15).

Yesterday I gave a peak into a few of my farmer’s market purchases, but I still needed to stock up on a few other essentials for the week. Truth be told, I love grocery shopping too much to skip my weekly trips to Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods. Seriously…my second homes!

Via the Charleston Farmer’s Market: White / green asparagus, bell peppers, golden beet, and strawberries

From Trader Joe’s: Sliced mango, frozen shelled edamame, organic coconut sugar, organic whole carrots, crumbled goat cheese, 0% Greek yogurt, organic baby kale + arugula + Tuscan kale, avocados, limes, lemons, Mediterranean hummus, bananas, organic 3-grain tempeh, canned albacore tuna, chickpeas, and broccoli.

As you know, I love baking with coconut sugar – and Trader Joe’s definitely has the best price around ($3.99). My local TJ has been out for weeks, so I when I saw it back in stock this weekend, I picked up a bag.

Do you love buying the sliced mango/pineapple from TJ as much as I do? Call me lazy but having it sliced and ready to go in the mornings makes things much smoother.

From Whole Foods: Frozen spinach, sliced peaches, sundried tomato red pepper and feta dressing, and in house bread (Organic Nutridozen).

As far as smoothies go, I’m big on texture – which is why I love to use frozen spinach in my green smoothies. Ice waters smoothies down so in addition to frozen bananas, I add in a block of frozen spinach for good consistency.

So in love with the in-house baked sprouted bread loaves from Whole Foods lately. This week’s pick was the Organic Nutridozen.

Ingredients: Whole wheat flour, seven grain, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, rice flour, sunflower seeds, corn meal, salt.

Simple ingredients and toasts up like perfection. Oh, and that texture – can’t beat it!

I never use to like salad dressings, but the foodie in me seriously has a case of the FOMOs when it comes to health conscious products at the grocery stores. I’m a big fan of the “Health Starts Here No Added Oils” refrigerated dressings (the sesame ginger!), but I was curious about their “365 Organic” shelf stable line as well. Verdict? Not my favorite – they both lacked flavor and tasted pretty watered down. If you’re looking for some options, I would recommend the Health Starts Here line over by the produce/refrigerated section – all made without added oils. The fig balsamic is a good one, as well as the carrot ginger and vegan caesar.

Smari Icelandic yogurts were on sale this week at WF…..it’s been a while since I’ve picked up these. I’ve reviewed them before during my early blogging days.

These yogurts are extra creamy – the straining process is what makes it different from your usual Greek yogurts. Because it’s so thick, the protein is also higher per 6 oz serving (compared to other Icelandic yogurt brands), as you can see (20 grams protein, 6 grams sugar). I usually pick up Siggi’s when I buy individual containers because it’s more cost efficient. But if you ever catch Smari’s on sale, I recommend stocking up on a few!

I also made a Target run this weekend and picked up some frozen salmon fillets and cashew milk.

What’s in your grocery cart this week? I hope you guys find these hauls useful – let me know if I ever inspire you to pick up anything new!

April 7, 2015 TAGS: charleston, edamame, grocery haul, hummus, local, nutrition, nutrition happens, produce, tempeh, trader joes, vegetarian, veggies, whole foods BY: May

Nutrition + Food

Grocery Haulin’ (3/31/15).

Groceries bought Sunday, and haulin’ for you this Tuesday. I’ve been digging all the salad combinations lately. Having a variety of different vegetables on hand makes it easy to create a hodgepodge of messy and delicious salads! The Charleston Farmer’s Market starts back up this Saturday and I cannot wait – I’m ready to peruse to the market for local produce again!

Via Trader Joe’s: Organic arugula, organic romaine, wild caught smoked coho salmon, frozen fire roasted peppers and onions, organic carrots, coconut oil spray, mangoes, strawberries, bananas, lemons, Persian cucumbers, greek yogurts, organic 3 grain tempeh.

These fire roasted peppers and onions from the frozen produce section are great to keep in your freezer for those last minute dinners. Just a blend of bell peppers and onions, all chopped up and ready to go – just heat up over the stovetop and pair with your protein of choice! I love it as an addition to salads, wraps, or paired with quinoa and salmon.

