Food, drinks, style, and humor
The pros: Trader Joe’s Kung Pao Tempura Cauliflower is tasty and can be reheated so as long as you don’t put the sauce on it.
The cons: There were 13 pieces of cauliflower in my bag which means a serving size is about 2 pieces. Those two pieces were 150 calories. Compare that to a bag of Trader Joe’s Riced Cauliflower and this can be a diet buster.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Mexican Style Roasted Corn is a flavor explosion. I thought it was fantastic on its own and could be used to compliment a number of dishes.
The cons: If you have food allergies, then some of the allergy information was a bit unexpected.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Carrot Spirals are the newest addition to the frozen veggies section. While it contains only simple ingredients, the end result was very good.
The cons: On the other hand, this took longer to cook from frozen than the package stated. Also, a few spirals were very, very long. Be careful about overcooking these. You do want al dente.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Eggplant Cutlets are affordable and super convenient, not to mention tasty and pretty darn close to tasting homemade.
The cons: I was wishing for it to be a tad crispier, but I guess you give some of that up when you buy frozen.
The verdict: …
The pros: A new addition to the freezer section. Trader Joe’s Cauliflower and Broccoli Vegetable Patties are quick and easy that taste fresh and require minimal work. While they won’t work out as a burger, they will make a nutritious side dish.
The cons: You’ll need to add something here to make it more flavorful. This is a blank canvas. I found the addition of a bit of salt to be essential. No microwave allowed on this one.
The verdict: …
The pros: Recent addition to the freezer aisle. Trader Joe’s Carrot and Pea Vegetable Patties looks like the picture on the package. Good source of vitamins, good ingredients. Healthy. If you need a break from frozen veggies this might give you a break.
The cons: Trader Joe’s Carrot and Pea Vegetable Patties has good potential but taste was bland but is improved with salt when it’s done cooking or by hot sauce.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Zucchini Fries are tasty, lightly battered pieces of zucchini that when cooked were nice and crispy. Vegan if that is important to you.
The cons: Salt level will need some adjustment to taste, slices of zucchini were very uneven which leads to uneven cooking where some fries were super crisp (almost burnt) in 25 minutes. Others were mushy. Bag is not resealable.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Organic Superfood Pilaf is a bag of colorful and healthy superfood. A whole lot of vitamin A in one serving. Lots of superfoods in one bag. Ready in about 10 minutes on the stove or even less in the microwave.
The cons: Came out as one giant block which made it difficult to prepare. Was very plain tasting.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Corn Pudding is a tasty custardy corn dish loaded with cheese. I’m not sure why 1 cup was the serving size which will fill you up.
The cons: A whopping 60% of your saturated fat is coming in one serving.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Portobello Fries are a phenomenal alternative to potato fries. Imagine tempura fried steak. Instead of steak put in the meatiness of portobello mushrooms with the right balance of subtle seasoning.
The cons: Some of the largest pieces were not as crispy as I would have liked. No microwaving allowed on this one. Because the mushrooms were all different sizes cooking times will vary. Some will be ready before others.
The verdict: …
