YumSugar

Fig Pizza Pie Piled High With Arugula: That's Amore

YumSugar — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 16:15:40 -0700

A while back I maintained that I didn't like pizzas topped with salad, but I couldn't resist trying Bon Appetit's recipe for a Gorgonzola, prosciutto, and fig pizza topped with arugula salad. To make it even easier, I purchased a bag of premade dough from my local Trader Joe's. I hate to admit it, but the simple preparation of the dish meant that I had a scrumptious Summer meal in less than half an hour. The sweet figs and peppery arugula are a perfect match to the salty prosciutto and flavorful Gorgonzola. There is no sauce on the pizza, but the creamy balsamic dressing on the salad makes up for it. While I still love keeping my salad and pizza separate, combining the two can also be a fantastic option. If you want to eat your pizza and salad without ever lifting a fork, keep reading.

How Money Are You: Trip to the Grocery Store, Trader Joe's

SavvySugar — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 12:00:16 -0700

I'm not shy about my love for Trader Joe's. Grocery shopping at TJ's is good for buying the old standbys and also new products - the quality there is consistent, so I don't feel like I'm taking too much of a risk by buying things for the first time. I know the store doesn't have locations in every part of the country, but can you guess how much some of the items cost on my last trip to Trader Joe's? Take the quiz!

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What Kind of Garlic Do You Cook With?

partysugar — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 09:00:04 -0800

The other day I went to Trader Joe's with my girlfriend Kristal. One of the ingredients on her grocery list was frozen crushed garlic. I was surprised and wondered why she didn't use fresh garlic. Apparently she prefers the crushed variation because it saves time and doesn't leave the smell of garlic on her hands. It got me thinking about alternative forms of garlic.

The Year's Best Grocery Store

YumSugar — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 14:00:56 -0800

Earlier we asked your thoughts on the Best of 2008, and that included your favorite grocery store of the year. Although prices went through the roof on everything from beef to dairy, you chose Trader Joe's as your number-one pick. For the second year in a row, it was the clear winner, taking 39 percent of the vote. We must be on the same wavelength because Trader Joe's is Yum's supermarket fave, too. We love TJ's because it offers a variety of unique, all-natural food choices without breaking the bank. It's got a frozen-food selection, cheese offering, and wine section. We wish every grocer could offer the same value for the quality. In fact, we love the store so much that we experimented with a cookbook that exclusively calls for items from Trader Joe's. What are your reasons for preferring TJ's?

Source

Must-Read: Cooking With All Things Trader Joe's

YumSugar — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 11:15:20 -0800

Trader Joe's is one of those love it or hate it topics. Personally, I am in love with it. So earlier this year, when I spotted this book in a Borders window, I literally ran inside to look at it.

Cooking With All Things Trader Joe's ($24.95) is not the official cookbook of Trader Joe's grocery stores - in fact, it has no affiliation with the supermarket chain. Rather, it was written by two devotees who wanted to create a recipe collection in which all ingredients could be found at Trader Joe's. To hear more about it, read more.

Pros:

Recipes are approachable for the beginner cook.
Recipes often make creative use of ingredients.
Each recipe is given an entire spread, including a full page picture.
The authors suggest wines (from Trader Joe's, naturally) that would pair well with recipes.
Hardcover cookbook is durable, looks nice on the shelf, and would make a nice gift.

Cons:

The recipes only call for Trader Joe's ingredients, many of which are unavailable elsewhere. This cookbook would be useless for anyone without a nearby Trader Joe's.
Ingredients could be phased out at any time. (For that reason, the cookbook makes plenty of suggestions for substitutions.)
Some dishes sound short on taste - I'll pass on the Dairy-Free Creamy Cashew Smoothie.

Recipes: The recipes are methodically organized. Some of my favorites:

Appealing Appetizers: Spicy Tropical Shrimp Boats
Soups, Salads, & Light Meals: Black Bean and Ricotta-Stuffed Portabellas, Le French Lentil Soup
Main Meals: Calamari Brodetto, Saag Paneer Lasagna
On the Side: Oven-Roasted Vegetables With Rosemary
Delicious Desserts: Saffron Ice Cream
Drinks: Sangria
Begin With Breakfast: Breakfast Crepes
Bachelor Quickies (heat-and-serve meals): Elegant Rack of Lamb with Vegetables and Apple Tart

Imagery: The images, which have not been edited in any way, are lush and enticing.

Overall Rating: Because this cookbook offers impressive-sounding, attractive dishes for minimal work, this book would be great for getting a beginner into the kitchen. If you're a Trader Joe's fan, you'll love this book. If you aren't, or don't have one near you, don't bother.

