Trader Grubber

As you have probably already observed, I usually write reviews about Trader Joe’s food products. I thought I’d mix it up a little bit and write about Trader Joe’s hair products for a change. Trader Joe’s actually has some pretty quality shampoos, free of laurel/laureth sulfates and other garbage commonly found in most other shampoos. If you are interested in a healthy shampoo that smells fresh, uses certified organic botanicals, works well, and is healthier for you then you might want to give Trader Joe’s shampoo a shot.

Why Use Sulfate Free Shampoo?

Sulfate is a cheap chemical additive that most companies use in their shampoos in order to provide a heavier cleaning power and bubbly lather effect to their product. The problem is that this chemical can be harsh on our hair and scalp. Sulfates have been known to cause skin irritations (and make current irritations worse), and have even been linked to hair loss! They can do a number on your scalp over time, so you may want to think about switching to a sulfate free shampoo.

Trader Joe’s Tea Tree Tingle

Trader Joe’s has a few different types of shampoos and conditioners, but my favorite smelling is their Trader Joe’s Tea Tree Tingle Shampoo. It has a very refreshing peppermint scent, and actually does give your scalp a bit of a tingle after a wash. Its blend of tea tree oil, peppermint, and eucalyptus does a good job keeping your hair shiny and soft.

Unfortunately,  my scalp seems to be sensitive to the tea tree oil, or some ingredient in this particular shampoo. After using it for about a month, I started noticing that I had a couple scabs on my scalp. After reading up on it, I realized that others were having the same issue because they were allergic to the tea tree oil. Even though this was my favorite shampoo of theirs, I had to stop using it because of this issue.

Trader Joe’s Nourish Spa Shampoo

Since I seemed to be allergic to the Tea Tree Tingle, I decided to give the Trader Joe’s Nourish Spa Shampoo a try. Even though I missed the peppermint scent of the the other shampoo, this one still had a nice refreshing smell if its own. It has an interesting blend of organic oils including: rosemary, orange citrus, lemongrass, echinacea, and chamomile flower. It also does  a great job of keeping my hair soft and shiny, and it was even a little bit cheaper than the tea tree tingle to boot. I definitely recommend giving this one a try.

Trader Joe’s Citrus Shampoo

I have tried Trader Joe’s Refresh Citrus Shampoo in the past, and it also did a great job. It has a nice orange citrus aroma (hence the name), so if that is your scent of choice then this may be the shampoo for you. It contains vitamin C and vitamin B-5 along with orange blossom, grapefruit, and chamomile. This shampoo did a great job of cleaning my hair, but it didn’t quite of the lather effect that I enjoyed from the other two shampoos. Again, it’s sulfate free, so it may not lather quite as well as another every day shampoo, but it also does without all of the chemicals as well.

French Onion Soup at Trader Joe’s

If you are looking for a way to make a quick French onion soup then Trader Joe’s might have just what you are looking for. Another favorite Trader Joe’s product is their frozen Plats Du Chef French Onion Soup, which only takes about 8 minutes to cook in the microwave. The soup comes in a small frozen cylinder with frozen croutons and cheese on the top. I wasn’t expecting much from a frozen soup, but it was actually quite rich and delicious!

It would be best to put the frozen cylinder of soup into a small ramekin to allow the cheese to melt on the top. I didn’t have a ramekin on hand, so I put it in a larger bowl. As a result, the cheese just melted and mixed throughout the bowl instead of having the classic layer of cheese on top like real French onion soup typically has.

If you don’t have a small ramekin to use, but want to create a layer of cheese on top then here is what you can do:

1. Melt the frozen soup into a bowl.
2. Place chunks of toast (or croutons) on the top of the melted soup.
3. Sprinkle cheese on top of the croutons.
4. Put the bowl back into the microwave, and melt the cheese over the croutons.
5. Enjoy!

Which Cheese for French Onion Soup?

The cheese that you use for your french onion soup is up to you. I usually just use what I have on hand, which is usually parmesan, mozzarella, or provolone. Plats Du Chef frozen french onion soup comes with Swiss cheese sprinkled on the top. You can feel free to add any other kind of cheese to it, or create your own layer of cheese using the steps above.

Is French Onion Soup Healthy?

The great thing about French onion soup is that it features onions, which are high in vitamin C and flavonoids. French onion soup is typically made with beef broth or vegetable broth, which are also rich in vitamins and minerals. The downside is that it traditionally calls for the onions to be slow cooked in butter along with croutons covered in cheese. Obviously the cheese, croutons, and butter are high in fat and calories, which can be unhealthy. As long as you don’t go overboard on butter, cheese, and croutons then it isn’t too bad for you. Plats Du Chef French Onion Soup doesn’t appear to contain butter and only has a light sprinkle of Swiss cheese on the top. See the nutrition facts below.

