I had my first experience with Trader Joe’s back in September of last year during a visit to Des Moines. To say that I was overly excited to go, and that I was incredibly satisfied with the products that I found would be a complete understatement. I became an instant TJ’s lover and now consider myself a devoted customer ;). So, when I found out that I would be moving to the Omaha, NE area and that they had a Trader Joe’s (and a Whole Foods!), you can only imagine just how excited I was. And now that I have both stores within a 15 to 20 minutes drive of me, I am not sure how I could survive without them ;).
Trader Joe’s products are allll over the food blogging world. I frequently learn about new products to be on the lookout for just by reading what other bloggers are buying, eating, and cooking with. From other food bloggers’ posts, I have also learned about some of the delicious, convenient, and easy meal offerings that can be created using TJ’s products. After reading about some of Trader Joe’s pre-made dinner entrees, I developed the idea for Trader Joe’s Tuesday (yes, another series! ;)). With this series, I will document my taste experiences with making an entire meal out of TJ’s products. After all, we all need convenience and ease on those nights when we simply do not feel like cooking. Trader Joe’s to the rescue!
For my first Trader Joe’s Tuesday, I selected a frozen vegan entrée and a side of fresh produce. On the menu was:
Biryani, which I learned is a curried rice dish…
…and trimmed and cleaned green beans (which are cooked in the microwave in the very bag that they come in!).
Biryani contains curried rice, apples, raisins, vegetables (onions, red peppers, and peas!), and Indian spices. I also added diced pineapple to this dish, which I had leftover from making Pizza Quesadillas.
Not only is the Biryani dish made with all-natural and whole ingredients, but the nutritional facts are fantastic, too! Oh, and all you have to do to prepare it is heat it in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Now that is easy!
I am sure that you are wondering..”how did it taste?” Well, my foodie friends, the taste of this dish was totally spot on! The flavors of the Indian spices combined with the savory rice and vegetables and the sweet apples, raisins, and added pineapple were fantastic. The package says that it serves three people, but I split it into two servings: one for dinner and one for lunch at work. Trust me, it was difficult for me to not eat the whole thing in one sitting! 😉
It looks super colorful and delicious, right? 🙂
As for the green beans…not only does the package state that they are fresh, but they actually tasted fresh! Plus, I was loving the simplicity of just poking holes in the bag and popping it into the microwave for a few minutes. I am pretty sure that anyone can handle making this meal.
I can now say with certainty that my first Trader Joe’s Tuesday experience was a successful and delicious one! I cannot wait to see what the next one brings, and to see what you come up with for your own Trader Joe’s Tuesday experience! 🙂
I am off to Sioux Falls, SD for the remainder of the work week for a conference. Therefore, you will not be seeing a WIAW or a Thursday post from me. Catch you on Sunday!
Now, I need your help. Do you have any “must haves” for meals that you buy from Trader Joe’s? What should I try out next?