How Money Are You: Trip to the Grocery Store, Thanksgiving

SavvySugar — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 09:30:52 -0800

Thanksgiving grocery shopping led me to two different grocery stores (Safeway and Trader Joe's), and as luck would have it I still missed a couple of items on my list. I'm hosting a few friends for the holiday and can't wait to make all of the traditional holiday treats, with a twist, of course.

If you've been to the store to pick up your own Thanksgiving feast ingredients than you may have some good luck on the quiz that asks about how much some of these items cost. How money are you?

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How Money Are You: Trip to the Grocery Store, Trader Joe's

SavvySugar — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 11:32:30 -0700

"Trip to the grocery store" is a fun way to see how prices vary around the country, the differences between similar offerings at various grocery stores, and a rough way of tracking grocery prices. The questions come from a receipt from a recent trip to the store, and this one is from Trader Joe's in San Francisco. I love TJ's because it usually has much cheaper prices than other mainstream stores in the city and it offers good-quality items. How money are you?

Source

Take the quiz

Introducing Baby Kiwi!

YumSugar — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 05:18:19 -0700

Last year I was at my local Trader Joe's when I noticed containers of something called "kiwi grapes." I'd never heard of such a thing, so naturally I picked them up. They were small grape-sized fruits which were delicious and tart, sort of like regular kiwi, but sweeter and with a smooth, edible skin. Needless to say, I fell in love and wanted to eat them over and over again. Unfortunately by the time I went back to get more, they were gone!

For a year I've been talking to people about these delicious fruits and was excited to head into Trader Joe's today and find them waiting there. This time they were labeled "baby kiwi," but they were definitely the same thing. I snatched up three baskets and already devoured one. If you can find them near you - I've heard of people spotting them in Whole Foods and other markets like that - I highly suggest you check them out. If you fall in love with them like I did, you'll be happy to know that they're actually available twice a year. In the Spring they're imported from New Zealand and in the Fall they come from Oregon. And if you find yourself pining for them in the between seasons, don't say I didn't warn you.

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Lentil Vegetable Soup: Trader Joe's vs. Amy's Kitchen

FitSugar — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 07:30:00 -0800

You know I'm a huge fan of anything from Amy's Kitchen, but I also love products from Trader Joe's since many of them are organic and all natural.

Both companies make a Lentil Vegetable Soup. Want to see how they compare? Then read more

As you can see, these soups look very similar. Amy's had a few more green beans and the one from Trader Joe's had a few more potatoes. As for taste, Amy's was a little bit more herb-y, and Trader Joe's had a slightly sweet tomatoe-y flavor. Honestly though, they tasted so much alike that it was difficult to tell the difference.

Serving Size	Can of Trader Joe's (410g)	Can of Amy's (445g)
Calories	260	300
Total Fat	7g	8g
Saturated Fat	1g	1g
Cholesterol	0mg	0mg
Sodium	1160mg	1360mg
Carbs	38g	46g
Fiber	10g	12g
Sugar	8g	10g
Protein	12g	14g
Ingredients	Filtered water, organic onions, organic lentils, organic carrots, organic celery, organic potatoes, organic tomatoes, organic spinach, organic green beans, organic extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, organic garlic, organic balsamic vinegar, organic spices.	Filtered water, organic onions, organic lentils, organic carrots, organic celery, organic potatoes, organic tomatoes, organic spinach, organic green beans, organic extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, organic garlic, organic balsamic vinegar, spices.

Nutritionally speaking, these are both pretty much the same. I showed you the info for the entire can of soup, since most people probably won't just eat half the can. Amy's seems to have more of everything since there's a little bit more soup in one of her cans as compared to Trader Joe's. The ingredients are practically mirror images of one another (weird, huh?), except Trader Joe's is made with organic spices and Amy's isn't. They're also both a little high in sodium, as canned soups tend to be, but they're high in fiber and protein, which is a plus in my book. I go with Trader Joe's soup because it is less expensive.

If you have the time, why not make your own lentil soup. Here's a recipe for my new favorite soup: Lentil Tomato.

2007's Favorite Grocery Store Is...

YumSugar — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 07:01:31 -0800

As part of our Best of 2007 roundups, we asked you what your favorite grocery store was. I must say, it was sort of a mixed poll, each region of the country has fantastic local markets - personally I love Nugget markets based out of Woodland, CA - so it was hard to say which place is best. I definitely have to give a nod to the local independent markets and the local farmer's markets - especially considering the word locavore was Oxford American Dictionary's word of the year - however you guys voted for Trader Joe's. This specialty market isn't in all parts of the country, but the folks that shop there are dedicated to their great line of unique products. Do you guys shop there? Do you believe it should be voted the best?