Not too long ago, Columbia got our very first Trader Joe‘s and I’ve been smitten ever since! As a very indecisive gal, I really appreciate the simplicity of grocery shopping at Trader Joe’s – there are just enough choices so that you have one, but not enough to keep you stumped for 20 minutes deciding between brands of cheese.
Another thing I love about TJ’s: they always have samples! These samples are more than just slivers of something pulled from a box. They’re usually unique combinations of TJ-original items that bring out the kind of flavor that sends you in search of the ingredients to replicate.
Well, that happened to me and I had to share the recipe with you!
This “salad” is great for packing in your lunchbox because it does okay at room temperature for a few hours (or you can get fancy and use a freezy pack, but as I’ve admitted in previous posts: this cook is lazy…and I usually run out of room in my lunch box for those!).
Plus: it only require 3 ingredients! It’s so simple it’s hardly worth listing, but I’ll share the recipe nonetheless!
Trader Joe’s Harvest Grain Summer Salad
Ingredients:
- 1/2 bag of Trader Joe’s Harvest Grains Blend
The blend includes Israeli couscous, orzo, baby garbanzo beans & red quinoa.
In case you’re a visual person (like me!), here’s what the bag looks like so you can find it easy at TJs!
- Trader Joe’s Healthy 8 Chopped Veggie Mix
The veggie mix includes broccoli, carrots, green & red cabbage, jicama, green bell pepper, radish and celery.
- 1/2 bottle of Trader Joe’s Tuscan Italian Dressing with Balsamic Vinegar
Directions:
- Cook half the bag of the Harvest Grains Blend with water according to the package.
- Once the grains are cooked, combine with the vegetable mix in a large bowl.
- Drizzle half the bottle of dressing over the grain and vegetable mix. Combine the ingredients until the dressing is evenly spread throughout the mixture.
- Taste and add more dressing as needed.
You can store the leftovers in the fridge for a few days and eat cold or at room temperature.
I used Trader Joe’s ingredients because it was convenient (and after all, it is their recipe!), but you could adapt this recipe by using a different grain blend (or entirely Israeli couscous), chopping your own vegetables or using a similar chopped mix and a blend of Italian and Balsamic Vinegar dressing.
Enjoy!