Picked up another pack of smoked salmon to pair with some lunches this week. And some honey lemons, which I have been craving!

From Whole Foods: Sambazon frozen Acai packs, organic sprouted wheat bread, sweet potatoes, clementines, and minneolas. Still on a citrus kick, and loving it!

This week was the last week for the Sambazon acai sale – so I just stocked up on another pack.

Have you tried Minneolas before? It’s a like cross between a grapefruit and tangerine. I love citruses that are easy to peel – such as these! The tartness is very mild and I love the freshness of the citrus flavor.

The Whole Foods bakery has a great selection of fresh, local breads – I love the organic sprouted wheat bread – it’s packed with hearty ancient grains! Slice it right there in house to the perfect size it toasts up flawlessly and makes it a fabulous base for avocado toast or as an addition to make your salads heartier. The smaller size also makes it a great choice to make crostini’s, when you need a last minute party appetizer. The mini slices are just so cute! It’s hearty and has a true ancient sprout grain taste.

Ingredients: filtered water, organic sprouted wheat flour, organic seven grain mix (organic cracked wheat, organic oat flakes, organic rye, organic hulled millet, organic corn grits, organic whole spelt, organic flax seeds) whole wheat starter (organic whole wheat flour, filtered water, fresh yeast) organic whole wheat flour, organic rye flour, organic flax seeds, salt, fresh yeast.

I also picked up some clover sprouts, grape tomatoes, mini bell peppers, and an alcohol free lemon witch hazel, which I use as a toner for my face.

Other grocery items: eggs, brussels sprouts, and asparagus, via Publix. Essentials!

What did you pick up from the grocery stores this week? See any essentials of yours here?

March 31, 2015 TAGS: grocery haul, nutrition happens, trader joes, whole foods BY: May

Nutrition + Food

Grocery Haulin’ (3/24/15)

Lots of base greens this week – I’m feeling all the salads!

From Trader Joes: Mandarin oranges, organic Tuscan kale, sliced mango, organic arugula, organic baby spinach, organic romaine, frozen pineapple, pomegranate seeds, tomato basil hummus, greek yogurt, radishes, lemons, tempeh, sun dried tomatoes.

I like to pick up frozen fruit from Trader Joe’s to keep stock in my freezer. They’re easy to throw into smoothies (frozen fruit just gives better texture!) or to just snack on. I’m loving frozen mango and pineapple as dessert!

Trimmed radishes are only 99 cents at Trader Joe’s, friends. Scrounge up some change from your couch and get you some. Great to toss onto salads!

A pack of sun-dried tomatoes made it into my shopping basket this week because I’ve been craving a nice big salad with all the toppings and sun dried tomatoes would be one those said toppings. These are also fabulous toss into omelets!

From Whole Foods: Pineapple mango salsa, crumbled goat cheese, kiwis, frozen tri-color carrots, bananas, organic bell peppers, and Japanese sweet potatoes. Oh, and the green tea and coconut flavor coconut milk ice cream from So Delicious (sale!!!!) Swooning.

Seriously hands down my favorite flavors of all time from So Delicious. It’s like, if I were an ice cream, this is what I would look like. Green tea and coconut. Either one or maybe both. Probably both swirled together. A girl can dream.

I am SO happy to get some Japanese sweet potatoes back in my kitchen. They’re one of my favorite sweet potato variations besides my number one purple sweet potato.

So I know what you’re thinking – it’s definitely more economical to make your own salsa. However, when I’m shopping for myself, I like to to pick up a small container such as this from Whole Foods because it’s the perfect amount for the week. Sometimes making a big batch of salsa for myself results in me wasting half the batch – not good! I love the house made ones from Whole Foods – I stir them into salads or pair them with a protein for a little extra kick.

Stahibush Island Farms is often a go-to frozen vegetable brand of mine. The company’s passion for sustainable farming resonates in their products – I love their frozen sliced beets! I usually reach for the Whole Foods 365 Brand most of the time, but I’ll pick up a some from Stahibush when they’re on sale.

