Monday Trader Joe's Haul

Monday, Monday! We are still riding the weekend high, coming off of a wonderful few days with family. We spent almost the entire weekend outside, except while we were sleeping, and it was glorious. We had a wonderful time.

I went a little crazy on my Instastories today sharing my favorite Trader Joe's finds of the day.  My sister called me out and I said just you wait- next week I'll do a LIVE UN-BAGGING! Totally kidding but then again, maybe not. I always enjoy seeing what everyone else picks up at Trader Joe's- that place is such a gold mine! When I walk in, it's so hard to not ditch the list and get only what I came in for. Like, why don't I just let Joe tell me what I NEED!? 

Here are a few new things I picked up this week!

 

I already ripped these open for my 3pm snack break and they are delicious! The perfect little bite sized snack and they come individually packed inside the big bag. No strange ingredients and I think Will and Kate will love them, too.

This cauliflower tabbouleh did not disappoint! I've had this on my radar for awhile and finally remembered to pick it up today. I had some for lunch with the jalapeno chicken sausage from Trader Joe's (another favorite).

We have been on a citrus kick at our house all Winter so I always make sure that we have plenty. These mini mandarins are tiny and perfect for little hands and super sweet, too! Also great for kid lunches and snacks on the go.

Cold brew coffee chocolate bar WHAT!? I can't wait to try this. I know it's going to be a winner.

I don't always drink white wine, but the warmer days make me want to swap out my usual red blends for Pinot Grigios or Sauvignon Blancs. This one came highly recommended by a friend and I have it chilling in the fridge now in preparation for tonight's MOST DRAMATIC BACHELOR FINALE EVER. 

Here's the last of my haul! This cauliflower fried rice situation looks like such an easy weeknight meal! Just add in some protein and we will be good to go. Excited to give this a try. I love these small cans of wine. I always get the pinot grigio but picked up the rose to have, too. It's the perfect single serving and great for when you don't want to commit to drinking a bottle over a few nights during the week. The coconut lime mints were an impulse cash register find! Cannot wait to make these shishito peppers tonight with our salmon burgers! And since I'm a product junkie, the hair mask had to come home with me, too. 

And lastly, because I can't leave Trader's without some fresh flowers!

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!

Trader Joe's Pumpkin Picks!

It's a pumpkin spice world out there and whether you like the seasonal flavor or not, it takes over this time of year. I made a trip to Trader Joe's last week specifically to pick up some of the pumpkin goodies that I have seen popping up in my blog reading and Instagram feed.

Canned Organic Pumpkin- Trader Joe's canned organic pumpkin is a great price ($1.99/can) and I always stock up at this time of year. There are no added ingredients either. Just pure pumpkin! 

Pumpkin Spice Salted Caramels- Oh my! One of these after dinner cures my sweet craving and is the perfect mix of salty sweet. The pumpkin spice is on the stronger side and somewhat of a strange combination when you taste it, but I love it.

Pumpkin Spice Chai- Easily my favorite of the pumpkin spice finds from TJ's! This tea mix is a nice, warm afternoon treat.

Pumpkin Spice Cranberry Crisps- The perfect little crackers to have on hand for Fall! These pair well with many cheeses, dips and the apple cinnamon goat cheese that I also picked up from my friend Joe. 

Pick a peck of pumpkins treats at TJ's before they run out! 

{What Will Ate} Trader Joe's Edition

{image via}

I thought that the 6 month transition to pureed baby foods was fun, but true solids are a new level of excitement! Will is now eating pretty much everything that we eat and his little palate continues to grow. I continue to shop carefully for him, making sure he is getting real, whole foods and mostly organic produce and meats. Most of our grocery shopping is done at Harris Teeter, but I have a list of staples that I always buy from Trader Joe's. 

I LOVE the Trader Joe's experience. The staff is friendly, the music blasting from the overhead speakers makes me want to dance through the aisles, and I truly believe they have some of the best food marketing because I always leave that place with a few new things to try that I didn't venture in for. I also need to note that the hydrangea stems from Trader's last longer than any other! I love to pick up a fresh bunch when I pop in the store. My little shopping assistant loves riding through the aisles and makes several friends along the way. 

Here are some of Will's Trader Joe's Favorites!

{Organic Grade B Maple Syrup} A little more robust than Grade A, Grade B maple syrup is darker and has a wonderful rich flavor. I use maple syrup as a natural sweetener in my Paleo Snack Bites and sometimes drizzled on plain Greek Yogurt with fruit. Will enjoys this on his Baby's Paleo Pancakes.

