Easy Trader Joe’s Meals
I have been shopping at Trader Joe’s since the late ’80s/early ’90s and have always wished I could create some of the recipes like they do at the demo area in Trader Joe’s. Since I am not that creative, I jumped at the opportunity to review, Livin’ Lean With Trader Joe’s, by Jamie Davidson. Livin’ Lean With Trader Joe’s Cookbook has healthy Trader Joe’s recipes.
OMG!!! I read through this cookbook and was so giddy. I was literally like a kid in a candy store, except I had visions of being in another kind of store. The recipes are not as simple as the recipes that are shared in the demo area. I am thinking because they are lean recipes. I also have to consider they have to put together quick recipes for the number of people that are trying the demo. Don’t get me wrong I love it! I love Trader Joe’s and believe most of the food is healthy or there are healthier alternatives offered verses the options at other supermarkets, but sometimes the demo of the day can be a little heavy, I did say a little….
Livin’ Lean definitely has lean recipes that I really need to apply to my diet. My family eats pretty healthy and Trader Joe’s is where we primarily shop, but I find myself preparing the same old dishes. My family likes them, but we all have been hoping for something new and different. I cannot tell you how many times we have gone up and down the aisles and the kids say, “Let’s try something different.” I think okay…and we leave with most of the usual items. Now, I will be bringing my Livin’ Lean recipe book with me. My cabinets will be stacked with items I did not know existed. Livin Lean has opened my eyes to a new side of Trader Joe’s.
Let’s open your eyes as well. Here a couple of great recipes to share with you and after you review them, you can head over to the site and purchase Livin’ Lean With Trader Joe’s here. I am so serious, Livin’ Lean With Trader Joe’s is one product I am excited about and believe if you are a fan of TJ’s, you will love this book as well. This recipe book is really reasonable, you cannot beat $14.95 212 pages of Trader Joe’s recipes.
For Breakfast
Ricotta-Peanut Butter Breakfast Spread
Trader Joe’s now carries fat-free ricotta cheese, a good source of protein and calcium. Take it to work for a desk-top breakfast or spread it on bread or crackers as a snack. It will keep for a few days in the fridge. It also makes a good sandwich filling for lunch boxes.
Serves 4, about ¼ cup per serving
1 cup TJ’s Fat Free Ricotta Cheese
2 tablespoons TJ’s Peanut Butter or Almond Butter, no salt added
½ tablespoon honey
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
Add all of the ingredients together and blend. Spread onto whole grain toast, toaster waffles or baby bagels. Or serve as a fruit dip.
Serves 4 (a little more than ¼ cup/serving)
Per serving: 100 calories, 4 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 76 mg sodium, 5.25 g carbohydrate,
1.75 g fiber, 7.75 g protein
For Lunch
Tuna, Bean and Bruschetta Salad
TJ’s Bruschetta sauce adds so much flavor for so few calories. It turns Italian style vegetables into gourmet vegetables and gives a boost to homemade pizza. Here, I combine it with beans and tuna for a hearty salad. This salad packs and keeps well for lunches at work.
Serves 4
1 (5 ounce) can TJ’s Albacore Solid White in Water, drained and rinsed
1 (15 ounce can) TJ’s Cannellini White Kidney Beans
½ cup TJ’s Bruschetta, fresh or bottled
2 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup chopped basil or parsley, optional
Romaine or other lettuce leaves
Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl, except for the lettuce leaves. Place bean salad on lettuce leaves and serve.
Per serving: 185 calories, 2 g fat, 12.5 g cholesterol, 576 mg sodium, 27.8 g carbohydrate, 9.5 g fiber, 14.5 g protein
Options:
• Add ½ cup chopped celery, fennel or raw zucchini.
• Add 1 (7 ounce) container of TJ’s Spicy Hummus Dip.
• To lower sodium, use TJ’s (5 ounce) Albacore Solid White Tuna in Water, No Salt Added or TJ’s (5 ounce) Albacore Solid White Tuna in Water and Half Salt
*Dairy-free if you use tuna without casein added. Trader Joe’s does not add casein.
For Dinner
Glazed Apricot Salmon
It doesn’t get any easier than this! And wait until you taste this fabulous dish.
Note: The nutritional analysis is a bit misleading. The sauce spreads, and unless you scoop it up and put it over the rice, about 1/3 of it is left on the pan.
Serves 6
1 cup TJ’s Reduced Sugar Apricot Preserves
1/3 cup TJ’s General Tsao Sauce or Black Bean and Garlic Sauce
TJ’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil Spray
2 pounds Wild Silverbrite or other salmon fillets
2 tablespoons green onions, finely chopped
Sesame seeds, optional
1. Preheat the broiler to high. Cover a cookie sheet or pizza pan with foil to make clean up easier.
2. Combine apricot preserves and General Tsao sauce in a small bowl and mix well.
3. Lay the salmon on the foil-covered baking sheet. Spoon the sauce over the top of the salmon and broil for 7 minutes for each inch of salmon thickness.
4. Remove the salmon to a platter and sprinkle with the green onions and sesame seeds, if desired.
Per serving: 385 calories, 12 g fat, 107 g cholesterol, 259 mg sodium, 29 g carbohydrate, 0 g fiber, 39 g protein. Dairy-free
Serve with:
Quick: Spinach Salad with Peanut Vinaigrette (102 calories), page 80 and Broccoli with Lemon Zest (38 calories), page 165.
Super quick: Green salad with TJ’s Champagne Pear Vinaigrette and TJ’s Quinoa with Vegetable Mélange (220 calories).
For Dessert
Gingered Peach and/or Pear Crisp
This crisp tastes similar to a peach cobbler but it has a ginger snap zip. It’s super-easy to put together and only has 147 calories per serving. To crush cookies, place 12 cookies in a durable plastic bag and roll a rolling pin over them.
Serves 6
1 (25 ounce) jar TJ’s Peach Halves, drained and sliced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger or bottled minced ginger
½ cup finely crushed TJ’s Triple Ginger Snaps (12 cookies)
½ cup quick-cooking oats
2 tablespoons brown sugar, unpacked
1. Preheat oven to 425ºF or 400ºF if using a glass dish.
2. Place peaches and ginger in an 8-inch shallow pan, and stir until ginger is blended in.
3. In a small bowl, stir together gingersnaps, oats, and brown sugar. Sprinkle over fruit.
4. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, until browned.
Per serving:147 calories, 2 g fat, 8.3 mg cholesterol, 52 mg sodium, 30 g carbohydrate, 1.5 g fiber, 2.5 g protein
Options:
o Substitute a combination of canned peach and pear halves, or use fresh fruit.
*For a dairy-free version, substitute TJ’s Cookie Thins Triple Ginger or TJ’s Gluten-Free Ginger Snaps
*For a gluten-free version, use TJ’s Gluten-Free Ginger Snaps and Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-free Oatmeal or other oatmeal certified gluten-free
I am one of many fans of Trader Joe’s and now a fan author, Jamie Davidson, she was on target when she said, “Trader Joe’s has become one of the best go-to places for people who want to find healthy and reasonably priced food.” “They have a great selection of organic fruits and vegetables, and they offer a large selection of healthy foods that are preservative-free, healthy, gluten-free and vegan friendly.”
Jamie, who has been teaching busy people how to eat well conveniently for over 20 years, teaches busy people how to use Trader Joe’s products to create delicious meals quickly in the San Francisco area. Her books are packed with recipes and guidance on how to make living lean easy and convenient.
Livin’ Lean With Trader Joe’s has a variety of recipes that will keep you on the right track or jumpstart a new way of living.
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