Trader Joe's Shopping List: DeGraff Style

It's no secret that I love Trader Joe's... I know I'm not alone here! 

It's affordable (if you follow some tips below), they have the most convenient health foods and their customer service is top notch. 

Obviously I don't exclusively shop here b/c it doesn't have everything... but I will say I do a lot of my weekly shopping haul at TJ's. 

These are our staples. Keep in mind, I love so many "favorites" but for the sake of not listing the entire store, I'll leave you with our regulars. 

Produce: 

• Bananas (cheapest bananas I've found) 
• Pink Lady (or seasonal) bundled apples 
• Bagged whole carrots
• Broccoli slaw (I love to saute this! Also, adds crunch to wraps, tacos, salads) 
• Shaved Brussels sprouts
• broccoli/kale salad mix (I toss the dressing and use another, but this is great for a quick lunch!)
• Pack(s) of organic zucchini
• Bag of sweet potatoes. Great deal! We love the Japanese style "purple" potatoes as well
• Packed Salads: These are $4.99 and if I have a busy week, I pick up a couple. My favorite right now is the "Greens"  and "Harvest" salad pallets.

*What I don't buy here:
Spinach: I find it's often expiring in a few days! I always buy my spinach in bulk at Costco.
Berries: Same as above. Save your berries for Costco. TJ's are usually expensive for quantity 

Dairy/Meat: 
Light string cheese
Feta 
Quattro Formaggio cheese blend (great for a little salad topper, nachos and quesadillas 
0% plain greek yogurt 
2% Cottage cheese 
Yogurt "Squishers" for kiddos 
Turkey hot dogs 
99% lean ground turkey 

*What I don't buy here: 
Eggs (I buy these in bulk at Costco) 
Fish (Costco) 
Deli Meat: This is expensive here! $4.99 for a small pack of Columbus or Applegate. Save this for your grocery deli or Costco

Frozen: 

• Broccoli florets 
• Tri-colored pepper blend
• Shelled edamame 
• Chicken tenders (bag) 
• Chili lime turkey burgers
• Jasmin rice packs (we go through a LOT of this! The best. They also have brown rice, quinoa, rice medley... but trust me, the Jasmin is the best!)
• Naan bread 
• berries (Although I don't buy fresh here, I do snag their frozen berry medley for shakes) 
• Multi grain waffles 

Sauces/Condiments/Misc.

• Bruschetta Sauce (I prefer the jarred! By the tomato sauce. This is a game changer for so many things: eggs, toast, on rice cakes, chicken breast, cottage cheese, etc. 
• Basil Marinara Sauce (Cheap, low sugar... the best!)
• Coconut oil cooking spray 
• Dijon Aoli (great sandwich spread)
• Organic Ketchup (mostly for kiddos)
• Himalayan Sea Salt 
• Chili lime seasoning (the best!)
• Everyday seasoning blend 
• Lemon pepper 
• minced garlic
• Gluten free rolled oats: Absolutely my favorite oats. 

*What I don't buy here:
Cereal (not very economical. So elsewhere- look for sales, or Costco)
Yellow mustard (costco in bulk) 
Avocado Oil (better value at Costco) 
BBQ Sauce: Most have quite a bit of sugar. I stick to Stubb's BBQ sauce (Target, most grocery stores)

Snacks: 

• Honey Wheat Pretzel rods 
• Plantain chips 
• Plain popcorn kernels (bag) 
• Power Crunch bars 
• Quest bars 
• Lara bars

*What I don't buy here: 
Chips (I buy these at Costco. Otherwise I get sucked into every new kind!)
Granola bars for kids (Again, Costco) 
Crackers (tiny boxes. Not getting your money's worth in my opinion)

Quinoa & Kale Harvest Salad

One of my favorite things about the holidays is creating in the kitchen with seasonal ingredients. I like to take a healthy spin on things without sacrificing flavor!

Although the base of this is Quinoa, it can also be made with brown or wild rice as an alternative. 

INGREDIENTS: 

• 2 cups cooked Quinoa 
• 2 cups roasted butternut squash, cut into 1" cubes (by it pre-cut for a time saver) 
• 1 bag baby kale, stems removed 
• 2 cups diced zucchini (peeled)
• 1 C pomegranate seeds 
• 1/2-2/3 C Feta Cheese 
• 1/2 C thinly sliced basil 
• 1 TB avocado oil

DRESSING:

• 2 TBS avocado oil 
• 2 TB balsamic vinegar 
• 1 TB coconut sugar 
• 2 cloves garlic 

Directions: 

Cook Quinoa in rice cooker- substitute water for chicken broth for a rich, nutty flavor (optional). 

