A Five-Minute Trader Joe’s Dinner

Flank Steak marinated in Huli Huli sauce (not from TJ’s)
Honeycrisp Apple diced
Dried Cranberries
Red Onion
Blue Cheese
Sweet and Spicy Pecans
Grape Tomatoes
English Cuke (seeds removed and diced)
Favorite lettuce (I prefer Arugula due to all the other sweet components)

Reduce the marinade to a glaze and drizzle over salad. Huli Huli sauce is like a pineapple Teriyaki if I had to make a comparison.

Roasted Red Pepper Soup, favorite chicken sausage sauteed (or my fave the Longoustino tails) and Fresh Arugula on top or mixed in as I believe Julia said.

I also like to either add a bit of jarred pesto tot he soup, tortellini or gnocchi for a fuller meal. I just boil the tortellini or gnocchi right in the soup.

The pesto tortellini enhances the added pesto and the cheese tortellini lessens it. The gnocchi is…well gnocchi.

If I am feeling especially adventurous I will add Zhoug sauce instead of the pesto for some added heat. Also steers it a bit Mexican with the jalapeno and cilantro so tend to add pork carnitas, cuban black beans and frozen roasted corn to that soup, no pasta. Top with Cotija cheese.

I had to share my dinner, which is a TJ’s riff on the Smitten Kitchen recipe. My husband and I just declared it our entertaining recipe for the 2019 patio season :) https://smittenkitchen.com/2018/07/grilled-zucchini-ribbons-with-pesto-and-white-beans/
It is basically all assembly while the zucchini grills, so about 15 minutes. 5 ingredients (6 if you want to eat it with crusty bread!)

Serves 4
Two cans great northern or cannellini beans
1-2 packages of zucchini (2 largish or 3 smallish zucc’s per package)
Pesto (the jar from the pasta aisle or the tub from the refrigerated section; I prefer the latter)
Lemon
1 container of burrata (2 balls)

Directions:
1. Slice zucchini lengthwise using knife or mandolin; oil, season with salt and pepper, and grill (outside or on grill pan on stove), medium-high and flip after grill marks appear. Squeeze lemon on top after they come off the grill.
2. Drain beans and mix a couple spoonfuls of pesto (I just do this straight in the colander!) while the zucchini grills. If you want bread, slice and toast it now.
3. Plate pesto-ed beans with an extra dollop of pesto in wide shallow bowl, curl zucchini slices on top, make a little nest in the middle. Slice each ball of burrata in half and nestle a half in the middle of each plate, with cracked pepper on top. Enjoy!

I want to try this: https://www.thekitchn.com/trader-joes-potsticker-stir-fry-265837

This is an idea I got from Ali Edwards’ blog: a pork loin and a jar of salsa Verde in the Crock-Pot for 6 hours on low. Shred and serve with taco fixings and tortillas. Super easy.
My current favorite is the artichoke antipasto, which I use instead of pesto on chicken, wrapped with prosciutto and topped with marinated artichoke hearts. I serve the chicken with gnocchi topped with everything but the bagel seasoning.

so many fave tj’s meals!
– frozen shrimp thawed and sautéed w/ pesto + orzo pasta + roasted asparagus & diced tomatoes mixed in
– already steamed lentils in refrigerator section mixed w/ roasted sweet potato cubes, goat cheese, dried cranberries & whatever greens i have on hand
– same steamed lentils + bruschetta mix (from refrigerated section or perishable both are good) + feta – best as an app w/ crackers but have def eaten as a meal
– from previous cup of jo post: sweet potato gnocchi + greens + sliced up chicken sausage
– squash ravioli tossed w/ browned butter & sage + mozzarella & greens
– also like making cauliflower rice bowls either w/ falafel (from mix), tzatziki sauce & sriracha or w/ the frozen veggie gyoza, roasted broccoli & drizzled w/ soyaki & hot sauce

This is like my childhood comfort food the Asian version. Rice, sunny side egg and sweet soya sauce and sometimes cut cucumbers. Yummzsss ??

