Grocery Store Review: Trader Joe’s
In my consulting business, people often ask my opinion about Trader Joe’s. If you live near a Trader Joe’s, chances are that you shop there. Why wouldn’t you? TJ’s is a welcome breath of fresh air in a nation dominated by supermarkets that carry 200 types of cereal AND 15 types of motor oil. But is it a good choice for a health-conscious person? The answer is SORT OF. Let me put it this way – while Trader Joe’s can definitely play a starring role in your shopping, but it shouldn’t be the only place you buy food, if you can help it.
Let me put it another way – if you have a choice between TJ’s and either Safeway, Lucky’s, Vons, or Walmart, you should always, always, always pick Trader Joe’s. But if you have access to a farmer’s market, a locally-owned natural food store, or even Whole Foods, they should share the stage with Trader Joe’s. The trick is know what to buy at Trader’s and what to buy elsewhere.
Here are my suggestions for smart shopping at Trader Joe’s.
Good to buy at TJ’s:
1. Staples and Basic Dry Goods: Trader Joe’s is best for things like flour, nut butters, canned beans, oils and vinegars, herbs and spices, canned tomatoes, dried fruit, nuts – the sort of stuff that you want to keep on hand at all times. They have a limited selection of each thing, but those they do carry are always good quality, and there is almost always an organic option. Prices are great on these items too.
2. Dairy: TJ’s has excellent natural and organic milk, eggs, yogurt, butter and other milk products and dairy alternatives. They don’t carry pastured products yet, but with the skyrocketing popularity of these items and TJ’s general responsiveness to consumer demand, I expect they will soon. TJ’s also has a fabulous cheese section, which even my discriminating Austrian boyfriend approves of (avoid it if you’re trying to lose weight – way too many tempting items here!)
3. Frozen Fish: Nice frozen fish section at TJ’s! They recently announced that they will stop carrying certain non-sustainable items, in response to a campaign from Greenpeace, which I really respect. I especially like the Chimichurri Salmon and Turbot fillets – these are wonderful to keep on hand for last-minute healthy dinners, and can even be turned into a proper impressive meal for guests if you dress them up a bit.
4. Frozen and Prepared Foods: As much as I am NOT an advocate of processed and prepared foods, if you MUST eat this stuff, Trader Joe’s is the best place to buy it. The reason is simple – the products they carry are usually free of preservatives, additives, flavor enhancers and added sweeteners, which is not true of most processed food and frozen foods. However, I have seen items at Trader’s with horrifyingly long, unpronounceable ingredient lists, but this seems to be the exception to the rule. Simply check the label. If you see things in that ingredient list that sound like they came from a chemistry lab, put them right back on the shelf. I also recommend checking the sodium and sugar levels, as certain products are appallingly high.
Not good to buy at TJ’s:
1) Produce: This is the 900 lb gorilla that keeps Trader Joe’s from being a great store for me. While they have made great strides to expand their selection in recent years, their produce section is just . . . uninspiring. I understand that the exact reason most folks love TJ’s produce is the same reason why I don’t like it: Much of it is pre cut and over-packaged. The average person may appreciate having their broccoli and carrots bite-sized in a microwave friendly bag, but I’d rather have them fresh and whole – this give me more assurance that they are not old.
Furthermore, most of Trader’s produce comes from very far away. Tomatoes from Holland? Really?!? I get the sense that the fruits and veggies at TJ’s have been through a lot before they made it to the store. And this is why their produce just doesn’t taste great – most of it is probably not that fresh. If you are the kind of person who will ONLY manage to get your veggies if you can throw the bag in the microwave to cook them, then by all means DO IT! But if you are looking to take your health and cooking to the next level, do yourself a favor and get your produce elsewhere.
2. Meat?: I’m still up in the air about Trader’s meat selection. They offer a decent selection of natural, organic and free-range meats, the prices are excellent, and they have a surprisingly wide variety for the small size of the meat case. However, the quality ranges quite a bit, and I’ve recently had some meat from Trader’s that really didn’t seem too fresh. They also have a lot of more processed fresh meats – pre-marinated and pre-cooked items – that suggest less-than-amazing quality. Like with the produce, I get the feeling that TJ’s meat has gone through a lot before it makes it to the shelf, and it just lacks the character and integrity of truly fresh meats. Still, for the sake of convenience, I often buy my meat here, even though it’s not my first choice.
