Banh Mi Inspired Noodle Bowl

Generally, I’m a fan of the quick and easy salads in the Trader Joe’s refrigerated section. The Five Spice Chicken and Noodle Salad and the Harvest Chicken Salad are excellent choices. However, this new Banh Mi Inspired Noodle Bowl is another level. The flavors and textures bring a flood of deliciousness with each bite. The dressing is an excellent and sweet compliment to the medium-spicy heat and crunch of the other ingredients.

Rating: 5 out of 5 Hawaiian Shirts – This salad hits me in all the right taste buds; it’s bursting with flavor and textures. I’ll just as happily enjoy this for a quick lunch or take it to enjoy as a meal on a flight.

Bacon Jam

This picture of Trader Joe’s Uncured Bacon Jam was sent to me by my sister with the message, “YOU HAVE TO TRY THIS!” Well, she certainly knows me. Since picking up my first jar, I’ve spread this jam on everything from toast to tortillas to waffles to sandwiches – and it’s great every time! One of my favorite quick snacks with this jam is to spread it on Trader Joe’s Middle Eastern Flat Bread along with TJ’s Organic Hummus and a little TJ’s Tabbouli. It’s so satisfying.

The jam is delicious; sweet and savory. And don’t expect the bacon to be tiny, second-rate pieces. You get nice meaty chunks. YUM! The possibilities with this jam are really limitless so please share your favorite uses in the comments section.

Rating: 5 out of 5 Hawaiian shirts. It’s so delicious and versatile I find myself looking for excuses to add a spread to everything! Give it a try and I can’t imagine you’ll be disappointed.

Trader Giotto’s Spelt Risotto

Sometimes I want something wholesome and filling but I don’t have time to chop vegetables and cook up a meal for my family. Fortunately, Trader Joe’s has some excellent frozen foods and Trader Giotto’s Spelt Risotto is among the best. Sure, the name may not inspire much excitement but the ingredients, flavor, and texture stand out.

First, the ingredients are simple, wholesome, and perhaps most significantly don’t include sugar in an form. It’s the absence of sugar that initially attracted me to this product. I’m also happy to serve it to my young daughter. It makes a particularly easy and good item to include with her lunch.

It’s nice and all that it’s sugar-free but how does it taste? Very good actually! The spelt, veggies, and creamy combine for a balanced and delicious flavor that’s predominantly savory. The texture is also a marriage of creamy and firm that’s to the spelt and chickpeas. You can’t go wrong!

Rating: 5 out of 5 Hawaiian shirts. It’s good for you, taste great, and very easily prepared; the trifecta of qualities I want from my food. Keep it in your freezer for those times you’re running short on time and you’ll be happy you did.

Greens, Beans and Grains

In my never-ending search for a vegetarian lunch option that I can keep frozen at work for those days when I can’t make it to TJ’s for a fresh salad or sandwich, I came across their Greens, Beans and Grains frozen meal. It’s described on the packaging as “a savory entree of kale, garbanzos, peanuts and couscous.” Sounds good to me!

After nuking it in the microwave, I took my first bite and was pleasantly surprised. The flavors are balanced and there’s even a hint of spiciness. The peanuts are not overwhelming in flavor nor is it too salty. I also feel that the garbanzo beans add a slight crunch to compliment the softer textures of the meal. My only slight disappointment is the size of the meal. It’s pretty small but can be easily complimented with TJ’s Middle Eastern Flatbread or naan.

While it’s not my favorite frozen vegetable meal from TJ’s (check back for my upcoming review of the frozen Vegetable Biryani), I would recommend it as a good item to keep on hand in the freezer because it’s flavorful and filling.

3 out of 5 Hawaiian shirts