The Trader Joe's Treasure Trove

I love Trader Joe's, but let's face it, the stores are usually small and crowded, which makes it difficult to find all the neat Trader Joe's Treasure to be found. Inevitably I wind up at the check out counter being extremely frustrated and jealous having eyed something spectacular in the cart of the person next to me, sending me scrambling back through the store to try to find it while seriously ticking off the people behind me. Here are some of my latest finds that have been a big hit:

• Fresh shelled edamame - These are in the fresh vegetable section. No need to deal with thawing out and taking them out of the pod, these are fresh and already shelled. A fantastic healthy snack.


• Pineapple slices - Also in the fresh veggie/fruit section. These are the perfect dimension for snacking or grill them and dust them lightly with brown sugar for a quick and easy dessert.


• Pomegranate seeds - Pomegranates are super-healthy and tasty, but are a massive pain to eat. These seeds are easy to toss into salads, mix into yogurts, or eat as a snack.


• Ready to eat Fava beans and Beets - Both Fava beans and are also delicious and healthy but fall into the same category as pomegranate seeds. Anyone who has gone through the process of trying to cook with either ingredient knows that I am talking about. Also in the veggie section, Trader Joe's stocks pre-prepped, ready to eat fava beans and beets. I enjoy the beets warmed up and topped with goat cheese and thyme, and the fava beans shine in a simple salad with arugula, olive oil, and shavings of a good pecorino romano cheese (perfect paired with a light, crisp, dry white wine).


• Frozen Sea Scallops - In the frozen fish section, these are a versatile and easy weeknight meal option. They can be flavored simply and grilled or sauteed into more complex dishes. Last week I dusted them with some Cajun spice rub, tossed them on the grill for a few minutes, and viola! Dinner is served.


• Dog treats - For our furry babies, Trader Joe's Chicken/Beef Jerky treats are Davis's favorite and he also enjoys the Peanut Butter chews. They are made with human-grade ingredients so you can feel good about giving them to your pups, although watch the size because they might be too small for some larger breeds of dogs and present a choking hazard.


• Olive Oil - I like to stock many different kinds of olive oil. I buy really high quality olive oil for finishing dishes and salads, where the flavor of the olive oil is really a key ingredient in the dish, but stock lower quality olive oil for everyday saute use. I like Trader Joe's large bottles of their Italian Extra Version Olive Oil for the latter use. It is a good quality and reasonably inexpensive.