Nutrition Nut on the Run

Trader Joe’s Favorites

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Trader Joe’s, oh how I love thee.

It’s been my primary grocery since my freshman year of college. I typically take a visit to the store once per week. 52 weeks times (plus or minus) six years… you can do the math. That’s a lot of time in TJ’s! My grocery list has changed over the years – as have some of the store’s products – but it remains a top supplier of much of my kitchen staples.

Why do I like TJ’s as much as I do? 1) It’s inexpensive; 2) It has a fairly large selection of organic products; 3) The staff is friendly and helpful; 4) Short ingredient lists aren’t impossible to find. On the flip side, I’m not a fan of the unnecessary produce packaging.

Below are some of my favorite Trader Joe’s products that are often found in my kitchen. Please note: this is not a sponsored post, just want to share.

Chocolate.

I love love love TJ’s dark chocolate selection. The following are just a few of my favorites. I can also do damage on a tub of their dark chocolate covered almonds.

chocolate

nuttybites

belgian

Beverages.

coldbrew

A tad expensive at $7.99, but this concentrate is an iced coffee addict’s ideal convience “food.” It makes a strong cup of joe!

candycane

A seasonal item — this is a holiday staple in my kitchen. It is perfect to sip on a chilly winter night as it’s decaffeinated and won’t keep you wide-eyed. 

Coconut.

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Organic coconut oil. I bake with it, I sauté with it, and I even use it as eye make-up remover and, occasionally, as a moisturizing hair mask.

bodybutter

Affordable and luxurious.

Nuts.

pb

I’ll admit, I feel a bit guilty not buying their organic varieties, but it’s hard to pass up PB at less than $3 per jar… especially at the rate I go through it. I am also a fan of the creamy variety; I can swing both ways!

almondmeal

Just like Miss Tina (Carrots ‘N’ Cake), I give TJ’s two high fives for their cheap almond meal. Again, I wish it was organic, but then it would be three times the price. I whip up gluten-free cookies and muffins with it all.the.time. 

Misc.

chips

Vegetable Root Chips — da bomb and entirely addicting. The other day, as I was munching through a bag and skimming the ingredient list again, I noticed that the “beets” are, in fact, sweet taters dyed with beet juice. They totally fooled me!

sundried

Miscellaneous indeed, but these guys are great to have on hand for pasta (i.e. Light Lemony Zucchini Pasta) and pizza. They add so much flavor to any dish. 

Hope you’ve had a great weekend! I’m headed for the Ben & Jerry’s in my freezer and then to my clean sheets!

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What are your Trader Joe’s favorites? 

Do you ever wonder what brands are disguised by the TJ’s label?

What I’m Loving Lately {Summer Edition}

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Hey hey.

Hope ya’ll enjoyed your weekend. Ready for Monday morning? Hard to believe I graduated college 3 weeks ago already. This {endless} summer is flying by! So before it’s already the 4th of July, I thought I’d share a few things I’m loving lately…

 

My stainless iced coffee tumbler. It was about time Starbucks.

I love a chocolate-y espresso roast. 14 oz. @ $7.99 isn’t too bad. Now if only it was organic and fair trade. You can’t win it all.

I haven’t seen a bowl of hot oats in ages. Toaster waffles are my typical breakfast these days, accompanied by at least 2 servings of iced coffee. & since I crave peanut butter and banana nearly every morning, I almost always fix ‘em up just so.

creamy PB, 1/2 ripe banana, cinnamon, honey and pepitas

I can’t get enough country music these days. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have any country radio stations programmed in my car.

Bridesmaid earrings. 3 pairs for $4. The BFF’s wedding bells ring in T-20 days!

Last, but not least, the blog’s fantastic face lift courtesy of Miss Maren {if you’re looking for reasonably-priced blog assistance, Maren’s Design Services are where it’s at!}. I know it may not look like much, but the blog has been needing these polishing touches for a while.

What are your favorite country songs/artists/albums these days?

What are you loving this summer?

 

See ya soon!

Hillary

Of Possible Interest:

 

roasted root vegetable wheatberry salad.

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Hey hey. Hope you had a lovely Wednesday!

I stumbled upon a small farmers’ market today outside of Trader Joe’s, so naturally, I shopped around the local vendors before doing my weekly round-up at TJ’s. I was so happy to see that the local CSA farm, Grub, had golden beets. I snatched the last bunch to make the KERF Know Your Roots Salad – I heart beets! I also picked up a beautiful basket of strawberries and a few zucchini. Welcome, summer produce!