On the topic of Trader Joe’s… they have such a solid network of cult followers on Instagram! My best friend started an Instagram account about a year ago because she lives across the street from TJs and is always discovering new products. Her account has totally blown up! People are SERIOUS about TJ hashtags! It’s so much fun to discover new products on her account then go hunting for them in my local store. When she walks into her Trader Joe’s now, the manager and crew members ( crew members !! ) will sometimes guide her to the next best thing or open a box of something they’re loving and want her to try so she can share it. They’ll also fill her in the rumors of delicious new products that aren’t out yet. Her account is @traderjoespro and it’s one of those things that just brings me a little dose of giddiness whenever I see it. Oh and did you know that each store has its own in-house artist to make the store signs ever week? I’m about 95% positive that is true. I only wish Trader Joe’s didn’t go so hard on the plastic packaging in their produce section but @traderjoespro told me that they’re working on reducing that this year :)

I cannot remember if I found this recipe for crispy sheet pan gnocchi and vegetables here or via another site, but it’s so good that my family eats it once a week now. My meat-eating son and husband will sometimes have a few meatballs along with it. I like adding a bit of burrata or fresh mozzarella. So good, and so easy to throw it on a pan and let it roast for 25 min.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.thekitchn.com/recipe-crispy-sheet-pan-gnocchi-and-veggies-247360

Yes to Trader Joe’s month!

Not sure if this is a hack but I like to do a quick and cheap taco night with tjs ingredients:
-crispy taco shells
-refried beans (black or pinto)
-toppings like pico de Gallo, shredded cheese, shredded lettuce, green Chile salsa, hot sauce

Just warm up the beans in the microwave and the shells in the toaster. Fill shells with beans and add toppings.

Love this series!! Keep it coming. I also love and still make the pulled pork tacos I learned about on COJ. https://cupofjo.com/2016/09/trader-joes-meal-hacks/
The kale, sausage and beans is another fave. Love the TJ hacks!

Trader Joe’s creamy tomato basil pasta sauce is SO good. Lately I’ve been putting it on cheese tortellini and adding sauteed shrimp & asparagus.

Love these! Lately everything I make for breakfast has just been a conduit to get the Everything but the Bagel seasoning into my mouth.

I’ve been making this easy, super delicious soy-ginger scrambled egg at every opportunity. Umami and crunchy and hot, yes please!

https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/soy-ginger-dinner-scramble

Loveee this series!

I live for all the Trader Joe’s meal hacks. Please never stop them from coming.

This is an updated take on a simplified Korean bibimbap. If you don’t have Everything Bagel spices, try a teaspoon or so of soy sauce/tamari/amino acids and a side of kim chee with the rice and fried egg. If you put the greens in the bowl first, followed by hot rice, the heat will soften the greens to make it easier to mix. The Italian version would be pasta + fried egg + grated parm + greens + squeeze of lemon.

We just got a Trader Joe’s in my city a few months ago, and I’m making it a habit. Last week, I bought the $2 salad y’all have posted about before. Adding canned corn and black beans, fresh avocados, and some roasted salmon. So good! I can’t wait for more recommendations in the next month :)

Nearly a decade-long of reading the blog, but my first comment ever! This is one of my favorite series of posts. Happy to see it return. I have two favorite TJ recipes to contribute:

Cauliflower gnocchi with sausage
– frozen cauli gnocchi
– frozen artichoke hearts
– lemon juice
– olive oil
– parmesan cheese
*I add the gnocchi to the pan while frozen, I think it cooks better this way. I mix all other ingredients together and add red pepper flakes if I need the heat.

My favorite crockpot party dish
-party sized meatballs (2 bags)
– 1 jar of carolina gold bbq sauce
Drop it in the crockpot and let it get warm – people RAVE about this and its usually the first thing to run out when I make it

Here’s one of my go-to hacks. Recipe: Gnocchi with balsamic butter vegetables, veggie sausage, and goat cheese:
Sautee TJs Fire Roasted Vegetables with Balsamic Butter Sauce in a large skillet. I like to add some additional frozen veggies from their freezer aisle (usually extra pearl onions and green peas) as well as some fresh grape tomatoes to the pan (there are some in the frozen veg packet but I am a tomato fiend and always want more). Lately I’ve also added some of their soy sausage – either the Sausageless Sausage or the soy Italian version they have, but meat eaters could add regular sausage.
Separately, I cook a package of their gnocchi, which only takes a few minutes. Once everything is ready, I add the cooked gnocchi to the veggies and another glug or two of balsamic vinegar. I finish with some goat cheese. It’s *chef kiss* good, super easy, hearty and satisfying.