So that’s my 2 cents about Trader Joes. It’s a great store to have available, but I would be pretty bummed if it was my only choice. (Luckily, it’s not!)
I know I’ve left some categories out – feel free to leave a comment if you have questions about specific items at TJs!
I’m back!
After a bit of hiatus, I’m ready to start posting again. I haven’t been writing because I was promoted to full time at my job – this was a great thing, but it also left very little time for keeping up the nutrition blog. Over the past year though, I’ve been though quite a bit in my own “nutrition journey,” including a few things that have brought me to question a lot of my past convictions about food and change the way I approach eating. I’ve also been cooking just as much as I was when I was studying nutrition full time, despite working 40-50 hours a week and maintaining a relationship. So while I haven’t been writing lately, my mind has not strayed far from food!
There’s been a lot happening lately that made it feel as if the universe was pointing me back towards my true passion. Maybe it is. One of those things was a gift given by a co-worker. In my office we have “menehune,” sort of like a secret Santa, only not at Christmas. I came to my desk last week to find a large book – at first I thought it was a text book, (not surprising given that I work for schools), but then was delighted to see that it was a copy of Bi-Rite Market’s Eat Good Food, with the following note: “because you cook such lovely food for us — thought you’d love this in return!” My menehune was right – I absolutely love this book!
Bi-Rite is a smallish grocery store in the Mission District of San Francisco that has been there for about 50 years. Despite being a food lover and working in the Mission several times a week, I’m embarrassed to say that I didn’t know the store existed. After hanging out with this book for the past week though, I can’t wait to visit, because this place is clearly right up my alley. They are all about quality, freshness, seasonality, sustainability, and food as a means of creating community. My kind of place!
The book is essentially a guidebook to shopping and cooking, written by people who run the market. They really, really know their stuff, and write in a way that makes the information not only accessible, but also inspiring. The books breaks down each category of food one might find in a grocery store (ie. flour, chicken, olive oil, cucumbers, etc), and explains what criteria to use when shopping for it, how to store it, and how to use it. Super informative, super interesting.
And the recipes. Oh, the recipes. Let me just list a few: Butternnut Squash and Potato Gratin with Fresh Sage, Seared Saffron Albacore Tuna with Fennel-Olive Tapenade, Pan Seared Pork Cutlets with Bing Cherries, Cornmeal Biscotti with Cranberries and Pistachios …. mmmm, you get the picture! Every recipe is mouth-watering, and I’m seriously going to do my best to try them all.
But what really charmed me most – they have a “recipe” for Bread with Butter and Salt. This is something that I’ve come to love since dating an Austrian man – it’s a common way of enjoying bread in Austria – tear off a hunk of bread, smear with butter and sprinkle on a dash of salt. Delicious! It’s also something that most nutritionists would never dream of recommending, and something I would have eschewed in the past. But this is one of my food beliefs that has really taken shape over the past year – almost nothing is bad for you in moderation. And in order to truly have a healthy approach to food, we cannot deprive ourselves of anything that we love. The secret is balance.
I’m going to be writing a lot more about this in upcoming posts. But for now, I will post the first recipe I tried from Eat Good Food. It’s a simple soup, somewhat like Minestrone, but with different ingredients. I chose to make it because it featured winter vegetables I could find at the Farmer’s Market, and it turned out far tastier than I expected. It’s healthy, adaptable and easy to make.
And yes, it is delicious with bread with butter and salt!
Chicken, Fennel and Chickpea Soup
Adapted from Bi-Rite Market’s Eat Good Food
Ingredients – 4-5 servings
- 1 large bunch chard (preferably Erbette, any variety will do)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 4 large cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons dried marjoram
- 1 medium head fennel, diced
- 1 bay leaf
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 8 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 1.5 cups diced cooked chicken (preferably thighs)
- 1 15 oz. can garbanzo beans, drained
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Cook the Chicken
- Preheat the oven to 350.
- Rub the chicken with olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Bake for about 25 minutes, or until done. (larger pieces will require longer)
- Once the chicken is cooked, dice into bite sized pieces.
Prep the Vegetables (while the chicken is cooking)
- Dice the onion. Mince the garlic.
- Separate the stems from the chard. Chop the stems and set aside, chop the leaves and set aside separately.
- Remove the leafy tops from the fennel, and dice the bulb. Add to the bowl with the chard stems.