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After soaking up some sun poolside, I decided to tackle the recipe in the peak of the afternoon heat; I wanted dinner to be ready and photographable a.s.a.p. after my evening workout at the WREC.

I cooked the wheatberries, roasted the veggies, thoroughly washed and dried the greens, and made the dressing… all in my bikini ;) It was a crazy idea, but entirely worth it!

I couldn’t wait to get home after my incredibly challenging workout (see below) to a 90%-prepped, wholesome meal that was ready in under 10 minutes.

I caught the last sight of daylight just in time for a photo shoot.

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Roasted Root Vegetable Wheatberry Salad

recipe slightly modified from KERF

  • 5 small golden beets + greens

  • 2 medium sweet potatoes

  • 1 T + 1 tsp. olive oil

  • 1 tsp. cinnamon

  • 1 c. dry wheatberries

  • 1 T maple syrup

  • 2 T apple cider vinegar

  • 1 tsp. dijon mustard

  • 2 cloves garlic

  • sea salt + black pepper

  • 2 T raw sunflower seeds

  • chevre

    1. Cut greens off beets – thoroughly wash and dry.
    2. Peal beets and potatoes. Chop into in bite-sized pieces. Toss with 1 T olive oil and cinnamon. Roast @ 400F for ~45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
    3. Combine wheatberries with 2 cups water. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 45-60 minutes until tender.
    4. Sauté beet greens in 1 tsp olive oil and sprinkle of salt.
    5. Combine beets, sweet potato, wheatberries, greens and sunflower seeds in a bowl.
    6. Combine maple syrup, vinegar, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper in a jar. Shake to combine.
    7. Pour over salad and toss gently. Garnish with chevre. Serve warm or cold.

Serves 4.

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Oh, boy – a winner of a dinner indeed! I savored every chewy, sweet, tangy, creamy, nutritious bite. The beet greens were a bit tough (you could substitute any other dark, leafy green), but the flavor of the roasted veggies and apple cider vinaigrette had all of my attention.

How do you like to eat wheatberries?

Wednesday’s Workout

  • 4 min. jump-rope
  • 60-minute cycle class

It was ridiculous! Think Bikram heat + vigorous spinning. My roommate and I can’t stop talking about how intense it was. After the final two songs, I felt like I had just sprinted across the finish line of a race – whew!

  • 1 mi. indoor track run
  • 100 walking lunges
  • 10 minutes abs + arms

Stay cool, stay healthy. See ya tomorrow!

Hillary

almond butter & dark chocolate crispy rice treats.

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I’m not a marshmallow fan, but that doesn’t mean I’m not a fan of crispy rice treats. Yesterday I whipped up a batch (literally, in minutes!) of marshmallow-free {gluten-free & vegan} bars – a healthier spin on the classic, crunchy treat.

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almond butter & dark chocolate crispy rice treats.

  • 4 c. crispy brown rice cereal

  • 1/3 c. + 1 T brown rice syrup

  • 1/3 c. + 1 T almond butter – I used TJ’s roasted flax almond butter.

  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla

  • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

  • dark chocolate for dunking + drizzling – I used TJ’s semisweet (65% cocoa) callets.

In a small saucepan, over medium-low heat, stir together syrup, almond butter, vanilla and cinnamon. Pour mixture over cereal and stir vigorously until thoroughly combined. Spread into a lightly oiled 8×8 pan and press firmly. Let cool before cutting into 12 squares.

Melt chocolate – via a double-boiler or microwave – for dunking or drizzling. The more chocolate, the merrier!

Place chocolate-decorated squares on a baking sheet with parchment paper and place in the fridge to allow chocolate to harden. (I’ve kept my treats in the fridge in an air-tight container to avoid messy, melted chocolate.)

Makes 12 treats.

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Happy “Cookie” Friday!

From yours truly with sticky fingers and chocolate lipstick,

Hillary

pb {& banana} snack muffins.

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Two things I always have in my kitchen: 1) bananas and 2) peanut butter. I can have one without the other, but the combination of the two is something you can’t reckon with. The pair of flavors and textures is comforting, energizing, filling, sweet and slightly salty. I crave it all hours of the day, especially in the early morning and peak of the afternoon.

