Tasty eats from Trader Joe's

bookwormbethie · **Posted:** Fri Jan 18, 2013 2:45 pm

beethecookie wrote:

I believe everyone's talking about the almond bark thins. I just bought some bark thins yesterday, after reading this thread. I read over the ingredients list, and yep, no scary ingredients. Does TJs sell melting bark? Not sure about its vegan-ness if they do.

So I have a TJs story, but it's more of a NON-tasty eats from Trader Joe's story. My hubby was out of town for 10 days and just got home on Friday, so I wanted to make a fancier dinner to welcome him back. I made this lovely lasagna, using Isa's puttanesca sauce from AFR, the madacamia ricotta recipe from Artisan Vegan Cheese, the spinach and mushroom filling portion from the lasagna recipe in V'con, and some almond parmesan from Hearty Vegan Meals. I was so excited and it smelled absolutely amazing while it baked. Then, for some reason, I thought to double check the box of Trader Joe's no-boil lasagna noodles I had used. Well, oops! They contain eggs! I guess I had bought those noodles back when I was vegetarian transitioning to vegan. Anyway, I felt totally stupid and ridiculous, but my saving grace is that my husband is omni, and he ate it and loved it. But no lasagna love for me!

So yeah. Just FYI, don't buy the TJ's no-boil lasagna noodles.

oh man, so much work, and you didn't even get to taste your fabulous creation :(

zinnia · **Joined:** Mon Nov 08, 2010 4:17 pm **Posts:** 187

http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2010/09/bo ... sauce.html

I've also used it in stir fries with the Soyaki sauce, other vegetables (red pepper, mushrooms) and the beefless strips. Served it over brown rice.

VeganFoodRocks · **Posted:** Fri Jan 18, 2013 3:31 pm

Have you guys tried the Vegetable and Grain Country Salad? I am eating it for the first time now, it is sooooo good! You definitely don't need the whole container of dressing. I used about 1/3 of it and everything has plenty of dressing on it

Tofulish · **Posted:** Fri Jan 18, 2013 3:33 pm

I am parked in front of the TJ's waiting for Leela to wake up so we can go shopping and this thread is making me so hungry!

missmuffcake · **Posted:** Fri Jan 18, 2013 4:24 pm

VeganFoodRocks wrote:

Have you guys tried the Vegetable and Grain Country Salad? I am eating it for the first time now, it is sooooo good! You definitely don't need the whole container of dressing. I used about 1/3 of it and everything has plenty of dressing on it

I saw it, does it contain quinoa or amaranth? When I see 'grains' now I think of those two things and do not bother to look due to my allergy.

Pinko · **Joined:** Tue Oct 19, 2010 9:42 pm **Posts:** 1655

I had a weird carton of the strawberry ice cream recently. I bought two, to make an ice cream cake for my daughter's birthday, and one of them had this slightly off, grassy taste. The other one was the regular delicious deliciousness. I tossed the cartons before I noticed it, so I couldn't check to see if they were different batches or anything. It was weird. The cake still turned out awesome though - chocolate and vanilla layers filled with strawberry ice cream and frosted with vanilla buttercream. Highly recommend!

VeganFoodRocks · **Posted:** Fri Jan 18, 2013 4:49 pm

missmuffcake wrote:

VeganFoodRocks wrote:

Have you guys tried the Vegetable and Grain Country Salad? I am eating it for the first time now, it is sooooo good! You definitely don't need the whole container of dressing. I used about 1/3 of it and everything has plenty of dressing on it

I saw it, does it contain quinoa or amaranth? When I see 'grains' now I think of those two things and do not bother to look due to my allergy.

it's bulgur

beethecookie · **Posted:** Fri Jan 18, 2013 8:21 pm

I'm starting to curse those dark chocolate almond bark thins. Every time I walk past the container in my kitchen I have to resist the urge to eat one. I either need to hide them from view, or eat them all in one sitting so that I'm rid of them! Evil, evil things.

Yes, bookworm, the lasagna was a sad debacle but I've definitely learned my lesson. Always check the labels, even if you think you've already checked in the store when you're buying the stuff. You never know.

icy · **Posted:** Sat Jan 19, 2013 10:36 pm

Pinko wrote:

I had a weird carton of the strawberry ice cream recently. I bought two, to make an ice cream cake for my daughter's birthday, and one of them had this slightly off, grassy taste. The other one was the regular delicious deliciousness. I tossed the cartons before I noticed it, so I couldn't check to see if they were different batches or anything. It was weird. The cake still turned out awesome though - chocolate and vanilla layers filled with strawberry ice cream and frosted with vanilla buttercream. Highly recommend!

that sounds awesome! i always forget the delights of strawberry ice cream. i think the next time i make a birthday cake, i will do this! yay!

ashley · **Posted:** Sat Jan 19, 2013 10:38 pm

Everything from TJ's always sounds good when I read about it, but then when I actually get to the store, I buy almost nothing! Today I ended up with canned refried beans (too salty, meh), salsa, and pita bread. And a lot of dog treats. Kind of pathetic.

Mr. Shankly · **Posted:** Sat Jan 19, 2013 10:52 pm

ashley wrote:

Everything from TJ's always sounds good when I read about it, but then when I actually get to the store, I buy almost nothing! Today I ended up with canned refried beans (too salty, meh), salsa, and pita bread. And a lot of dog treats. Kind of pathetic.

This is me all of the time no matter what store I go to.

ashley · **Posted:** Sat Jan 19, 2013 11:28 pm

I think I'm just too cheap for prepared food. But then I end up not wanting to cook, so I eat the most boring meals in the world.

