What I received in my January Ipsy bag:
London Soho eyeliner brush
Josie Maran Pure Argan Oil
Pacifica Tuscan Blood Orange Body Butter
A mini Big Sexy hair Spray & Play
And Nailtini Lacquer in Frappe
All this for $10. Not bad, huh?
So if you don’t know yet, I am a fan of Trader Joe’s! I love to do most of my grocery shopping at that store because the quality is great, they have a variety of food and organic options, and the prices are great compared to other organic stores (i.e. Whole Foods).
I will share with you my favorites as well as the new finds. Every time I go there, I buy a few items that have made it to my staples list, and %70 of the purchase would be new items to try. Shopping at TJs is like a treasure hunt. Some things you might find again, and other things, unfortunately, disappear!
I love using Coconut Oil in cooking. It adds a slight sweet flavor and is great for stir fries. Plus, coconut oil has so many uses to it other than cooking. It can be used for the hair and skin. It is a great product! I will do a separate post on it.
Their Sesame Oil is amazing. I love the flavor it adds to the food you’re cooking. All you need is a tiny drop to achieve a great flavor.
The Chile Lime chicken patties are so flavorful and delicious. You can either pan fry them or grill them. They are such a great source of protein with low carbs and low fat. It is a great choice, if you are watching what you are eating. Grill a patty, brush some mustard on a whole wheat/multi grain Arnold Sandwich Thins, add some lettuce and maybe a couple slices of avocados, and enjoy the healthy deliciousness! The Chicken Quesadillas is another delicious choice. It only takes a few minutes to be ready. It is great for those of us who are busy and rarely have time to prepare dinner from scratch.
TJ’s frozen section is a treasure to me. I lease to work at 6a.m. and usually do not get home till 6p.m. If I were to go to the gym that day, I wont be home till 8p.m. So, when can I ever cook or prepare dinner from scratch? NEVER. That’s when TJ’s come in place and help me out. TJs has a great selection of healthy options that fit easily in my busy and rushed life style. That’s why I am obsessed with it.
Here are more of our favorites. The vegetable Bird’s Nests are basically vegetable tempura. They are not the healthiest choice, but having one at lunch certainly doesn’t hurt as they are super delicious. The Lemon Grass Chicken are great as a snack with a home made mustard and Sriracha sauce. The Channa Masala chickpeas are so flavorful and make a great side dish with grilled chicken and rice. One other favorite is the Potatoe Pancakes. They make a great side on your breakfast plate, served with a fat free spoon of sour cream. Deliciousness.
More of our favorites are these:
The Sea Salt & Lemon Ppper grinders. TJ’s has a wide range of these grinders and each is less than $2. The Low Calorie Lemonade was one of my first items I ever bought at TJ’s and it’s been a favorite ever since. We love it as it is a bit sour and very refreshing! The Saffron is a great spice to have and add to your chicken marinade. And finally that Rustic Pan Bello bread is magnificent. Super tender, yet with a crunchy crust. It is one of our new favorites.
Both the Mixed Berry and Mango Passion Granola Cereals are the hubby’s favorites. They are so crunchy and the fruits actually taste like fruit. Great source of fiber!
I fixed dinner last night using the Marinated Chicken Breast and the Kimchi rice. Oh don’t they sound so wonderful together or what? We loved them! The Rice is on the spicy side, but so flavorful. Oh boy, and the chicken came out so juicy and tender. Here you go, more things are getting added to our favorites. Keep in mind that they were both very low in fat! TJ’s is such a treasure box.
The next three pictures are new items that we haven’t tried yet. However, I am pretty sure they will end up to be part of our favorites.
I hope you enjoyed this post, and I hope I inspired you to go do your own treasure hunt at Trader Joe’s!
Arki
Last weekend, I hosted a spa party for my girls. A skin analyst specialist was there featuring an amazing machine that analyzes up to three layers of the skin. Through that machine, you get to know your skin better, learn where your trouble spots are, get educated on their condition, and get help and recommendations for treating them.
Many of the girls learn that their skin wasn’t actually the type they’ve always thought it was. For example, my sister had always the impression that her skin was oily to combination. However, it turned out that her skin is Normal to dry! They were all impressed with the machine and the products that were promoted. A few things I love about their products: they are all natural, cruelty free, work amazingly, and are made in the United States. [I will have more in depth review on the products]
One tip I need to share with you here is, Please Use Sunscreen Every Day of Your Life! This small step can save you so much in the future. Sunscreen now = Less Wrinkles in the future. Trust me!
Other than impressing my guests with the special facial treatments, they were all in love with the other treats. Dessert. Something you need to know about me is that I absolutely LOVE Red Velvet! That weekend was the one following Valentine’s Day, so what a better way to celebrate than having Red Velvet treats everywhere?
I love decorating; therefore, I enjoyed making a cute display out of those delicious treats. I got so many compliments on the dessert and the food. It always feels good when you leave a great impression on others. These little things make you, and the others around you, so Happy.
The menu was:
Red Velvet mini cups
Strawberry Dipped in Chocolate
Pink Champagne
Vitamin Shots
Avocado Cherry Tomato Salad
Caesar Salad
Margarita Pizza
Wings
[My family owns a few pizzerias; therefore, our guests always request having pizza and wings at our parties, because they are that delicious]
The day went by fast and everyone enjoyed their time. It was great having the girls over. I haven’t hung out with them since my wedding. We had a fantastic day together and hopefully will be planning another get together soon.
Seriously, what’s a better day than relaxing, sipping champagne, and indulging in deliciousness?
I cannot get over the Red Velvet!
❤
ArKI
ArKi 