Category Archives: trader joe’s

Trader Joe’s Vegan Grocery Haul

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Happy Tuesday to all. Ok, last night I did my second part of my vegan on a budget grocery haul. Spanky my Siamese cat was excited too, don’t judge. My goal was to spend $80.00 total for the week, but I went over that just a bit. Our vegan grocery haul for the week total with Trader Joe’s and HEB combined was $107.00. I ended up getting some produce that was higher than I thought. I got flax seeds, chia seeds, tons of fruits, veggies and greens. Lentils and canned no salt beans. I ended up getting healthier flax tortilla chips and salsa for my hubby James, because he’s going to need some foods that resemble what he’s used to. The goal is for him to eat wfpb and not feel deprived, so a little balance here is needed. We also bought all paper products etc so we won’t need to go to the store at all until next Sunday night. I can’t wait to see how I feel with very low salt and sodium.

Overall I think I did well. Plus we don’t eat out, so that’s it for the week. All the other money will go to debt and bills, and new work shoes for me. If you are wondering what meals I’m going to make I will do what I eat in a day in the near future. I’m going to make my own hummus. As far as exercise I’m starting with walking and stretching. My knee needs to heal so I’m taking it somewhat easy. It’s still really swollen. Legs up a walk pose every night for 15 minutes for better circulation. I’m not going to deny I’m in a little pain, so it’s a little concerning. I’m determined to heal though, and losing weight is always recommended for the knees and joints. My long cardio sessions will have to wait.

What is your grocery budget? Do you eat out? I’m curious to know how you manage your grocery budget. Happy Tuesday to all. Like I told my hubby, January I’m doing the grudge work, the healing, building the foundation of my new year. My happiness begins with good health, better finances and less worry. Happy Tuesday to all.

 

How to eat vegan on a budget

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Happy Monday to all. Let’s crush some goals so we worry less and spread joy more. We are happiness gurus today, not tomorrow or next week. For me it begins with two of my categories I need to work on, bills and my healthy vegan food budget. I’m getting healthy now, and my husband James is on board. To eat clean vegan doesn’t take a lot of cash. This week I’m doing it for $80.00.

These are two categories that are important in my life to be happy, getting on top of bills and debt and health. Beginning on Mondays I set the foundation for my week. I set my intentions for my day, and I honor those intentions. Here’s my food haul from last night. One more haul tonight and I’m done and then I decide which bills to tackle first, this plan is a proactive plan. To be happy you need to stop procrastinating, and find money somewhere to take care of issues. No more vegan junk means money to pay off things. I will reserve vegan junk for occasional splurges. Don’t get me wrong, I love vegan junk, only once in a while and definitely not daily. Eating clean vegan will help me on my path to weight loss/and vegan wellness.

If you want to eat clean on a budget I suggest you stick to fruits, vegetables frozen and fresh. I look around for deals first, and then I make my choices. I do the same with veggies and greens, and I buy a lot because this is the bulk of our meals. I look for seeds that may be on sale, I found chia seeds for $5.99. I buy only one bread, Ezekiel. One loaf should last a week. I have whole grain rice and a big container of oats at home, including oat flour, dark vegan chocolate chips for occasional homemade treats. At home I also have spices, nutritional yeast, and apple sauce. I have coconut oil and olive oil but we will rarely use oil. Applesauce is great for baking. We have nut butters, all natural with no salt or oil. Canned beans no salt, dry legumes like split peas and lentils. I do buy some condiments to help my hubby transition to clean vegan. Vegan mayo, vegan butter, and vegan sour cream. I will use sparingly.

Tonight at Trader Joe’s I’m finishing my haul. I will post in another blog what we are eating with this $80.00 vegan food budget. Oh, and there’s always coffee. I think it’s going to be easy to stick to this plan. After the holidays and all the salt I know eating this way will help me in three ways, losing weight, get rid of water retention from all the sodium, and save money to pay bills. It’s a win-win. Now doesn’t beginning your week this way make you happy?

One more thing, we are making a donation for Australia. I can take a little extra cash to show my support. It’s heartbreaking for all the people and animals. I can’t even look at the images, I just cry. If you can, donate a dollar or two. If we all did that imagine how much relief they can get. Part of being a happiness guru is being kind and giving. Love and light to all and prayers for our neighbors down under. Rose

TRADER JOE’S INSPIRED SOUP

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I love Trader Joe’s, I really love it there. When we lived in West Hollywood CA I used to walk to two local Trader Joe’s, one on the Sunset Strip and the other on Santa Monica Blvd. the management and staff were always just wonderful, like family. When our cat Stormy passed away in 2013 the kind staff gave us a dragon plant, which means life and living. Very healing indeed. That’s Trader Joe’s, the staff ended up being my friends and it was hard to say goodbye when we moved. 

