I love the idea of a quick, convenient and fresh stir fry mix. Unfortunately, Trader Joe’s Asian Stir Fry mix just doesn’t cut it. The first issue is that it’s almost all peppers and onions so it seems more like a Mexican fajita mix than an Asian stir fry mix. The second issue is that […]
Trader Joe’s Balela (vegan)
I’ve never heard of balela, but I love chickpeas, garbanzo beans or whatever you want to call them so this seemed like a good bet. Unfortunately, this is pretty much like eating garbanzo beans with salsa which isn’t that exciting and a bit odd. I suspect the sumac and mint are supposed to distinguish this […]
Trader Joe’s Mini Cheese Sandwich Crackers
These crackers are cute and make a quick and easy after school snack or lunch box filler. Better taste than most similar cheese sandwich cracker offerings and bonus points for being organic. However, these still have a highly processed and salty taste. If you closed your eyes, you’d be hard pressed to know they were […]
Trader Joe’s Vegetable Pad Thai (vegan)
This Pad Thai is tasty and filling, but in spite of the name there are hardly any vegetables – just bean sprouts, chives and radish. It’s basically noodles and tofu so a rather bland appearance. Some carrots and red pepper would have added much needed color and crunch. The calorie count is higher than I […]
Trader Joe’s Soft-Baked Snickerdoodles (vegan)
Homemade snickerdoodle cookies are a favorite in our house so I gave these a try. These cookies have a very strong cinnamon flavor which is OK for me, but might not go over with kids. Also, the texture is a bit gritty – probably due to the non-wheat flours. These are soft-baked cookies so soft […]
Trader Joe’s Tarte aux Champignons
I really like the flavors of the mushroom and cheese toppings on this tarte – very rich and satisfying. However, the crust just doesn’t cook well or reliably. It’s very thin – almost like a phyllo dough and isn’t able to support the cheese sauce topping. I have made this tarte at least a dozen […]
Trader Joe’s Chocolate Chip Scone Mix
I love baking mixes that just require water since I never have eggs or butter in my fridge. These scones are easy to make, look good and are edible thanks mostly to the chocolate chips. However, the texture is really dry, even by scone standards. You need to add some jam or butter and have […]
Trader Joe’s Sweet Potato Gnocchi
I like sweet potatoes and I like gnocchi, so I had high hopes. Unfortunately, this sweet potato gnocchi is lacking in taste, texture and appearance. The gnocchi is in a butter and sage sauce. Sage typically has a strong and distinct flavor, but it was barely noticeable in this dish. I added lots of sea […]
Trader Joe’s Reduced Guilt Mac & Cheese
The only way this mac and cheese might work is if you’ve never tasted Trader Joe’s totally delicious regular Mac ‘n Cheese. I understand that this low cal version can’t be as yummy as the fatty version, but this just makes me sad. The requisite creaminess of mac and cheese is due to a cheese […]
Trader Joe’s Greens & Seeds Salad
I’m always on the lookout for new salads at Trader Joe’s. This one looked interesting, but it isn’t tasty enough to replace my favorites. The squash is a little too mushy for a salad and the pomegranate seeds are like crunching on small pebbles. I’m glad I tried this, but it’s not a keeper. Location: […]