Things I’m Loving From Trader Joe’s

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Buffalo doesn’t have a Trader Joe’s (yet!), but that doesn’t mean I can’t pine over the goods I plan on purchasing once we are back in the city this summer.

The following are some of the things I bought when I was in Ohio last month.  They were all new to me and most of them I’ve now decided I can’t live without!

1.  Roasted Coconut Chips.

roasted coconut chips

Coconut chips are nothing super new – I’ve been picking them out of tropical trail mixes since I was a kid – but it was nice to see them get their own package.  These guys are perfectly sweet and crunchy.  Nutrition stats for 1 oz – 160 kcal, 1 g protein, 4 g fiber, 10 g saturated fat.

2.  Zesty Nacho Kale Chips.

zesty nacho kale chips

I love the idea of kale chips but the ones I try to make up at home end up being tiny, burnt, kale carcinogens.  And the amazingly delicious ones sold at Wegman’s cost more than $7 a bag.  This 2-serving bag was less than $6 and the chips were the best I’ve ever had.  They seem to have roasted giant leaves without cutting them up first so the chips are big and chunky and delicious.  Nutrition stats for 1 oz – 150 kcal, 6 g protein, 3 g fiber, and 1 g saturated fat.  Plus 130% RDA for Vitamin A!

3.  10 Minute Bulgur.

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This was our first time trying bulgur and we both loved it.  The taste and texture were exactly what I’m always hoping for from rice.  <– no, I can’t describe it any better than that; I love food and I love writing but there is a reason I’m not a food writer, people!

It really did cook in 10 minutes – it’s pre-cooked – making it a super easy grain for a quick dinner.  We paired it with black beans, tomatillo, sautéed spinach, and avocado.  A one 1/2 cup serving, which turns into a ton when cooked, has 280 kcal, 11 g protein, and 6 g fiber.

4.  Organic Sweetened Condensed Milk.

organic sweetened condensed milk

SCM, aka nectar of the gods, is nothing new, but the squeeze bottle system sure is nifty.  I love putting SCM in coffee (like a lazy Vietnamese coffee) and this way I can use 1-2 Tbsp in my cup occasionally without having to worry about storing the rest.  This was a nice blurb to see on the back of the bottle – “Trader Joe’s Organic Sweetened Condensed Milk is made from organic milk from cows not treated with hormones or antibiotics, and sweet organic cane sugar.”

Are you lucky enough to have a Trader Joe’s in your town?  What are your favorite TJ’s goods?

Seven Layers In Heaven Bars

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It is Finals Week at Buffalo State.  Instead of final exams, my program is spending Monday – Thursday, 8 am – 4 pm, sitting in a small room and filling out various forms, handing in portfolios, and doing presentations.  Fun, right?

Yesterday, my group gave an hour(+) presentation on food service and food safety, complete with pre- and post-tests.  We did a quiz bowl style post-test and I was responsible for bringing in a prize for the winners.  Dietitian that I am, my mind went to cookies first.

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I wanted to do something in bar form and I wanted to come up with a new recipe that I had never made before.  I thought of doing a twist on 7-Layer (Hello Dolly/Magic) Bars but I knew that I had to get rid of the coconut because some crazy people don’t like it.

Enter Seven Layers in Heaven Bars.  Aka Sweet and Salty 7-Layer Bars.  Aka Peanut Butter Chocolate Pretzel {Toffee Graham Cracker} Bars.

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I made enough for everyone – we’re all winners – and all were gone by the end of the day.  When you get a group of Dietitians to go back for seconds on dessert, you know you’ve done a good job!

Seven Layers in Heaven Bars, makes 20 squares

adapted from the recipe for 7-layer bars

  • 7 graham cracker sheets, crushed
  • 6 Tbsp salted butter
  • 3/4 cup Heath Toffee Bits
  • 3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
  • 3/4 cup peanut butter chips
  • 1 and 1/4 cup crunched salted, thins-style pretzels
  • 15 Tbsp sweetened condensed milk (just measure a scant cup)
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.
  2. Place butter in a 9×9 inch baking dish in the pre-heating oven until melted.
  3. Pour graham cracker crumbs into melted butter, mix together with a fork, and press into a thin, even layer in the bottom of the baking dish.
  4. Sprinkle the toffee bits, milk chocolate chips, and peanut butter chips over the crust.  Top with crushed pretzels.  Drizzle the sweetened condensed milk on top.
  5. Bake for 30 minutes, until the sweetened condensed milk no longer looks soupy.
  6. Allow to cool before cutting into squares.  You can serve these right away, but if there is a time gap I recommend storing them in the freezer so that they get nice and firm.