We don’t get to The Trader Joe’s here in the Woodlands TX as often as I like, but after shopping there on my day off I realized that needs to change. The staff is equally kind, and when I wrote a kind email asking if they could offer vegan creamer at the coffee station I received a personal text from the manager. He was so cool, and Monday I noticed they offered coconut creamer at the coffee station. I’m very grateful to our local Trader Joe’s, it must be their culture to be so wonderful. They even play great music.

I also love Trader Joe’s because I get inspired to create when I’m there. This weeks creation is Vegan vegetable soup with red lentil pasta. It was so easy and healthy. Here’s my newest soup. It was extra delicious after my Wednesday workout and cardio. 

You will need Trader Joe’s Mirepoix Mix,

8 chopped garlic gloves,

1 TBS olive oil,

3 cartons low sodium vegetable broth,

3 cans no salt diced tomatoes,

1 bag mixed cabbage,

1/2 bag fresh green beans,

1 bag frozen sweet corn,

1 bag frozen mixed vegetables,

1/2 bag mushrooms,

1 full bag red lentil pasta,

salt, pepper, basil, Italian seasoning.


Step one,  bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook red lentil pasta for six minutes. Drain and set aside. Sauté mirepoix mix (diced celery, onions, carrots) in olive oil for 5 minutes, add garlic and cook a few more minutes. Add 3 cartons vegetable broth, cabbage, green beans, frozen corn, frozen mixed vegetables, mushrooms, canned tomatoes and pasta and season to taste. Cook on low for one hour and 15 minutes. You can add any vegetable you like, it was so delicious and hearty. We served it with whole grain rosemary sourdough bread we found at HEB. We love HEB too, a wonderful place to grocery shop with equally kind staff. I made sure I counted my points, and I really enjoyed the bread and soup with zero guilt. Sometimes recipes do not need to be complicated to be delicious and of course healthy.

If you live near a Trader Joe’s I recommend you go and see what food inspires you. Happy cooking, eating and health to you and yours. Love and Light,

Rose 

 

 

Vegan Staples

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Let food me thy medicine and medicine be thy food.

Hippocrates

Happy Wednesday to all. I’m  in the process of really reinventing this blog, posting more as  I begin my round two of fitness and weight loss. A lot of people are asking me about what to buy at the grocery store, so I decided to post a very basic whole foods plant-based grocery list. This does not include my favorite vegan fun foods, those convenience foods you reach for when you want vegan cheese or vegan veggie burgers. Those are my occasional treats, not my everyday staples.

This is a healthy list, the foods I eat daily. It’s just a basic list, really you can have as much fresh fruits and vegetables as you like.  Recipes will follow. I recommend watching the film Forks over Knives and What the Health. Let’s get started. This list is also budget friendly. 

This is my personal list but I’m also attaching a video and post from Dr Greger. The vegan health doctors all agree to avoid nuts and avocado if you have heart disease. I eat  minimum oils, salt, and sugar. I try to do Dr Greger’s Daily Dozen. I have the app and my goal is to do the Dozen Dozen every day.

 

I hope this helps. I started my day today with oatmeal in organic soy milk with berries, chia seeds with coffee and soy creamer. I will make a large smoothie before work with Trader Joe’s pea protein powder, organic soy milk, spinach, kale, banana and flax seeds. For dinner I will have lentil and vegetable soup with toasted Ezekiel bread and romaine salad with vegetables. I follow a lady who has a website with great YouTube videos. I will post her link when I’m not rushed for time. I wish you joy on the road to health and happiness. Links and list below. 

Love and light

Rose

 

https://nutritionstudies.org/plant-based-grocery-shopping-guide/

 

Produce Staples: frozen berries, fresh berries, bananas, oranges, apples, large bag of spinach, large bag of kale, fresh or frozen broccoli,fresh or frozen cauliflower, bag mini peppers, green peppers, celery, carrots, yellow onions, red onions, garlic, fresh or frozen green beans, zucchini, eggplant, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, frozen peas, cubed butternut squash, potatoes, lemons.

Pantry Staples: Quick Oats, Ezekiel Bread, bag lentils, bag split peas, cans low sodium garbanzo beans, cans low sodium black beans, cans low sodium kidney beans, cans low sodium pinto beans, cans low sodium great northern beans, brown rice, wild rice, quinoa, flax seeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, date sugar, tofu, unsweetened organic soy milk or almond milk, unsweetened silk soy creamer, unsalted peanut butter or almond butter, unsalted cans diced tomatoes, unsalted cans crushed tomatoes, hummus, low sodium vegetable stock.

Some Trader Joe’s staples: steamed lentils, unsweetened pea protein powder, sprouted whole grain bagels, low sodium vegetable stock, hummus, dates, soy creamer, frozen shredded potatoes, tofu, maple syrup, Black strap molasses, balsamic vinegar, basil, oregano, cumin, chili spice, turmeric, cinnamon, paprika.

 

 

 

 

INSPIRATION

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Starting over is never easy, especially after you lost most of your weight and you believed weight gain could not happen to you. 

Gaining weight, it did happen to me. I lost 60 and kept it off until June and in six months I have gained 30 back. The hardest part is admitting it. Now that I have faced it I’m ready to work hard again.

How am I going to do it the second time around? The first thing I did was contact a local food bank. When I commit to doing good for someone who needs it everything falls into perspective for me. Collecting food for the food bank is my first ten pound charity.

Do I still have problems and challenges? Of course, my cat Rascal is still sick and we are doing everything we can to heal him. It’s a lot of work but that’s what you do when you love. Does this mean I can neglect my health? Not any longer, no more excuses.

I did some grocery shopping so I can be ready to face my diet days. My friend Bill gave me his recipe for a post workout protein shake. It’s coconut water, a dab of chocolate syrup for flavor and powdered pea protein from Trader Joe’s. I’m going to add banana and spinach to my daily smoothies. Besides my running, workout schedule, writing I also plan to read some inspirational literature. I have owned The Alchemist for some time but I have never read it, so it’s my first book to read for week one.

Posting from my phone is new territory for me, but I believe it will help me stay accountable. Today is day two and even though we are in the midst of the Holidays I believe I got this even if it’s my second time around. Willpower don’t fail me now.

Have you lost a lot of weight and gained some or all of it back? Was it due to a life crisis? I would love to hear from you and hear your story. 

In times of change and transition I take solace in the fact that weight gain is only permanent if I believe it is permanent. It is up to me.

Love and Light

Let’s Do This 

Namaste’ 

Rose

 

 

 

 

 

 

LOW SODIUM FOOD SWAPS

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Do you worry about high blood pressure but you are unsure how to lower your sodium intake? Last week in the emergency room my blood pressure was alarmingly high. For me health comes first so I try to aim for a clean diet with minimal processed foods. I follow the 80/20 rule. I eat clean 80% of the time, and allow little portion controlled treats.

I make small swaps to insure I am not eating too much sodium. I always choose the swap instead of the higher sodium choice. I sometimes fall off the wagon and buy store bought bottled dressings when they are on sale, or I may use soy sauce occasionally; but I get right back to my low sodium way of life. The less processed you eat, the less likely you will eat too much sodium. I always notice a difference in the appearance of my skin when I consume too much sodium. Try these swaps and as always drink a lot of fresh water. I buy a lot of these items at Trader Joe’s. The prices are good and they tend to have all the no sodium products I prefer. This way of eating is good for my short term and long term health, but it just makes me feel good. I think you will feel the same and that is where the motivation to eat clean and healthy comes from.  

Here are some of my main low sodium food swaps

Swap salted peanut butter for unsalted peanut butter.

Swap Canned Beans, vegetables and tomatoes for dried, fresh, or no salt varieties.

Swap salad dressing and make your own with lemon, olive oil and vinegar.

Swap regular canned tuna for unsalted canned tuna.

Swap cottage cheese for Greek yogurt

Swap regular bread of sprouted Ezekiel bread

Swap instant oatmeal and cereals for old fashioned oats

Swap store bought marinades for citrus juices and vinegar

Swap cold cuts for fresh meats, fish and eggs.

Swap table salt for fresh herbs, spices and garlic

Swap high sodium vegetable broth for Trader Joe’s Vegetable broth

Swap feta cheese for goat cheese or Swiss cheese.

Swap potato chips for Trader Joe’s roasted plantain chips

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Love and Light

Namaste’

Rose