huge hit with my family and we all thought the POM glaze was fantastic.
Check it out:
Pork Tenderloin with Pom Glaze
2 cups of POM Wonderful 100% pomegranate juice
1/4 cup of organic brown sugar
3 lbs of pork tenderloin, trimmed (I prefer organic)
1/2 teaspoon kosher sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray
Preheat oven to 450.
Combine juice and sugar in a medium sauce pan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to 1/2 cup. Pour half of the glaze into a small bowl and set aside. This portion will be used on the cooked pork, so make sure to keep it away from the raw pork!
Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Place pork on the rack of a broiler pan coated with cooking spray and place in pan. For an easier clean up, line the pan first with tin foil. Brush the pork with half of the glaze. Also make sure to remove the extra glaze that dripped down into the pan before putting it into the oven (see pic below – don’t do that!) Otherwise, the extra glaze will burn and the entire kitchen will fill with smoke. I know this too well. Trust. (continues…)