Plats Du Chef French Onion Soup ingredients: Vegetable Soup base, natural flavor, salt, sugar, corn oil, potato flour, carrot powder, onions, swiss cheese, croutons, enriched wheat flour, caramel color, garlic, spices.

Plats Du Chef French Onion Soup nutrition facts (1 frozen block): Calories 210, Total fat 10g, Saturated fat 7g, Cholesterol 35mg, Sodium 740mg, Total carbs 18g, Dietary Fiber 3g, Sugars 4g, Protein 13g.

Trader Joe’s Chocolate Covered Potato Chips

Do you know what the 22nd most favored Trader Joe’s product in 2011 was? You guessed it. Chocolate covered potato chips.

To be honest, I usually try to stay away from potato chips all together. They are fatty, greasy, and I’m usually just not the biggest fan. Just let me have my popped potato chips and I’m happy. However, when I heard that Trader Joe’s carried chocolate covered potato chips, I was intrigued. When I heard they were one of the best selling products at Trader Joe’s last year, well, all the more reason to pick some up.

After chomping down the first few chips, I found the chocolate to be silky smooth and actually quite delicious! The ridged potato chips offered their typical salty flavor along with the sweetness of the milk chocolate, which gave it a similar taste to a chocolate covered pretzel. As I continued to devour the bag it hit me just how unhealthy these things must be. As if eating a bag of potato chips isn’t bad enough, these chips are smothered in milk chocolate. But, then again, you don’t eat chocolate covered potato chips for your health. You eat them as a tasty desert. At least that is how I tried to justify it as I wiped chocolate covered crumbs off my face.

If you are a fan of a sweet and salty snack then chocolate covered potato chips might be for you. To be honest, after eating about a quarter of the bag I started to grow a little tired of the taste. They aren’t my personal favorite, but they are a top selling item at Trader Joe’s so I must be pretty alone on this one. What do you think? If you would like to give them a taste test then you can pick up a bag at your local Trader Joe’s.

If you want to even bother looking at the nutrition facts then here they are for 6 chocolate covered potato chips: Calories 230, Total Fat 13g, Saturated Fat 7g, Cholesterol 5mg, Sodium 140mg, Total Carbs 26g, Dietary Fiber 1g, Sugars 17g, Protein 3g.

Now please excuse me while I go jog a 20 miler to help burn these off.

Trader Joe’s Roasted Seaweed Snack

If you were wondering where to buy seaweed then your search is over. I’m not going to lie and say that I was super thrilled about eating a snack made of edible seaweed, but I know that the health benefits are outstanding so I figured I’d give it a try. One of the most popular Trader Joe’s products of 2011 was their Trader Joe’s roasted seaweed snack, so I picked some up at the store recently. I must say that for a snack made of seaweed, it really isn’t that bad at all. In fact, it was pretty good for as healthy as it is.  The snacks are made up of small paper thin sheets of seaweed shaped like a square. It’s hard to describe the taste, but they almost weirdly tasted like a salty roasted pumpkin seed to me.  For the health benefits, I’d eat these things all day long. I even shredded some up and put it in my miso soup, which hit the spot.

Benefits of Seaweed

Seaweed is one of the healthiest foods on earth, and provides a very broad range of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It is an excellent source of iron, calcium, iodine, folic acid, magnesium, lignans, and the B vitamins folate, rivoflavin, and pantothenic acid.

What do these vitamins, minerals, and health benefits of seaweed mean for you?

• Seaweed can help fight against cancer. The lignans, which are plant compounds, contain cancer protective properties that help fight against tumor growth and breast cancer. Studies have also shown that folic acid can help significantly reduce colon cancer as well.
• Seaweed can help reduce fat absorption by up to 75% due to a digestive enzyme called lipase. It is also very rich in iodine, which can help prevent a healthy thyroid and metabolism.
• Seaweed can help provide stress relief. Magnesium, pantothenic acid, and riboflavin have been shown to help reduce stress and provide energy.
• Seaweed can help improve hair health by feeding the shafts and ducts of the scalp.

After learning about some of these benefits, I was sold. Even if you’re not the biggest fan of seaweed, it may be a great idea to incorporate it into your diet somewhere. I’d recommend picking up Trader Joe’s roasted seaweed snack and at least giving it a taste test. If you don’t like eating it straight up, then maybe you can break it into little pieces and sprinkle it in another meal. Eat seaweed. Your body will thank you. If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s nearby then you can order their roasted seaweed snack online here.

Trader Joe’s Roasted Seaweed Nutrition Facts and Ingredients

Ingredients: Seaweed, canola oil, sesame oil, sea salt

Roasted Seaweed Nutrition Facts (Serving Size is Half the box): 30 Calories, Total Fat 2g, Sodium 50g, Total Carbs 1g, Protein 1g

Anyone else tried this? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

I love my coffee in the morning, but in the evenings I have to seek caffeine alternatives or I will not be able to sleep a wink. I usually go for some kind of herbal tea, such as: Celestial Seasonings Sleepy Time or Country Peach Passion. Sometimes I will even brew some of the fine loose tea from Teavana, which is some amazing stuff. But one of my favorite evening drinks on a cold winter night is the Trader Joe’s Chai Latte.

