fbpx ;

I Heart Trader Joe’s Vegetarian Cookbook Review

The I Heart Trader Joe’s Vegetarian Cookbook by Kris Holechek Peters is made up of 150 recipes from the greatest, freshest and most affordable grocery store ever, Trader Joe’s.
cover_405x500_

After going to TJ’s since I was a small child, everything started looking the same and I started feeling creatively stifled with my food options. It’s like a relationship—sometimes you need new perspective to keep you fresh and for you to realize how lucky you are. That’s when I stumbled on this book and reignited my love affair with TJ’s.
My favorite recipes were probably the dips and spreads due to their quick and easy preparation and ingredient lists. Some of the highlights include…
The White Kidney Bean Dip. Delicious and light, perfect for a sunny day with a glass of chilled sauvignon blanc. You can dip pita, veggies or TJ’s all-new Quinoa Black Bean Tortilla Chips. You can even use it to top salad without any additional dressing.
IMG_6087
white-bean-dip
white-bean-dip-TJs
Next, I tried the Mushroom Pate. This hearty spread is perfect on toast or pasta if you want to make it into a meal. But, if you try to avoid eating too many carbs like me, it’s also great on carrots or celery. My non-veggie friends said that they didn’t miss the meat at all and actually thought this was a meat dip at first. Mmm mmm mmm.
mushroom-pate
I’ve always been a little intimidated by this purple, plum-colored vegetable. You hear stories about how bitter it is and how you have to pay close attention in how you prepare it. But this recipe for Roasted Eggplant Spread was so easy that I’ll never be afraid of eggplant again! I added a little sea salt to mine, and it was really delicious. Hearty yet light!
roasted-eggplant
eggplant-dip
Last but not least, the best part of any meal: the sweet fix. I don’t have a huge sweet tooth in terms of chocolate, cheesecake or heavy desserts. Usually a piece of fruity gum or cup of Teavana Imperial Acai Blueberry White Tea can do it for me.  But, when I saw the Earl of Orange Cake, my interest piqued. I couldn’t find the evaporated cane juice sugar on the shelves, so I swapped honey for cane sugar. I also traded olive oil for vegetable oil and fresh mandarins rather than canned as the recipe suggested. This cake is a little on the sweet side, but it makes me feel better that I can have just a tiny bite and have my sweet craving fixed. The denseness in texture was great for a breakfast item with coffee. Here are all the ingredients I used…
orange-cake
I steeped six bags of earl grey tea, peeled about five mandarins, and separated the dry and liquid items before combining slowly.
orange-cake-ingredients
I lined the cake with parchment paper, and it only took about 30 minutes to bake to deliciousness.
orange-cake-baking
While waiting for the baking to be done, I made the orange glaze from powdered sugar, orange zest and a little orange juice.
orange-glaze
I also garnished the top with almonds to make it look more festive.
orange-cake-baked
Verdict is…all recipes that I tried were delicious, extremely quick and easy. And the best part is that because it’s all from Trader Joe’s, it’s extra budget-friendly and lasts throughout the week. A huge FBG thumbs up!
Do you have a favorite concoction that you whip up from Trader Joe’s? —Crystal

FTC disclosure: We often receive products from companies to review. All thoughts and opinions are always entirely our own. Unless otherwise stated, we have received no compensation for our review and the content is purely editorial. Affiliate links may be included. If you purchase something through one of those links we may receive a small commission. Thanks for your support!