Mr. Shankly · **Posted:** Sat Jan 19, 2013 11:30 pm

ashley wrote:

I think I'm just too cheap for prepared food. But then I end up not wanting to cook, so I eat the most boring meals in the world.

I swear you are my meal twin.

Desdemona · **Posted:** Sun Jan 20, 2013 9:59 am

beethecookie wrote:

I believe everyone's talking about the almond bark thins. I just bought some bark thins yesterday, after reading this thread. I read over the ingredients list, and yep, no scary ingredients. Does TJs sell melting bark? Not sure about its vegan-ness if they do.

So I have a TJs story, but it's more of a NON-tasty eats from Trader Joe's story. My hubby was out of town for 10 days and just got home on Friday, so I wanted to make a fancier dinner to welcome him back. I made this lovely lasagna, using Isa's puttanesca sauce from AFR, the madacamia ricotta recipe from Artisan Vegan Cheese, the spinach and mushroom filling portion from the lasagna recipe in V'con, and some almond parmesan from Hearty Vegan Meals. I was so excited and it smelled absolutely amazing while it baked. Then, for some reason, I thought to double check the box of Trader Joe's no-boil lasagna noodles I had used. Well, oops! They contain eggs! I guess I had bought those noodles back when I was vegetarian transitioning to vegan. Anyway, I felt totally stupid and ridiculous, but my saving grace is that my husband is omni, and he ate it and loved it. But no lasagna love for me!

So yeah. Just FYI, don't buy the TJ's no-boil lasagna noodles.

Oh, bummer; poor you! But thanks for the tip; something similar happened a couple years ago when I was too swamped/overwhelmed finishing my MA to cook much. My partner was trying to be nice and pick up the kitchen slack, and one night he made a vast pot of his (excellent and delicious) chili using Quorn crumbles. I felt so bad when I saw the package and had to tell him...my kids aren't vegan, so it wasn't wasted, but it was a heartbreaker not to get to eat it after he'd spent all afternoon cooking. The moral of this story is: always read labels!

Meggs · **Joined:** Wed Oct 20, 2010 6:49 pm **Posts:** 9136

The coconut chips are awesome.

Larisa · **Posted:** Mon Jan 21, 2013 3:49 pm

I got one of the unturkey roasts. It seems like the consensus here was to cook it longer than the directions say, but how much longer?

Larisa · **Posted:** Mon Jan 21, 2013 6:03 pm

I cooked it for an hour, and it's pretty good. It's not my favorite, but it's decent. I made some caulipots and roasted brussels sprouts to go with it.

bluedawg · **Posted:** Mon Jan 21, 2013 7:16 pm

sometimes, you're like, i really want to try that new crunchy speculoos, but i don't feel like dirtying a spoon.

and then, you're like, i know, i'll just use those new almond bark thins that i haven't tried yet, either. edible spoon!

(and then you do it again a few times.)

p.s. holy crepe, both are tasty.

PorshaJo · **Posted:** Fri Jan 25, 2013 2:18 pm

I am now addicted to the blueberry juice. Its so good. I bought it on a whim and now I love it. I went today and bought a bunch. That and the coconut milk yogurt.

On a side note, I don't know why but this really irks me. I was looking for the tempeh today and could not find it, and noticed the tofu was gone too. They decided to move all the vegan items - tofu, tempeh, field roast, cheese, etc - all of it into the meat section. It used to be in the veggie area. It just bothered me now that in between all the pork and whatnot I now have to go and grab my tofu. I always liked being able to avoid that entire area of the store. Perhaps a pet peeve.

linanil · **Posted:** Fri Jan 25, 2013 2:32 pm

Our Trader Joe's used to have the tempeh/tofu right next to the meat section but now its at the end of the produce section, next to the berries/refrigerated fruit. I have a feeling though that people tend to overlook it, especially since the hummus and what not is still near the meat.

BigEnchiladas · **Posted:** Fri Jan 25, 2013 3:58 pm

PorshaJo wrote:

On a side note, I don't know why but this really irks me. I was looking for the tempeh today and could not find it, and noticed the tofu was gone too. They decided to move all the vegan items - tofu, tempeh, field roast, cheese, etc - all of it into the meat section. It used to be in the veggie area. It just bothered me now that in between all the pork and whatnot I now have to go and grab my tofu. I always liked being able to avoid that entire area of the store. Perhaps a pet peeve.

They did this at my TJ's like 5 years ago and I've shopped there a lot less since. I suppose it's good for the omnivores who wouldn't normally venture into the "weird fake meat" section, but it really turned me off. And it wasn't a conscious decision! Just something I noticed years later when someone else brought it up...

My WF did this too with the sake, moved it out of the wine section to the fish area which is right by all the dead stuff counter and I never bought sake there again.

zelavie · **Posted:** Fri Jan 25, 2013 9:26 pm

I was at my store today, shopping for hummus, and I noticed that they just did it here too. I just mentally blocked everything to the left of the Tofurky slices.

Tofulish · **Posted:** Fri Jan 25, 2013 9:35 pm

Ditto here. Not a fan.

karichelle · **Posted:** Fri Jan 25, 2013 10:07 pm

At our TJ's, the tempeh/tofu/Tofurky/Beefless Beef/etc. are all between the salads/hummus and cheese section.

Tzippy · **Posted:** Fri Jan 25, 2013 10:19 pm

Is it just me or did they raise the price on their tofu? I could have sworn that the extra-firm tofu was $1.39, but last weekend it was $1.99.

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