With the holiday weather under par today – cloudy, windy, and plain old dreary – I was inclined to turn on my oven and whip up a healthy batch of muffins. The third thing I always aim to have in my kitchen: muffins. As soon as a new batch has cooled, I package up about 2/3 of the recipe for the freezer and leave out the remainder for immediate enjoyment.

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pb {& banana} snack muffins.

recipe inspiration a la A Good Appetite

  • 1 c. + 2 T whole wheat flour

  • 1 tsp. baking powder

  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda

  • 1/4 tsp. salt

  • 2 ripe bananas, mashed

  • 6 T peanut butter – I used Trader Joe’s roasted flax {crunchy} PB.

  • 1/3 c. brown sugar

  • 2 T honey

  • 1/2 T vanilla

  • 1 egg

Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare 10 muffin tins using my favorite papers.

Stir the flour, baking powder, baking soda & salt together in a medium bowl – set aside.

Mix the banana, peanut butter, brown sugar, honey, vanilla & egg together in another bowl. Note: heating the peanut butter in the microwave for a few minutes makes it easier to stir.

Mix the wet mixture into the dry & stir until just combined. Here is where you would fold in a handful or two of dark chocolate chips, if that’s how you role ;)

Fill the muffin tins, using a 1/4 measuring cup. Bake for about 18-20 minutes until golden brown.

Makes 10 muffins.

per muffin: approx. 178 calories // 6g fat // 5g protein

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Most of the time I try to make muffins that have ‘staying power’ and will not spike my blood sugar and induce reactive hypoglycemia. These are just slightly sweet, and would be excellent paired with milk for some extra protein; they’re ideal snack material.

I hope you enjoyed some good eats during your holiday weekend. Did anyone “over-indulge”? Just me? Good thing tomorrow is Runnin’ Tuesday :)

Ta ta for now,

Hillary

PB, banana, honey, and…

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OATS!

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I was dreaming of this bowl of oatmeal all.night.long. It may not look like anything out of the ordinary, but you can’t mess up the banana, peanut buttah, honey combo. They are a triple threat together and never seem to disappoint.

Duo-Trio Oats

1 c. water
1/4 c. Steel cut oats
2 T rolled oats
2 tsp. chia
1/2 banana
cinnamon
1 T [creamy Maranatha] PB
1 tsp. honey

I loved the duet of the oats, too — experiment success!

Just for fun [nerd!], I entered my breakfast into a recipe calculator.

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I think I’ve nailed the technique of creating a healthy, balanced breakfast. The question is: Will it stick to my ribs to power me through the morning!?

Sunday’s Schedule

7:15am: shower/blog/breakfast

9am: Trader Joe’s

10-11am: bake cookies

[finish laundry/lunch/car wash?]

2:40ish: leave for gym…

3-4pm: cardio

4-5pm: yoga

 & homework… of course ;)

 

Have a wonderful day!

Hillary

As Promised: Pumpkin x 2

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… and you thought I wasn’t going to post today. Studying metabolic pathways or blogging? Hmmm… tough decision.

First things first. The random winner of my blogiversary giveaway is:

Comment #50: Sami!

Please e.mail me your mailing address, so I can mail your freshly-made granola & decadent dark chocolate.

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Next up: pumpkin recipes!

After a 40-minute run around my neighborhood this morning, I came home and made a special Saturday breakfast that I had dreamt up last night while in the shower. You never know when an idea will strike!

Fall “French Toast” Sandwich

This is about as far away from traditional French toast as one can get.

What you’ll need:

  • 1 TJ’s British Style Multigrain English Muffin
  • 1/2 ripe banana
  • 2T maple almond butter
  • 2T pumpkin
  • cinnamon
  • 1/2 c. soy milk – I used unsweetened.
  • 1 egg + 1 egg yolk [may use flax “eggs” to make the recipe vegan]
  • real maple syrup for drizzling

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I didn’t realize I only had about 1-2 tsp. of maple syrup left. Not to worry…

To make:

In a shallow dish, mix soy milk, eggs & cinnamon [recipe makes more than enough liquid for one sandwich]. Spread almond butter on one half of the English muffin, and pumpkin on the other. Place banana slices in between the two layers. Then place the sandwich in the egg batter, flipping to coat both sides. Lastly, cook over medium heat, about 3-5 minutes each side until crispy and golden brown. Drizzle with real maple syrup. 