And even though Trader Joe’s sells a goat cheese crumble for less ($2.99 vs $4.99), I’ve always found that the Whole Foods version is a taddd bit creamier. Adding a touch of goat cheese crumble is a nice addition to salads, omelets, sweet potatoes….basically anything!

What’s in your grocery cart this week?

March 24, 2015 TAGS: coconut milk, food, goat cheese, green tea, groceries, grocery haul, healthy food, ice cream, meal prep, nutrition, nutrition happens, salads, snacks, so delicious, spinach, trader joes, vegetables, whole foods BY: May

Nutrition + Food

Grocery Haulin’ Tuesday. (3/17/15)

Things already in my pantry: lots of leftover produce from last week!

From Whole Foods: Sambazon Acai pack (on sale for $5.69!), Mahava coconut sugar, pineapple salsa, frozen peas, frozen mangoes, Fage greek yogurt, strawberries, a ruby red grapefruit + sumo mandarin + cara cara orange, a bartlett pear, almond cheese, oat flour, a two savory yogurts from Blue Hill and a brown box to go filled with too many hot bar items.

I love using coconut sugar as a baking replacement. Sometimes stevia just doesn’t cut it – and when you’re baking for someone who is not used to the stevia aftertaste, coconut sugar is a great alternative to refined sugar. Derived via the sap of the liquid of coconut plants, coconut sugar is said to have a lower glycemic index compared to other sugars. Even though coconut sugar container a higher amount of nutrients and inulin (a fiber undigested in our digestive system) compared to refined sugar, it doesn’t mean you can go absurdly crazy and eat it by the spoonful. (source.) Moderation is key! It’s a better alternative on days we want to bake up a nice treat.

There a many options and brands avaliable readily these days – I really like using this one from Madhava. They also have a great whipped honey!

Sambazon Acai packs are staples in my freezer – I’ll pick up some when I catch them on sale. I love blending a pack with frozen mangoes! I also love snacking on frozen mangoes, especially during the warmer seasons.

Still feeling the citrus love – they are still incredibly sweet! I ate the sumo mandarin on the way home – the bonus is that they are super easy to peel…aka making them a perfect car snack.

You can just as easily make oat flour yourself by grinding oats in a food processor, but I keep a bag on hand in the pantry for those days when inspiration strikes and need it just like that. Or when I’m making recipes that only require a few tablespoons.

I’ve bought the almond cheese from Lisanatti before but it’s been a while and since it was also on sale this week, I decided to give it another go. From what I remember, it takes on more of a nuttier almond taste – but melts just like regular cheese. I plan on crumbling in on a few salads I have planned for the week. Have you tried almond cheese before?

And the Blue Hill yogurts – I’ve seen these floating around Instagram for the longest time. I’m surprised I didn’t try them out sooner – I tend to have a sixth sense when it comes to new products! I picked up the one with beets (duh) and sweet potatoes (what’s new?).

Same goes for the mini Go Raw bars – although I tried one the other day and was not impressed. My favorite dried fruit/nut bars are from a local company here in Charleston called Nicole’s Nutty Goodness – the espresso flavor is my favorite!

From Trader Joe’s: Asparagus, avocados, baby carrots, roasted red peppers, organic split pea soup, toasted oat bran, honey, avocado salsa, greek yogurt, romaine, mint, lemons, limes, whole carrots.

Side note: Does anyone love reading Trader Joe’s Fearless Flyers? Seriously, I look forward to it every month. They make it so fun!

I’m so happy to see the toasted oat bran back in stock at Trader Joe’s! It used to come bags but it’s nice to see it in some new packaging. Nothing too interesting here, just some essentials. I was craving soup the other day and didn’t feel like getting comfortable in the kitchen to make my own – so I stocked up some split pea soup for when days like that strikes again.

The avocado salsa….not my favorite item from TJ! Not enough avocado, too much salsa.