Make the Soup
- Heat the butter in a soup pot over medium heat.
- Add the onion, a pinch of salt and a grind of pepper, and sauté about 5 minutes, or until it begins to brown.
- Add the chard stems, fennel, garlic, marjoram and bay leaf and sauté 5 minutes longer.
- Stir in the garbanzo beans, chard leaves, chicken, stock and 1 tsp salt.
- Bring to a boil, then partially cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook gently for 30 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Taste and add more salt, pepper and lemon as desired.
Homemade Energy Bars
This past Saturday, I had the privilege of giving a nutrition talk to the wonderful ladies of the Clayton Valley/Concord Jazzercise Center (the only audience I’ve ever had that sat on exercise balls!) and I wanted to bring them a little treat, since I knew they would have just finished their workout. This recipe, originally published in the SF Chronicle, was shared by my neighbor who is a big fan of the “post-workout” snack. These bars have a bit more sweet stuff than I normally recommend, but all the sweeteners are natural. These bars are great as a POST-WORKOUT snack, because they contain carbohydrates and protein – the two macronutrients your body needs after exercising – Carbohydrates to replenish your supply of glycogen (stored glucose that is burned for energy) and protein to start re-building the tired muscles. I wouldn’t recommend them as an every day snack – too many calories and sugar. But after a good long hike or an hour of Jazzercise? Go for it!
Homemade bars are a much better choice than most bars you can buy in the store, not to mention better tasting!
Homemade Energy Bars
- Mix the crisped brown rice, oats, cherries, chocolate chips, flaxseed and whey protein in a large bowl; set aside. In a small saucepan, bring the brown rice syrup to a boil over medium-high heat. Take off stove, add the molasses and almond butter, and stir until smooth. Pour over the dry ingredients and stir to combine.
- Line a small pan with plastic wrap (an 8- by 8-inch pan is fine. The mixture won’t completely cover the bottom, but that’s OK). Press the mixture into the pan to the desired thickness. The mixture will hold its shape while warm, but will become firmer as it cools. Cool completely before cutting into bars.
Enjoy!
And another big thanks to the ladies of the Clayton Valley/Concord Jazzercise Center for hosting my talk! You were wonderful!
Upcoming Veggie Workshop!
“I know vegetables are sooo good for me, but I know I’m not eating enough!”
Ever found yourself saying this? I think we all have! Since I’ve started studying nutrition, I have heard so many people say that they can’t seem to get enough vegetables into their diet. It’s not because they don’t like them, but simply because its not a habit, or they don’t know how. The sad reality is that vegetables don’t hold a prominant role in the typical American diet. In fact, a recent survey by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention found that 2/3 of Americans are not eating the recommended 3 daily servings of vegetables. With the constant reports of soaring obesity, rising cancer rates, and an explosion of diabetes and heart disease, does anyone doubt that there could be a link here? I’ll tell you this much – the nutritionist know! While they are not the be-all-end-all solution to our nations health problems, vegetables are a huge part of moving our nation towards better health, and should be a cornerstone of everyone’s diet. For all the controversy and disagreement over what is considered “good nutrition,” there is one thing that doctors, chiropractors, nutritionists, weight loss coaches, nurses, dentists, etc agree on – EAT MORE VEGETABLES!
The good news is, its not that hard! Really, it’s not! I now average 5-6 servings of vegetables a day, and it’s easy. (I also know that my increase in vegetable consumption is one of the reasons I have lost 25 pounds, and can now keep the weight off without really trying.) But it took some time to get into the habit – and that’s why I am teaching this workshop. I’ve still got a few spaces open, so RSVP soon if you want to join!
VEGGIE WORKSHOP
This workshop will educate you about the benefits of vegetables, inspire you to try new ones, and provide you with recipes, tips and tricks to develop a life-long vegetable habit. We’ll start off with a trip to the Alameda Farmer’s Market, where everyone will have one assignment – buy a vegetable you have never prepared before. We will bring our veggies home and, with the help of our friend the Internet, learn how to prepare them. Over the next few weeks, we’ll share what we learned about our vegetable with each other.
After the market, we’ll return to my house for an informational talk discussing:
- The nutritional benefits of veggies
- Which vegetables give you the most bang for your buck
- How various methods of preparation affect nutritional value
- Tips and tricks for getting more veggies into your diet
Together, we’ll then prepare 3 simple, delicious vegetable-based dishes using some wonderful veggies you may have never used before. You’ll go home with ideas, inspiration, recipes and a brand new vegetable to introduce into your life.