Roast Squash on a cookie sheet @415 for 30-35 minutes until browned. I spray my squash w/ coconut oil spray, or drizzle lightly with coconut oil. 

In a large skillet, sauce kale & zucchini in olive oil, sprinkle w/ salt & pepper. 

Once the above is complete, mix ingredients together and add in cheese, pomegranate seeds, basil. 

For the dressing, blend in blender and pout over salad. 

*This salad feeds a village! Or, one hungry family of 5. We loved having the leftovers. 

Enjoy! 

XOXO, 

Abby

Pumpkin Almond Protein Muffins

Kodiak Cakes is a pantry staple of ours, and I've tried a million different variations of muffins, pancakes, waffles, pizza crusts, etc! We love this mix. After a lot of trial and error, the texture of these particular muffins are my favorite. Hope you love them too! 

Dry Ingredients: 

• 1 1/2 C Kodiak Power Cakes Mix
• 1/2 C rolled oats 
• 1-2 scoops protein powder (we've used vanilla and chocolate. Prefer vanilla but both work!)
• 1/4 C ground flaxseed
• 1 tsp baking powder 
• 1-2 TB cinnamon 

Wet Ingredients: 

•  3 ripe bananas 
• 3/4 C pure pumpkin 
• 1/3 C plain greek yogurt 
• 2 eggs 
• 1 tsp almond extract 

Directions: 
Preheat oven to 350. Mix wet and dry ingredients seperately and then fold together. Spray muffin tins and add in 1/4 C mix in each tin. Bake for 20-25 min. 

Enjoy! 

XOXO, 

Abby
 

Heavenly Granola

Sometimes I have to make this simply for the way it makes my house smell! It's such a comfort food of mine, and it packs quite the nutritional punch w/ no added sugar. Make extra... it freezes well- if you can keep it around long enough to store! 

HEAVENLY GRANOLA 

Dry Ingredients: 

•  1/2 Cup each: chopped walnuts, pecans, almonds
• 3 cups rolled oats 
• 5 TB ground flaxseed
• 1/4 C chia seeds

Wet Ingredients: 

• 1/2 C pure maple syrup
• 1/4 C coconut oil 
• 1 tsp vanilla 
• 1 tsp cinnamon 

Directions: Toss all ingredients and place on cookie sheet. Bake @225 for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Makes about 1 ziploc bag full... double if necessary! 

XOXO, 

Abby

~Kitchen Sink Chopped Salad~

To open this post, I think you all need to head on over and purchase this. They make my salads 10x better. A little of everything in every bite! 

On to the details of this salad:

I eat this most days for lunch. Always a huge dose of greens (spinach, kale) and the veggies vary depending on what's on hand. Below is one of my favorite combinations. But, be creative with your additions! 

INGREDIENTS: 

• 2-3 large handful greens 
• 1 red pepper, diced 
• 1 medium zucchini, diced 
• 1 large carrot, diced 
• 1/4 small purple onion 
• 1/2 avocado
• 3 oz favorite deli turkey (or preferred protein)
• 1-2 grated parmesan cheese 

DRESSING: 

• 1 TB Trader Joe's champagne Vinaigrette 
• 1/2 TB balsamic Vinegar 
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic 
• Juice of 1 lemon 
• sprinkle of Tajin seasoning

Mix all ingredients in large bowl, and chop, chop, chop! This is a very large serving, but I tend to eat it all! Feel free to share. 

XOXO, 

Abby

SAMPLE MEAL PLANNING MENU: COOK WITH ME!

 

I'm so excited for some of you to cook with me this week! Please excuse this sorry blog... once I get some free time I am so excited to make this look a little prettier. In the meantime, it's something! 

Here are the links to the meals I will be cooking this week. Please let me know if you have any questions! Leave a comment on here or my Instagram. I will also try to get my shopping lists up by tomorrow.

• Monday: Salsa Verde Crockpot Chicken
• Tuesday: Chicken Tacos w/ Cauliflower pepper rice 
• Wednesday: Ground Turkey Power Bowls 
• Thursday: Smoky Sweet Potato Chili 
• Friday: Flatbread Pizza 
• Weekend: Mind-blowing grilled chicken & Veggies

~Mind Blowing Chicken Marinade, and Grilling Tips~

This chicken marinade is HANDS DOWN the best I've tried. And trust me, I've experimented a LOT. Marinade at least 2-3 hours (or overnight) for best results. 