Just some more essentials – lemons + limes, carrots, bananas, Tuscan kale. And the three layer hummus is just another fabulous hummus from Trader Joe’s – great for those who are indecisive and can’t decide on one flavor.

I stopped by Earthfare one day last week after work to pick up a few things – instant oats, whole spelt flour, black quinoa, pecorino cheese, blackberries, blueberries, this cornbread mix from Hodgson Mills (5 ingredients and only takes 20 minutes to bake!), these garlic parmesean crackers from Doctor Kracker (I like to add them for texture in salads!), and a bottle of Pinot Noir. #wino

I’m a sucker for trying new teas so this had to make it into my basket. White chocolate mocha?
Oh, okay. And a little pecorino action for the week. Cheese..wine. Life’s all about that balance!

What’s in your shopping cart this week?

March 17, 2015 TAGS: citrus, coconut sugar, fruit, groceries, grocery haul, healthy, mango, nutrition happenns, salsa, sambazon acai pack, strawberries, trader joes, vegetables, what i bought tuesday, whole foods BY: May

Nutrition + Food

Grocery Haulin’ Tuesday (3/10/15)

Showing you a grocery haul over multiple trips on this Tuesday – aka sharing with you one of my favorite hobbies! I love browsing grocery stores. Just ask any one of my friends and they’ll tell you it’s slightly a problem. I like to think of it as partially staying on top of my field – so it’s sort of like a part time job (or at least how I like to justify it!)

I usually pick up groceries on Sundays to prepare for the week but most of the time it’s just to fill in, since I most likely have items leftover from previous trips. I get pretty indecisive and love to include a variety of fresh produce in my meals so I tend to pick up extra vegetables and batch cook so meals are ready for me when I get home late. Plus, I love to experiment with new recipes in the kitchen so being well stocked is something that’s a norm for me.

From Trader Joe’s: Organic carrots, asparagus, crumbled goat cheese, beet hummus, cowboy caviar – that pairs really well with the quinoa and black bean tortilla chips, rainbow peppercorn, tomato paste in a tube, brussels sprouts, cut butternut squash, chili chicken lime burgers, greek yogurt, baking powder, chocolate & peanut butter chips.

Can you believe you can pick up organic carrots from Trader Joe’s for 89 cents? I mean, really. You can totally make this recipe while you’re at it. I love snacking on whole carrots – I usually cut them up and eat them with hummus. Currently loving the beet hummus pictured above, but I can’t really pick a favorite hummus from TJ! If I don’t finish them before they’re on the verge of going bad, I’ll roast them or toss them into salads and stir-frys.

Tempeh and asparagus are on my weekly essentials list. I also re-stocked on some black pepper, cowboy caviar salsa, and crumbled goat cheese. Goat cheese is my favorite out of all the cheeses. Other cheeses never seem to appeal to me – but I love the creaminess and flavor of goat cheese, so I like to keep that on hand for salads and toast. And it totally reminds me of my rockstar future veterinarian bestie (hi, Alexis!) We use to go visit the goat farms in our glory days back in Clemson…..you’re going to be a hell of a vet, friend!

I also picked up a tube of tomato paste, which to be perfectly honest, I added to my basket for the packaging…just being real. That and I want to experiment a little with tomato paste in the kitchen – something I don’t usually reach for!

The pre-cut butternut squash is truly a time saver in the kitchen – I’m sure you’re familiar with it if you’re a Trader Joe’s junkie! I can roast a batch early in the week and eat it as is with some cinnamon as a snack or a side dish part of my meals. It’s also awesome to puree into soups, since it’s pre-cut!

I added a box of chili chicken lime burgers into my cart again this week. My body has been craving it – I tend to be pretty intuitive about cravings and listening to them. Protein wise, I tend to choose fish, seafood, eggs or plant-based proteins, but these chili chicken lime burgers are delicious and definitely hits the spot this week. I love them with a squeeze of fresh lime juice on top!

PS the cowboy caviar pairs perfectly with this quinoa and black bean tortilla chips. Just saying!