Saturday February 26th
Alameda, CA
10 am – 2 pm
Cost: $30
Hope to see you there!
Please RSVP by February 14th to nikkimo@gmail.com
Adventures in Home Fermentation – Kefir, Part 2
I am a little bit delayed in announcing this, but I finally got my hands on some real kefir grains. My previous kefir making adventures were using freeze-dried grains, which really aren’t a substitute for the real thing. After emailing all the local people listed on the “world kefir exchange” site and having no luck, I had sort of stopped trying and resigned myself to the store-bought kefir.
But then I took a trip to Turkey – ie the kefir motherland, and my friend just happened to have some live kefir grains in her kitchen. Score! Not only did I find live grains, I found them in the region that kefir originated in, which in my mind just makes them more authentic. The morning I left for home, my friend scooped some grains into a jar, gave them a splash of milk for the journey, and sent me and my grains on our way. I was a little worried that they might be found by customs, and honestly wasn’t sure they would even care. But I figured it was a conversation I’d rather not have at the border, so I buried them deep within my bag and hoped for the best.
The grains made it home with no problems, and I have been culturing my own kefir ever since. It is so much easier than the freeze-dried process! There is no heating of the milk. All you do is:
Put a spoonful of kefir grains in a jar, fill it with milk, and let it sit out on the counter for about 24 hours. The grains will multiply and it will look like this:
Then, strain out the grains…..
Kefir Grains
And you are left with nice creamy kefir, ready to drink!
Finished kefir.
Then, the finished kefir can be put in a jar to wait in the fridge until you are ready to drink it. The grains can go in a separate, smaller jar and kept for a few weeks in the fridge. You can also freeze them, but for some reason this doesn’t feel right to me. But if they stay in the fridge for too long, they lose their culturing power, which is a good motivation to remember to make kefir more frequently to keep the grains strong.
Finished kefir and grains, ready to go into the fridge.
If you don’t already know about the health benefits of drinking kefir, read my previous post. It is a food that is well worth incorporating if you can get your hands on it!
Porotos Con Riendas (Chilean Bean and Pumpkin Soup)
I came across this recipe here last year while looking for ways to use pumpkins. I was instantly intrigued – not only because it came from Chile, a country whose cuisine I am completely unfamiliar with, but also because of the unusual combination of ingredients – pumpkin, beans, AND spaghetti? Plus, the thought of paprika and oregano just got my mouth watering, so I decided I had to try it.
The unusual combination of ingredients is also a window into the history of the region. Beans and pumpkin are staples of the Mapuche, an indigenous people from Southern Chile, and the use of pasta and love of soup comes from European immigrants. The soup most likely dates back to the mid 19th century, when the newly arrived settlers adapted their culinary traditions to the local ingredients.
I have an uncle living in Chile, so I emailed him to ask if he had ever had Porotos con Riendas”. His reply, “Yes, great soup for a winter’s nights meal, with sausages in it.” The original recipe I found was a vegetarian version, but it did mention that you could add sausage. Being a fan of the meat myself, I decided to make the version with sausage. Glad I did too – the soup was delicious – hearty, warm, filling and very unique.
About a week ago, the cold started getting to me, and I remembered the Porotos con Riendas. So I dug out the recipe, and this time looked at it through a nutritionist’s lens. It passed with flying colors – this is a soup that is loaded with stuff your body wants and needs. It is packed with protein, fiber and has a healthy dose of vitamins and minerals. Butternut squash is an good source of Vitamin E, Calcium, Magnesium, and many of the B Vitamins. It also has Vitamin A, Vitamin C, potassium and magnesium. The carrots, garlic and onions add even more vitamins and minerals to keep you strong on those cold winter nights. Unfortunately some of the B and C vitamins are destroyed during the cooking process, but the other vitamins and minerals will still be preserved.
Without further ado, here is my adapted version of Porotos con Riendas. If you want a vegetarian version, just leave out the meat and use veggie broth instead.
Porotos con Riendas
- 1 1/2 cups dried white beans (Great Northern or Cannellini)
- 1 1/2 lbs butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1 bullion cube, chicken, beef or vegetable
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 lb kielbasa, andouille or other smoked sausage, chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large carrot, grated
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp dried chili flakes (optional, if you like a more spicy stew)
- 1/4 lb whole wheat spaghetti, broken in half
From my image search, I deduced that it is also served like this.