We like to use chicken tenders... they seem to come out the most tender. 

MARINADE INGREDIENTS: 

• 1 C Bragg's Liquid Amino Acids 
• 1/2 C Apple Cider Vinegar 
• 1/2 C Olive Oil 
• 1 package dry italian seasoning mix
• 2-3 lemons, juiced 
• S&P 

 DEGRAFF GRILLING TIPS 

*Grill in Tin Foil! Keeps moisture in the meat, and aid as a great "basket" for veggies. East clean-up.

 *We love to spray our veggies with coconut oil. A lot of oil isn't necessary, and this gives a nice sweet flavor! 

We serve our meat and veggie's with Trader Joe's frozen rice... 3 minutes in the microwave. Their Jasmine Rice is a family favorite! 

XOXO, 

ABBY

Flatbread BBQ Pizza

Friday night, we pizza! Here is our favorite healthy pizza using Flatout Flatbread. 

INGREDIENTS

(Makes 6 individual pizza's, adjust accordingly!)

• 1 package flatout wraps 
• 1 small pack Costco Canadian bacon
• stubbs BBQ sauce 
• 1 Roma tomato, diced
• 1 zucchini, sliced thinly 
• mushrooms 
• purple onion, diced  
• chopped spinach 
• mozzarella cheese 

METHOD

Broil dry flatbreads in oven on low for 5-7 minutes until a bit browned. This will create a crust. Remove from oven, and top with raw ingredients to your liking! Place back in oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, depending on oven temps. 

Slice and enjoy!

Salsa Verde Chicken Tacos

I bulk prep Salsa Verde Chicken regularly, and this is one of our favorite "leftover" meals! 

Taco Tuesday Taco Plates: 

• Corn Tortillas (*Tip: Heat these on your stovetop for a "grill" taste!)
• Leftover Salsa Verde Chicken 
• Finely shredded parmesan (I know, on tacos? It's delicious and more macro-friendly)
• 1 bag Cauliflower rice 
• Red Peppers 
• Tajin Seasoning (Target carries this)
• Corn (for grilling) *Optional/seasonal 

Additional Toppings: 

• Avocados 
• Hot Sauce 
• Tajin Seasoning 
• Greek Yogurt 

XOXO, 

Abby

Salsa Verde Chicken Tacos

I bulk prep Salsa Verde Chicken regularly, and this is one of our favorite "leftover" meals! 

Taco Tuesday Taco Plates: 

• Corn Tortillas (*Tip: Heat these on your stovetop for a "grill" taste!)
• Leftover Salsa Verde Chicken 
• Finely shredded parmesan (I know, on tacos? It's delicious and more macro-friendly)
• 1 bag Cauliflower rice 
• Red Peppers 
• Tajin Seasoning (Target carries this)
• Corn (for grilling) *Optional/seasonal 

Additional Toppings: 

• Avocados 
• Hot Sauce 
• Tajin Seasoning 
• Greek Yogurt 

XOXO, 

Abby

~Ground Turkey Power Bowls~

We "bowl" a lot around our house! 

Pick a protein, carb, load up on the veggies and choose your favorite sauces. 

For this addition, I give you Ground Turkey Power Bowls! 

INGREDIENTS: 

• 1 lb. extra lean ground turkey 
• 1/2 white onion, chopped 
• 1 TB minced garlic 
• 1 TB coconut oil
• 1 package Trader Joe's Cauliflower Rice OR Quinoa (depending on how carb-heavy you want it)
• 1-2 medium sweet potatoes, diced & roasted (*Tip: Trader Joe's now has these pre-diced for you! Bagged and in the refrigerator section)
• 2 Zuchinni, sliced 
• 2 large carrots, chopped
• 1 avocado, diced 
• Stubb's BBQ sauce (for drizzle) 

METHOD: 

In a medium skillet, saute dices onions, 1/2 TB garlic and turkey until browned. 

In another skillet, start cauliflower rice. I like to cook this in coconut oil and use the other 1/2 TB garlic. Cook this by itself... because when cooked with other veggies it tends to get soggy. 

Sweet Potatoes: roast on flat baking sheet drizzled with coconut oil, S&P. 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes. (*TIP: Meal prep these!! Then just toss in your bowls).

For remaining veggies: Cook in additional skillet, OR roast zucchini & carrots in your oven while you're saute is cooking. I prefer low broil for 10-15 minutes (just watch). 