Stocked up on some chocolate & peanut butter chips for a special something upcoming project for you…and (surprise!) it contains both!

So I completely goofed and picked up full-fat greek yogurt this week when I really meant to pick up a non-fat one for a recipe I was making this week. Turned out to be more of a blessing really because full fat greek yogurt has more of a creamy texture and flavor. I’m testing a few recipes that uses greek yogurt lately which is why I picked up a container – and it’s looking to be a good one!

From Whole Foods: Mini Pocket Pita Bread, tahini, raspberries, The 365 Protein and Fiber cereal, and soap…ha!

Whole Foods has the best price on organic tahini I’ve seen so far – I LOVE tahini based dishes and dressings, so I always have it in stock in my pantry.

These mini pita pockets have replaced my spelt english muffins for the week – best part besides the fact that they are the perfect mini size? Only 4 ingredients – whole wheat flour, water, honey, yeast and salt. And they are mighty tasty. I have approximately 34093043902 meal ideas using these bad boys. Can someone hire me a personal assistant to organize my thoughts? K, thanks.

Whole Foods bakes their own bread so quality wise, it’s the next best thing to local bakeries. The fresh-ness is real!

I ~~almost~~ always get distracted by the cosmetic section at Whole Foods. And I always pick up soap. The pineapple coconut Alaffia soap though? Smells heavenly. I like to reach for more natural products as far as soaps and shampoos goes – these soaps have become a favorite of mine!

Remember how I was telling you last week that I was trying to branch out a little for breakfast? The Engine 2 Tripe Berry Walnut was good, but this week I tried the Whole Foods 365 Brand Protein and Fiber cereal. Per serving, it has 10 grams of fiber and 13 grams of protein at 6 grams of sugar. It’s a mix of spelt, oats, rye, barley and other grains. It’s definitely a nice alternative for days you feel like changing up your breakfast.

What really gets me is the perfectly crunchy texture – doesn’t get soggy and it’s lightly sweetened!

And pairs PERFECTLY with this cashew milk…which I’m currently loving. Cashew milk is more creamy than almond milk in my opinion…obsessed!

From Whole Foods: Clover sprouts, bulk bin raw pistachios, raspberries…again (#sale), virgin unrefined coconut oil.

Whole Foods has the best sprout selection in my opinion – my go to place when I’m buying them. I also love a good bulk bin, it’s where I typically buy my baking flours, raw nuts, and oats.

From Trader Joe’s: Wild Caught Coho salmon, Dark Chocolate Honey Mints (only 3 ingredients – chocolate liquor, honey, and mint extract – love them!), avocado, egg whites, Fage greek yogurt, organic spinach, and an organic spinach and ricotta pizza.

Trader Joe’s tends to have the best price I’ve seen around for wild caught smoked salmon – I love pairing smoked salmon with avocado either as a breakfast (in a sandwich) or for lunch (on top of a salad). It’s versatile and delicious! I also picked up a spinach and ricotta pizza I’ve never tried before since my foodie senses were tingling….good to have stocked in the freezer just in case! I love the dark chocolate honey mints – they’re perfect for an after dinner bite. And like I said, just 3 ingredients – the honey really compliments the bitterness of the chocolate and mint.

Produce: strawberries, yellow squash, broccoli, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, grapefruit. You know, just all the essentials. I’ll cut up my produce early in the week and store them like so in zip-lock bags. Sometimes I throw them in the freezer if I have extra that I will use for a later recipe. I know, not the most eco-friendly, but truthfully, it’s just so easy for me to store and clean up!

What was on your grocery list this week? Tried any of these items before?

March 10, 2015 TAGS: grocery haul, nutrition, trader joes, vegetables, wellness, what i bought tuesday, whole foods BY: May

Nutrition Happens

Nutrition Happens

Tag: grocery haul

Grocery Haulin’ (4/7/15).

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Grocery Haulin’ (3/31/15).

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Grocery Haulin’ (3/24/15)

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Grocery Haulin’ Tuesday. (3/17/15)

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Grocery Haulin’ Tuesday (3/10/15)

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