I know a couple of people who I would consider to be “chai snobs”. They won’t drink chai from Starbucks or other certain coffee shops, but they love Trader Joe’s chai. It has a smooth and creamy chai taste and a perfect blend of spices including cinnamon and ginger. Add one scoop of this chai mix to six ounces of hot water, and prepare yourself for some amazing flavors. If you want to make a special treat then add some whipped cream on top and sprinkle some cinnamon and nutmeg. You can also pour it over ice if you are looking for a refreshing cold drink on a hot day. If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s nearby, or if you would just like to order Trader Joe’s chai from the comfort of your home then you can find it here.

If you’ve been stuck buying “Lean Cuisine’s” then you have been missing out on some of Trader Joe’s fantastic frozen meals. My new all time favorite frozen dinner meal is the Trader Joe’s Pesto Tortellini Bowl. After 4 minutes in the microwave, you will have yourself a big tasty bowl of buttery soft organic tortellini tossed in a delicious pesto sauce with extra virgin olive oil and basil. I’ve gotten to the point where I now crave this stuff, and have to consistently keep a supply in the freezer. The pasta tastes very fresh, and really does taste like it was home made. So, I urge you to toss the Stouffers and pick up a couple of boxes of this Pesto Tortellini. It is sure to put a smile on your face.

You may also want to check out Trader Joe’s other frozen meals such as Trader Joe’s Fusilli with Vegatables and Basil Pesto or Trader Joe’s Ricotta Spinach Tortelloni with Red Pesto. Both of these are good and cheaper options at about $1.99 a pop. I still prefer the Pesto Tortellini Bowl, but it is a little bit more expensive at around $4 per meal. Still not bad for a lunch or dinner now days, and sure beats the heck out of other frozen meals out there.

Nutrition Facts: Total Fat 23g, Calories 470, Carbs 58g, Sugars 4g, Protein 18g

Trader Joe’s Recipes

This is an official Trader Joe’s Recipe for their Breakfast Casserole Dish.

• 1 Loaf of Trader Joe’s Crusty French Bread (torn into pieces)
• 6 Eggs
• 1/4 Cup Milk
• 1 Cup of Trader Joe’s spicy Italian sausage (Trader Joe’s Vegetable Sausage-less sausage can also be used as an alternative)
• 1 Cup of Grated Monterey Jack Cheese
• Any Spices that you desire (I like Ceyenne Pepper, Lemon Pepper, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, and Salt)

Preheat oven to 350° and grease baking pan with your choice of oil or butter. Place bread pieces in pan and distribute evenly. Beat the eggs, milk, and any spices you desire then pour over the bread. Add the remaining ingredients and bake for 25 minutes or until top is golden brown and a knife put in the center comes out clean. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

If you have been looking for a perfect appetizer or hor d’ourve to serve your guests at a dinner party, then look no further. I tried a sample of the Trader Joe’s pastry bites with Feta Cheese & Caramelized Onions, and I was instantly in love. I took one bite and said “Sold” as I grabbed a box out of their portable freezer. The outer shell is like a flaky pastry, and the inside is filled with warm gooey feta cheese that melts in your mouth as you bite it. If that’s not good enough, they top it off with caramelized onions to add a sweet flavor with the soft cheese. Make sure to tell everyone at your next dinner party that you made them from scratch and listen to the Oohs and Ahhs. These are the best store bought frozen appetizers I have ever had.

Nutrition Facts (1 pastry): Calories 70, Total Fat 5g, Saturated Fat 3.5g, Cholesterol 20mg, Sodium 100mg, Total Carbs 4g, Sugars less than 1g, Protein 1g.

Looking for a light and refreshing wine, I stumbled upon Trader Joe’s Kono Wine of New Zealand. Specifically, the 2011 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, is one of Trader Joe’s most delicious wines under $10! It appears that the Kono wine has become quite popular as my local Trader Joe’s has run out two times in the past six months. I don’t like wine to be too sweet, but I also don’t like wine to be too bold and sharp either. This wine is right in between, and is just so refreshing when it’s chilled.

It is described as having “Great aromatics of citrus, gooseberries, and passion fruit within a typically powerful and flavor filled palate. Packed with juicy, ripe fruits, this wine has focus and purity with fresh natural acidity and a long, crisp, and dry finish.”

I think that pretty much sums it up quite nicely. Try chilling  this wine and pairing it with fish, chicken, or salad for a nice refreshing meal. It is only about $7 at my local Trader Joe’s with an alcohol content of about 13%, so how can you go wrong? If you’re looking for a good Sauvignon Blanc at a reasonable price, definitely give the Kono Trader Joe’s wine a try.