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Turns out the fork wasn’t necessary. I picked it up and ate it like a sandwich, hence the recipe name.

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YUM!

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To warm me up from my chilly run, a hot cup of drip coffee just like my dad makes. I am father’s daughter after all.

And now for recipe #2.

In honor of Cookie Friday yesterday, I made cookies of course! I didn’t realize how similar this recipe is to the pumpkin chocolate chip cookies I made almost exactly 1 year ago. However, these are easily 6x better – practice makes progress :)

Pumpkin Pecan White Chocolate Chip Cookies

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What you’ll need:

  • 1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour + 1 c. whole wheat flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 c. unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 1/4 c. light brown sugar
  • 3/4 c. sugar
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 1 flax “egg” [1T flax + 3T water]
  • 1 [15 oz.] can pumpkin
  • 1 c. white chocolate chips
  • 3/4 c. pecans, toasted + chopped

To make:

In large bowl mix dry ingredients [items 1-4]. In another large bowl, combine butter and sugars. Add vanilla and “egg” – mix thoroughly. Stir in pumpkin. Then add the dry mixture. Fold in chips & nuts. Scoop 2T of batter onto a greased baking sheet. Bake @ 375* for 12-15 minutes, until edges start to turn golden.

Makes approx. 3 dozen cookies to share with your favorite friends.

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“These cookies are the death of me”, exclaims the dear roommate as she pries into the bag first thing this morning.

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Alright, I guess it’s time to tackle those metabolic pathways. This will be the death of me. Hope you have a great rest of your weekend. Let me know if you give either of these recipes a try.

Take it easy, foodie friends.

HP

P.S. Did you notice the nutty new page up top!?

In Memory of a Sugarnut

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School holidays are appreciated. Especially when you feel like absolute crud.

They give you time to wake up when your body’s ready, make a pot of pumpkin oats, leisurely reply to e.mails, sip soy lattes, stroll through Trader Joe’s admiring all of the holiday fare, take a walk to your third grocery store of day on an unsweetened flaked coconut mission – epic fail – and bake granola for your blogiversary giveaway. [Baking granola may be one of my favorite things… ever.]

Though I feel pretty terrible – can not figure out what the heck is up with my stomach (?) – I had a light lunch… that didn’t feel so light.

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I heart Fuyu persimmons!!

Though I’ve miraculously consumed very little chocolate since Monday [I’m weaning myself off slowly], I couldn’t resist a sample of my exciting find of the day. These were at the checkout counter – evil TJ’s. I couldn’t resist at $1.49.

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Perfect, edible stocking stuffers if you ask me ;)

Quiz 3 Answers: Soy Stuff

Pardon me… I got too excited gabbing about Superwoman Sarah, that I forgot to reveal the answers to Quiz 3. Though, since no one attempted to answer it, you probably aren’t that interested anyway. Too difficult? Don’t give a darn?

1. This type of carbohydrate commonly found in soybeans is responsible for flatulence [toot toot].

Raffinose – an indigestible oligosaccharide [carbohydrate composed of 3-10 single sugar units] made of the 3 monosaccharides: fructose, gluctose, and galactose. Oligosaccharides cannot be broken down by our digestive enzymes; thus, when we eat foods such as cabbage, broccoli, and legumes [soy beans!], they pass into the large intestine undigested, where bacteria metabolize them and produce gas.

2. Genetically engineered soybeans are rich in which fatty acid?

Oleic Acid – monounsaturated*

3. What are the main fatty acids in soybean oil?

Polyunsaturated*

*Consuming poly and monounsaturated fatty acids may lower blood cholesterol levels.

Are you a soy lover or hater? It’s such a controversial topic [Food, Inc.]…

1 Year Ago

One cool thing about celebrating my 1 year blogiversary, is that I can look back to what I was up to on any given day in the prior year. In doing as such, I am reminded that one year ago my childhood dog passed away. That was a sad day. Phoebe, whom was named after my favorite nurse from when I was in the hospital, was a special pup… and a nutty one at that. I miss her pink nose, her gentle spirit, and her love of food. That girl had one voracious appetite!

R.I.P. Phoebe Sugarnut* Parker

Phoebe 

*I love that I gave her the middle name of Sugarnut when I was in 3rd grade. Some things never do change.

