Joe to the Rescue

I love Trader Joe’s. Don’t know Joe? My condolences, since I think Trader Joe’s is about the best thing to happen to grocery shopping since the advent of bakery samples. My cousin, who at the time didn’t live anywhere near a Trader Joe’s store, would from time to time pack his car full of coolers and ice and drive to the nearest Trader Joe’s, which was hours away. He would stock up on all his TJ foods and drive home with his horde. True story. Basically Trader Joe’s has a lot of traditional and exotic foods, most of which are all natural, and many of which are organic and very healthful. Their organic produce is among the cheapest (even cheaper than Walmart, and with the added bonus of a shopping environment that is about a million times more appealing) I have found and they offer a variety of products that you cannot find at many traditional grocery stores. But perhaps one of the most beautiful things about Trader Joe’s are the products that help you get dinner to the table fast, without sacrificing your healthful integrity. Unlike many mass produced frozen and pre-made food products, Trader Joe’s pre-made items have ingredient lists with foods that you can pronounce and understand. While I love to cook, there are times when I need a little help from my friend Joe. Case in point: during my parent’s recent visit to help us with some house projects, I wanted to give them a home cooked meal, but was also short on time. So I cracked open a bag of Trader Joe’s Mandarin Orange Chicken: It tastes exactly like an orange chicken dish you would order at a Chinese Restaurant, but with far less fat and calories. The best thing about this dish is you can stretch it without sacrificing the taste. It comes with ample sauce, so even if you add (like we did) sautéed tofu, baby corn, mushrooms and peas, the flavor is still wonderful: The perfect thing for busy families on a busy night when you want a home cooked meal that tastes as good as carry-out. SPC
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