My ingredients never cost me more than $40.
To tell you the truth, I have a complicated relationship with Trader Joe’s.
Some days, it’s everything I want in this worldlow prices, cute branding, tasty snacks.
Photo by LeoPatrizi / Getty Images
That’s why I always have a plan.
(Not shown here: anything I snacked on between meals.)
Here’s what I did and how I did it.
A glimpse of the Trader Joe’s struggle
If your location gets a lot of foot traffic, certain products are likely to sell out.
And if you want to get super technical about it, find out what day your store restocks products.
to get to make all my recipes, I relied on some pantry staples I already had.
If you want to make any of the recipes below, you’ll need them, too.
You may already have most of these products.
If you’re gonna wanna buy every item, it may cost you about $20.
It all fits neatly in two bags.
Lunch:Tuna-Tomato Zucchini Noodle Pasta
Combine zucchini, cherry tomatoes, tuna, and olive oil.
Serve with salt and pepper.
Dinner:Lemon-Grilled Chicken And Roasted Zucchini
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Combine 1/2 lb.
Courtesy of Audrey Bruno
Meanwhile, on a baking pan, toss zucchini with remaining olive oil and salt and pepper.
Roast until tender, about 15 minutes.
When chicken is done marinating, saute with marinade over medium-high heat for 10 minutes.
Courtesy of Audrey Bruno
Serve over brown rice with roasted zucchini.
Save extras for Tuesday lunch leftovers.
Reserve for Friday lunch.
Courtesy of Audrey Bruno
Lunch:Leftovers from Monday night dinner!
Bake at 375 degrees F for 15 minutes, until tender and fragrant.
Heat each tortilla in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until toasted.
Audrey Bruno
Top each tortilla with 1/4 cup rice, and half of bell pepper-corn mixture.
Roll up into a burrito and serve with a dipping sauce of your choosing.
*Reserve remaining beans in plastic food storage for Thursday lunch.
Courtesy of Audrey Bruno
Recipe is the same as Monday breakfast.
Lunch:Roasted Cauliflower-Rice Bowl
In bowl, top rice with roasted cauliflower.
Toss arugula mix with vinaigrette.
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Top rice and cauliflower with dressed arugula.
Serve with egg and additional salt and pepper.
Dinner:White Bean-Pasta With Cherry Tomatoes
In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat.
Courtesy of Audrey Bruno
Add cherry tomatoes and cook until tender, 2-5 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper.
Add cannellini beans and continue to cook for 10 minutes until flavors have melded.
Courtesy of Audrey Bruno
Add pasta and pasta water to create a sauce.
Mix ingredients together and let simmer for 3 minutes.
Serve with salt and pepper.
Courtesy of Audrey Bruno
Recipe is the same as Tuesday breakfast.
Toss arugula mix with the vinaigrette.
Top grain bowl with dressed arugula.
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Serve with salt and pepper.
Dinner:Cauliflower Rice
Ingredients:
In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.
Add sugar snap peas and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
Courtesy of Audrey Bruno
Add cauliflower rice and cook until moisture evaporates, about 2 minutes.
Mix eggs into rice and add soy sauce.
Let cook until flavors meld, about 2 minutes.
Courtesy of Audrey Bruno
Serve with additional soy sauce.
Related:8 Ways To Use Cauliflower To Cut Carbs
Breakfast:Monday or Tuesday recipe.
Lunch:Burrito Bowl
Layer black beans, brown rice, cherry tomatoes, and chicken in a bowl.
Dress with olive oil and top with salt and pepper.
Dinner:Lentil Burgers On Sesame Bagel Buns
On a grill pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.
In a medium bowl, mix lentils and egg until well combined.
Season with salt and pepper.
Form lentils into 2-4 patties.
Top each half of sesame bagel with arugula mix.
Remove patties from grill pan and place on bagel buns.
Top with cherry tomatoes.
But I was pleasantly surprised!
Plus, these recipes are real deal healthy and super easy to make.
By Friday I was feeling well-fed, satisfied, and rather accomplished.
Related:10 Breakfast Habits That Are Causing You To Gain Weight
Find out how to make cauliflower rice here:
