We finally got a Trader Joe’s last year! Hooray! Those of you with a Trader Joe’s near by know what I’m talkin’ about. For years and years I would hear about TJ’s on message boards and blogs and see some of the wonderful products they carried and wished and hoped that one would open someday in Rhode Island and low and behold, my wish came true. Last fall TJ’s opened it’s newest store, 10 minutes from my house. 10 minutes! How glorious! I already have products that have become favorites for me…the Haricots Verts (french-style green beans), frozen artichoke hearts, goddess dressing, the sopressata’s ($3.99 each!), chocolate covered espresso beans, all the frozen fruits, the cheeses, the nuts, I could go on and on.
One of my most favorite things is the Quick Cook Steel Cuts Oats. If you like regular rolled oats in the little brown packages, I strongly urge you to try steel cut oats. Nuttier than instant oatmeal and packed with way more flavor, they are far superior to instant oatmeal in my opinion. I’ve eaten other brands and really enjoyed them, but most of those have much longer cooking times and just weren’t feasible for me on hectic mornings. TJ’s oats are ready in less than 8 minutes and one serving is the perfect amount for breakfast. I like mine with a little maple syrup and some walnuts, some fresh berries and almonds, or some home made granola and diced bananas. The topping possibilities are endless so I always feel like I’m having something new for breakfast, even though there are mornings that I wish I was eating a big ole cinnamon bun smothered in frosting, but we just can’t do that now can we?? Dammit.
Thank you for listening to my pleas and opening a store in Rhode Island Trader Joe people, now I have to get to work on those Ikea people.
Good for you! I love Trader Joe's... I wonder if some day they'll open a store here in Canada.
ReplyDeletelove trader joe's! ours is so small it's hard to find things because everything is jammed together.
ReplyDeleteNice looking oatmeal!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you...we have a Trader Joe's near us (walking distance) and we love it! My husband loves their oat meal. Your pictures look great!
ReplyDeleteI am ging to look for these becuase the regular ones take way too long!
ReplyDeleteSo stinking jealous still no trader joes here but one in Indianapolis so when I drive down there I stock up.
ReplyDeleteSearched for the product while cooking them and your blog entry came up. This is my new breakfast of choice before I run - sticks with me longer than the add-hot-water type. I add a bit of TJ's maple syrup and it lasts through the run. Perfect for an 8 minute prep breakfast. My TJs is 20 miles from here, but near the Apple store so I double up my visits!
ReplyDeleteI have eaten steel cut oats for years... love them! I got a tip from FoodNetwork on how to cook them with MINIMAL effort. Find the smallest crockpot out there and put the oats with water (I also sprinkle a bit of kasha, found in the kosher aisle) and put it on warm. Cook overnight - in the morning it will be ready! Perfect.
ReplyDeleteThanks much for this post.
ReplyDeleteI'm getting back to healthier eating and had TJ's quick cut oats for breakfast.
Yesterday I began keeping a log of my daily eating in my Facebook notes.
A little transparency with my friends might help me move along the path a little faster. lol
A friend replied to my note with a question, prompting me to do some Google research, and I came across your blog.
Hope you don't mind that I linked to your blog post in my reply. :)
- Bliss
I just bought this and have tried making it for the last 3 days at work only for it to explode all over the microwave within 10 seconds of starting it! So sad.
ReplyDeleteI have a mini-rice cooker (1.5 cups) and I use it to make the TJ Quick Oats. I think it still takes 8 mins, but its an unsupervised 8 mins - no stirring. So you can fill it before hopping in the shower and have perfect hot oatmeal when you get out.
ReplyDeleteHope there will be a dealer here in Wisconsin.
ReplyDeleteI just tried these for the first time and love them... the instant hot water from the water cooler at work, plus two 30 sec bursts in the microwave (stirring between), did the trick nicely. (Needed to sit on my desk a while cooling before I could eat, I think they cooked more in that time also.)
ReplyDelete