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What Month Is It?

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Doesn’t this outfit look a little warm for May?

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Nope!  We had a high of 48 degrees here in Buffalo today and I was flipping freezing.  I went out for a short run this morning in 38* and came back with a hacking cough that has stuck with me through the afternoon.  The other people in my program were thrilled to spend the day in a tiny room with me.

In better news, I earned a 4.0 GPA for my final semester!  All of my Dietetics courses were Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory, but I aced the crap out of my Western History final.  It’s nice to end school on a high note (minus this upcoming crazy-busy week).

Is your area experiencing any weird weather this week?  Tell me other parts of the country have made it to Spring?!

Complaints

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1. Buffalo has been ranked one of the worst US cities for allergies this year and I feel flipping terrible.  I have sore eyes, a runny nose, and a cough that won’t quit.  I’ve always had bad pollen and dust allergies but this is the first year ever I’ve actually taken medication for them.  The pollen kicked up two weeks ago and I have been miserable ever since.

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2. School ends next week which means that all 4 (giant, gigantic, ridiculous) of my final projects are due on Monday.  I have a group presentation, a professional portfolio, a full business plan, and a community education plan.  Even if I wasn’t feeling sick, my head would be spinning.

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3. I’m freaking out about getting a job once we move.  I really like my new profession and I am crossing my fingers that a hospital job will open up in time for me to snag it.  The last time I was in school I had a job lined up before I graduated so the current situation is really stressing me out.

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What do you want to complain about today?  Go ahead, this is a safe space.

Doctor Bear

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Last Friday, the husband did something very exciting.

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“What does your husband do?”

“Oh, Adam?  He’s a doctor.”

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P.S.  He was also awarded The Department of Surgery Chair’s Award for Academic Excellence in Surgery.

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Go, husband!

Bento Box Lunch

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Today’s lunch was packed Bento-style.

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If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen the awesome care package that Cascadian Farm sent me awhile back:

cascadian farm care package

Among the goodies was a Bento Box lunch box from Laptop Lunches.

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The box is dishwasher and microwave safe and the little boxes are the perfect size(s) for lunchtime goodies – two of mine came with additional lids.  It is pretty awesome.

Today I packed a fruit and veggie spread.  Cucumber slices and cherry tomatoes with a sprinkle of salt.

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Roasted coconut chips.

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Nacho kale chips.

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And Kiwiberries.

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Yum!

Have you ever used a bento box?  Do you carry a lunch box to work/school?

Ohio Surprise!

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The past weekend I drove to Ohio to pay my mom and grandmother a surprise visit.  Adam was actually already with them hanging out but we weren’t sure about my work schedule so I didn’t want to tell them any plans.  The timing worked out at the last-minute and I showed up in the parking lot one night after dinner and scared the crap out of them.  {Surprise!}  It was great to get some family time.

I didn’t manage to snap many pictures, but we did have a fun weekend.

We went to Sonic and a giant strawberry diet coke rocked my face off.

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We checked out the sign that was dedicated to my grandpa who passed away last year.

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That field is named after him!

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And of course we made time for a trip to Trader Joe’s.

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I picked up some tasty stuff that I plan on blogging about soon.

P.S. After family time, Adam drove to meet up with friends for a Tough Mudder challenge.  He is officially a bad ass.

The Jolly Roy Rogers

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If you’re anything like me, you enjoy going to bars and ordering ridiculous, embarrassing drinks.  This drink is both awkward and insanely delicious.  I didn’t invent the combo (thanks, random bar in Boston) but I was pretty pleased with myself when I came up with the name tonight.

The Jolly Roy Rogers

  • Coke
  • cherry vodka
  • 2-4 maraschino cherries

jolly roy rogers

Alternative recipe – Diet coke, grenadine, cherry vodka, cherries.  I’m trying this variety next time!