Friends and family members have often told me that I am a bit of a Trader Joe’s fanatic. Why not join the club? Just take a trip to the closest Trader Joe’s in town and you will find that they carry any possible item you might need—or not need, but just want to buy because it sounds too unique not to try. Some of their most popular and wackiest items include Cookie Butter Sandwich Cookies, the Chocolate Brooklyn Babka Cake (it’s parve, folks!) and Cowboy Chocolate Bark (dark chocolate topped with toffee bits, pretzels, cookie cream sandwiches, peanuts and almonds). While all of these foods taste like heaven and can be found in my cabinet, I’ll admit that it’s probably not the best idea to be munching on them every day. That’s why, in this article, I’d like to introduce you to the healthier side of Trader Joe’s.
Perhaps my favorite foods at Trader Joe’s are the ones that I use to make breakfast: oats, nut butters and bananas. Believe it or not, but our elders are not kidding when they say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, especially for students. With constant exams and work schedules that can go from early morning until midnight, it is essential that we nourish ours bodies in the morning with foods that will give us the energy necessary to be successful. Although there are several ways you can make a nutritious breakfast, oatmeal is one of the easiest, quickest and most filling ways to satisfy your morning. Yes, I know that plain oatmeal can be dull and tasteless at times. That’s where I come to the rescue. After countless attempts, I have finally perfected the art of making scrumptious and tasty breakfast oatmeal that will actually keep one full and happy. Even more so, all the ingredients that I used can be found at the local Trader Joe’s right here in Westwood. Enjoy!
Yields: one serving
Parve
Ingredients:
- ½ cup of Trader Joe’s Oven Toasted Old Fashioned Organic Oats (or other brand old-fashioned oats)
- 1 cup water
- ½ banana, sliced
- 2 tablespoons nut butter (I usually used Trader Joe’s Sunflower Seed Butter, Unsalted Creamy Peanut Butter, or Raw Almond Butter)
- ½ tablespoon cinnamon (optional)
Directions:
- Pour the oats into a microwave-safe bowl. Then, add the water. Make sure that the bowl is deep so the oats have room to expand.
- Place the oats in the microwave and heat for about 4-5 minutes (depending on microwave power).Once you see that the water has been absorbed and the oats have thickened, remove the hot bowl from the microwave with a cloth.
- Now, it’s time to add the sliced bananas and nut butter. Stir the contents together until creamy. If you’d like, feel free to add some cinnamon for a kick of spice! If you’re a fall-flavor lover, like me, you might even want to try adding Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Pie Spice.
- Let the oatmeal cool for about a minute, and then serve. Enjoy!