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Per usual, I have some munching on my academic plate to do: case study + 2 science exams.

Hope you enjoyed your holiday,

Hill

Beerbuzz

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If you asked me a few weeks ago what I’d be up to today, I would have told you I’d be in San Francisco for the 2nd Annual Foodbuzz Festival.

Well, if you are one the few hundred foodies that made your way to the epicenter of Foodbuzz – the food blogging community’s sponsor – you will not find me there. The penciled letters in my lime green planner are now barely readable under the frustrated eraser marks.

I don’t have an excellent excuse as to why I am not there. Actually… I don’t need an excuse for not seizing the opportunity to participate in an epic weekend including each.and.every.one of my passions alongside the most incredible and inspiring women… but, obviously there is a reason, or two… or three, behind me not travelling the < 4-hour drive to San Francisco this weekend:

1. Honestly, the whole Foodbuzz Festival planning was rather overwhelming to me. I don’t know if it was just me, but it seemed that the information about the festival was released real late in the game. I had just returned home from San Francisco from running the NWM, and suddenly my inbox was bombarded with buzz about the festival. Now I had to figure out the logistics of traveling to the heart of SF all over again!? =/

2. Have I mentioned that I’m unemployed [minus the “pennies” I earn from Foodbuzz each month]? If you know how a jobless college kid can travel to Frisco, stay in the fancier hotels in Union Square, wine and dine like they are the Editor in Chief of Gourmet Magazine, and still have enough money on their debit card to make the return trip to their pitiful apartment, let me know. As far as I’m concerned, it’s not an easy puzzle.

3. Though I love blogging more than anything a lot of things, and would rather spend my time writing about my passions than listening to a lecture from a teacher who admits they don’t want to be there, being a college student is an obligation I agreed to take upon myself. Unfortunately, my professors didn’t plan for Foodbuzz Fest in their syllabi, so instead of exploring the edible exhibits of SF, I’ll be studying for another food science exam.

I apologize for the blatant sarcasm; perhaps I am a bit bitter about the fact that I’m not at the festival when I could be if I had suffered through the e.mail frenzy and let go of a few more of my precious dollars. As much as I try not to let the minuscule number in my bank account dictate how I live my life, and act as an annoying obstacle in grasping once in a lifetime opportunities, I’ve realized we can not do it all. Sometimes all we can do is appreciate what we do have, and what we are able to do. I’ve been fortunate to see and do quite a bit in my young life; so, while I am bummed that I’m not buzzin’ around with Ashley, Tina, and Mama Pea this weekend, I do have some cold pumpkin ales in my fridge to get my own buzz on ;)

What I’ve learned while reflecting on this unfortunate situation:

1. I’ll need to steer away from my regular blog reading and twittering this weekend to prevent turning green with envy.

2. I need a j.o.b. [Know of anyone needing an expert chocolate taste tester!?]

3. Third time’s year’s the charm! Foodbuzz 2011, I will be there.

4. I like beer.

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True Life: Take II

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1. I match my dishes to my food.

2. I eat at least 1 type of nut ev-er-y day. Not intentionally.

3. Steel cut oats are my favorite!

    • 1 c. water
    • 1/3 c. steel cut oats
    • 1/2 T ground flax
    • cinnamon
    • 1/2 pear
    • 1/2 T pecans
    • almond butter w/ roasted flax, ~1/2 T
    • 1 tsp. pure maple drizzle

4. I’ve learned more about professional baseball in the past week than I have ever wanted to know. Seeing as I am a NorCal native… Go Giants!?

5. As stoked as I am about it being November, I absolutely despise the earlier sunsets. Artificial lighting drives me nutty!

6. I don’t know what is to blame for my awful photos as of late… my lack of photography knowledge/skills, or my point + shoot of almost 4 years =/

7. I opened another bar of dark chocolate this evening [after eating my veggies].

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I’ve had this bar before, but somehow had forgotten how incredible it is!

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8. Windows Live Writer photo effects are fun!

9. I’ve yet to shower from my afternoon run – what’s new!

    • 45 min. outdoor run – yay for sun!
    • 10 min. StairMaster
    • strength training – planks + push-ups… triceps + biceps… squats + stretching

10. A microwaved sweet potato piled w. organic baked beans is an exciting dinner to me. It’s the little things.

 

True Life: It’s ummm… NOVEMBER!

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