{Frozen Pineapple Tidbits} A freezer staple around here! I blend this pineapple up with plain Greek Yogurt and fill Will's food pouches and stick it in smoothies for me!

{Organic Unsweetened Applesauce} Applesauce is one of the easiest baby foods to make, but I always keep a jar of the Trader Joe's brand on hand. It has one ingredient: apples! There is no added sugar or preservatives, unlike most grocery store brands. 

{Ezekial Bread} One of Will's favorite lunches is a slice of this bread, toasted, and topped with mashed avocado. This bread is made from a combination of 6 grains and legumes, and contains no flour. It has a nutty flavor and texture and we all love it. The cinnamon raisin makes a sweet breakfast treat! You can read more about this bread here. 

{Organic Creamy Unsalted Peanut Butter} This peanut butter is the best! At the advice of our pediatrician, we didn't wait to introduce Will to peanut butter and he just loves it! This stuff is smooth, creamy and all natural. The consistency is perfect for Will's morning pancakes and he also enjoys it for lunch on Ezekial bread. 

{Freeze Dried Fruit} My friend Elizabeth introduced me to these freeze dried fruits and Will is a huge fan! The strawberries, mango and bananas are his favorite. They are great on the go because they are dry and practically mess free. Again, no added sugars. 

{Frozen Mango Chunks} Another favorite yogurt mix-in! When I make homemade applesauce, I'll sometimes steam some mango chunks to blend in. Will also loves pieces of mango with roasted/grilled meats such as chicken and pork.

*This post is not sponsored or endorsed by Trader Joe's and the thoughts expressed are my own. 

Christmas Treats at Trader Joe's

Trader Joe's just might be the most magical place in all of the land during the Christmas season. Besides the happy hustle bustle that is always apparent in the store 365 days of the year, the presence of holiday treats adds a little something extra and I have to use all self control to make sure I don't place one of everything in my shopping cart. But then again, how fun would that be!? 

Our pantry shelves seem to be stocked with extra fun things around Christmas time and thanks to Trader Joe's, we have some new favorites around here. 

Chocolate Rings with Sprinkles...these are simple, fun and the Nido girls are sprinkle-holics (or sugar addicts as Mark calls us) so these should go without saying. I made a cookie plate for my parents and placed a few of these little sprinkletastic rings on the plate to add some color. Love them.

Peppermint Joe-Joe's...OMG. If you are like me and a lover of all things chocolate kissed with mint, then rush to Trader Joe's and grab a few boxes of these. Apparently the Peppermint Joe Joe's were so popular last year, that they ran out and could later be found for ridiculous prices on e-bay. I would probably purchase a box on ebay if it came down to it. I prefer to eat them Santa-style. With a glass of ice cold milk.

Gingerbread House...I picked this up for my sister's and I to decorate next week. We like to pretend like we are five.

Dark Chocolate Powerberries...addictive little buggers. My sweet friend Mary Katherine introduced me to these and once you pop, you can't stop. Berries equal vitamin C and dark chocolate equal antioxidants, so you might as well categorize these in the super foods group.

Dark Chocolate Minty Mallows...oh how I love you. I bought these last year for a hot chocolate bar and thank goodness Joe's brought them back for Christmas 2012. Let them melt in your hot chocolate or enjoy them plain like I do. Every time you walk past the pantry. 

Cocoa Truffles...not too sweet, super chocolatey and melt in your mouth mmmm mmmm good. These would be great in any holiday gift baskets or with a nice bottle of red as a hostess gift!

If I make it until December 25 without a re-stock on these Trader's treats, it will be a Christmas miracle. Happy shopping!

Sunflower + Pumpkin Tree Bunch Fall Bouquet

I have said it time and time again, but I love being within minutes of Trader Joe's! I don't do all of my grocery shopping there, but certainly a large chunk of it. It's a great place to pick up specialty items, pantry extras and some of the best wine. The Holidays are my favorite time of year at Trader Joe's because everything is always so festive and cheerful. I picked up these bright, happy sunflowers for $3.99 and the mini pumpkin tree bunches for around $6.99 and quickly put together this seasonal bouquet that has been sitting on my kitchen island for a week and a half now! The sunflowers are huge and these mini pumpkins are actually  My cousin had a similar arrangement on her kitchen counter for a girls lunch date a few weeks ago and I knew our home needed a matching one. If you live near a Trader Joe's, pick up some of these darling pumpkin tree bunches to add some fresh seasonal accents to you home!

Hope everyone enjoyed a lovely weekend!