Grocery shopping is not high on my favorite-things list. But! Trader Joe’s is one of my happy places. Too bad the closest one is a 35-minute drive. Which means I don’t go every single week, but I get a lot of my staples there – especially freezer staples.
The people who work at TJs are upbeat and friendly. They seem genuinely glad to have me as a customer. At the store I visited this week, there was a chalk message on the sidewalk outside the door: “We Love You.” Awww. It just makes me feel good spending my money at a place like that.
I often reference the meals I make from TJ’s ingredients, but this week I’m sharing some of our everyday freezer items.
Super Sweet Corn
Somehow this is the best frozen corn ever. It’s like fresh off the cob. I steam a small amount for a couple of minutes in the microwave and add to my green salad. It adds just enough sweetness and starch and doesn’t overpower the salad, but makes it a little more substantial.
The number 1 use in our kitchen for this corn is in chicken tortilla soup. We use ½ bag for the soup we make. John would prefer if we used the entire bag. Yum!
Spinach
Admittedly, frozen spinach is probably spinach is spinach. I love fresh spinach and used to eat it daily, but it is not low fodmap approved, so I’ve cut back on it and having fresh on hand is not viable. Using a little frozen spinach to my egg white omelets means I get to have a little of what I love without keeping a ton of fresh on hand.
Chicken Breasts, Thighs and Tenders
The breasts, thighs and tenders are all packaged in resealable bags. Taking one or two out of the bag without thawing a huge amount of meat is great for small households like ours.
Pizza
This Italian pizza is absolutely the best frozen pizza I’ve ever had. Of course, I don’t have a steady diet of pizza and it is an occasional treat, so this one hits the spot. I like my pizza pretty plain – cheese, please. I often add sliced tomato, basil and hot pepper flakes. My sister Monique and her hub also buy this pizza and serve it with all sorts of fancy toppings like kalamata olives, red peppers, artichoke hearts. You get the picture. Bottom line, this pizza is just fine stand alone, but it’s also a perfect base for personal toppings.
Of course, I could go on all day long and write you a grocery list of what I buy and why I like it, but this is a snapshot of the freezer aisle for me.
An Exercise Change of Pace
This week I worked and stayed in Mesa, Arizona. Behind my hotel was a very small golf course which is closed for maintenance. I took advantage of the cooler weather and the green course for a little change of pace exercise.
I walked the hills and did my stretches in the early mornings. I met DF Denisse for an after-work walk. We enjoyed the grass and trees and ponds. We might have provided a little feast for mosquitoes, but all in all it was worth it.
Denisse and I used worked together for many years and we walked regularly to catch up, visit, exercise and relieve stress. She moved to Phoenix, and though we no longer worked together, we try to see each other as much as possible. It was great spending the evening together – just like old times.
The hotel gym was open to one person at a time so Friday morning I got some time with weights and abs. I only got three strength training days in this week, but better than none.
What I’m Reading
DF and fellow reader Jill recommended a guilty pleasure series Las Vegas Girl by Leslie Wolf. Side note: Jill lives in Vegas, so we’re giving her some leeway here.
She warned me that I should set the bar low and I did. And then I sat back and enjoyed the book. I can probably list 50 ways the book went wrong, but somehow it all came together and worked enough to be enjoyable. I’m not going to go so far as to recommend this book, but I’m not denying I read the whole thing.
I know the world is still way out of whack and times are trying. There is still hope for an enjoyable life and I am going to keep sharing what is working in my life. I have time for you so please let me know how you’re faring, and as always, if you have any prayer requests, I’m on it!
Love and blessings for a wonderful weekend.
Haha. I warned you! Under no circumstances should you read the other two in this series. ☺
Based on your recommendation last week, I am halfway through Blind Your Ponies. It is EXACTLY my kind of book, and I am loving it!