Once all ingredients are done, I combine the Cauliflower rice w/ sweet potatoes. I place everything in separate bowls and let everyone in the family scoop up their own servings of everything! 

We love this with Stubbs BBQ sauce, but feel free to top with your choice of condiments. 

Enjoy! 

XOXO, 

Abby

Salsa Verde Crockpot Chicken

Not only will this be the easiest chicken you'll ever make, it's also unbelievably flavorful! We like to make a big batch of this early in the week, and use it for a variety of meals. Set it in the morning, and forget it! 

INGREDIENTS: 

• 
  
• 1 bag frozen chicken tenderloins 
• 1 large jar or 2 small jars salsa verde (Our favorites are from Costco and Trader Joe's. Costco brand pictured). 
• 2-3 limes, juiced
• 1 TB minced garlic 

METHOD: 

Dump all ingredients in the crockpot, and cook on low 6-8 hours. Right before serving, shred! 

Serving Suggestions: 

• On rice or quinoa 
• On corn tortillas 
• in wraps 
• On a bed of greens

~Smokey Sweet Potato Crockpot Chili~

A friend of mine shared a recipe for chili recently, and she had the brilliant idea of using mashed sweet potatoes as part of her "base." This replaces many chili recipes that use flour, fillers, etc. Brilliant! I took her idea, and of course had to put my own spin on things. Below is our favorite winter soup/chili, and I hope you love it too!It freezes well, so make extra for those cold nights you need some comfort food. 

INGREDIENTS: 

• 1 lb ground beef or turkey 
• 2 medium yellow onions, diced 
• 3 cans fire roasted tomatoes (or diced tomatoes) 
• 2 cans pinto beans 
• 2 medium bell peppers (I use red and green peppers)
• 3-4 medium cooked & mashed sweet potatoes
• 4 cloves garlic 
• 1 tsp smoked paprika 
• 1 tsp Himalayan sea salt 
• 1/2 tsp each: cumin, chili powder, pepper 
• 1 bag spinach (chopped) 

METHOD: 

Start by combining tomatoes, beans & seasoning in crockpot. 

Saute onions & garlic in a medium skillet, adding in ground meat once onions are translucent. Once cooked, add to crockpot. Let the ingredients simmer for a few hours, and then boil or bake your sweet potatoes until they're very soft (skin should peel right off). Mash and add to chili. Simmer on low for 6-8 hours. Once it's almost time to eat, mix in 1 bag chopped spinach. 

Topping Options: 

- Tortilla Chips 

- Sourdough Bread 

- Greek Yogurt 

- Parmesan/mozzerella cheese 

~Fall Protein Waffles~

I mess around a LOT with protein pancakes and waffles. I love coming up with difference variations and getting those ratios just perfect! 

This is one I always come back to. The protein makes a big difference in the flavor of this waffle, so beware! My absolute favorite is Pescience Snickerdoodle Protein powder.

INGREDIENTS: 

• 1/3 C Kodiak Cakes 
• 1/4 C Pure Pumpkin 
• 1/2 scoop pescience protein powder 
• 4-5 TB egg whites 
• 1/4 C water 
• 1 tsp almond butter 
• 1 tsp baking powder 
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon 

METHOD: 

Blend all ingrediens together, and spread on hot waffle iron. Makes 1 large waffle or 2 small. 

Topping Ideas: 

• Bananas 
• Sweet greek yogurt (cinnamon and stevia added to greek yogurt) 
• Mini Chocolate Chips 
• Almond Butter
• Pure Maple Syrup 

Quinoa + Ground Turkey Stuffed Red Peppers

These are so easy to prep earlier in the day, and pop in the oven come dinnertime. Healthy, simple and delicious!

INGREDIENTS: 

• 2-3 Red Peppers, sliced in half
• 1 lb ground turkey 
• 1.5 C cooked Quinoa 
• 1 yellow onion, chopped 
• 1/3 C tomato sauce 
• 1/2 C chicken broth 
• 1/2 C feta or mozzarella cheese 
• 1 TB minced garlic 
• 1/2 tsp cumin 
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika 

DIRECTIONS: 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Saute garlic and onion until transucent in a large skillet. Add ground turkey + spices until browned. Add in quinoa, tomato sauce, chicken broth. Simmer on low for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a glass baking dish, fill the bottom with 1/4 C chicken broth and lay peppers face up. Fill peppers with skillet mixture. Bake for 30 minutes. Take out and top with cheese. Bake an additional 10 minutes.

Enjoy!

XOXO,

Abby