- salt to taste
- Place beans in a large bowl and cover with plenty of water. Soak overnight, or for at least 8 hours.
- Drain beans and put in a large pot. Add enough water to cover the beans. Cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for about 1 hour, or until beans are almost done. (cooking time will vary depending on the size of the beans you use.) Add water during cooking if needed; beans should always be covered.
-
Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add sausage, onion, garlic, carrot, oregano and paprika, and saute for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- When the beans are almost done, add the squash and the bullion cube. Add more water if needed. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add spaghetti to the pot and cook for 8-10 minutes, until the spaghetti is nearly done.
- Add sauteed onion mixture to the pot. Stir well and salt to taste. Serve with crusty bread or brown rice.
TIME SAVER’S TIPS
- You can use canned beans instead of dried. If you do, simmer pumpkin alone in broth for 5 minutes, then add spaghetti and cook for 8-10 minutes, then add beans.
- Most stores carry pre-cut butternut squash. This saves a ton of time!
ENJOY!!
Ideas for Sustainable Snacking
It’s 4 pm, and you have an hour left at work. Your lunch has long since exited your belly, and you’re feeling that all-too-familiar late afternoon slump. So you reach for a snack to hold you until dinner-time….no harm done right? Don’t most nutritionists recommend small snacks in between meals? So this bag of chips, or handful of trail mix is ok, right?
Not necessarily! It’s true that snacking in between meals is important for many people, especially those who have trouble with blood sugar regulation. But the snacks that most people reach for tend to be high in sugar and simple carbohydrates. This provides quick energy for the short run, but then leaves you feeling tired, hungry and craving more. Eating wholesome snacks with a bit of protein and healthy fats will not only keep you full longer, but also help keep off extra pounds.
When selecting a sustainable snack, follow these guidelines:
- Very little or no sugar (with the exception of fruit)
- No artificial ingredients – avoid the processed, packaged foods
- A little bit of protein, a little bit of fat
- Nutrient dense – no empty calories!
Here is another tip – before that snack even touches your fingertips, drink a big glass of water. You may find that you were actually just thirsty. See my post on Water and Digestion for an explanation.
If that glass of water doesn’t do the trick, reach for one of these sustainable, healthy snacks:
– 1 cup plain full fat yogurt with
- ½ cup fresh fruit
- 1 tbsp. nuts (almonds, walnuts, cashews)
- 1 tbsp. seeds (pumpkin, flax, sunflower).
- Try adding a tbsp of nutritional yeast.*
– 1 hard-boiled egg with 5 olives and 5 cherry tomatoes.
– 1 cup cottage cheese with 1 of the following:
- ¼ cup chopped tomato, ¼ cup chopped cucumber, pinch of salt and black pepper.
- 2 tbsp chopped nuts, 1 tbsp dried fruit, and ¼ tbsp cinnamon. *
- ½ cup blueberries, strawberries or blackberries and 1 tbsp walnuts.
– 1 ½ cups air popped popcorn with 1 tbsp nutritional yeast.
– Chopped crunchy veggies (carrots, celery, radishes, broccoli) with 1 of the following:
- 1 tbsp almond butter
- 1 tbsp cashew butter
- 1 tbsp tahini
- ¼ cup hummus
– Whole-wheat crackers with ¼ cup hummus and ¼ avocado.
– 1 oz smoked salmon with cherry tomatoes and ¼ avocado.
— 1 handful almonds and raisins
– Handful of dried sea vegetables, such as arame and hijiki.
– ½ banana or apple with 1 tbsp nut butter and ½ tbsp flax seeds.
– Find a favorite recipe for a vegetable or whole grain-based salad, make a big batch, and eat some as a snack.
– How about a smoothie? Blend yogurt or milk with some fruit and protein powder. Add ice to make a refreshing treat.
– Why not save a bit of your meal to eat as a snack later? This technique saves money and is a good way to avoid overeating if you are watching your weight. If you have trouble stopping before you clean your plate, put a snack sized portion in the fridge BEFORE you start eating. At a restaurant, ask for a to-go box and put in the amount you want to save before the delicious food even touches your lips – this will make it much easier to stop when you have had enough.
*These dry ingredients can be pre-mixed and kept in a jar to save time.
Happy Snacking!
