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Easy Carrot Raisin Salad

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 We got a craving recently for a childhood favorite: Carrot Raisin Salad.

Don’t you love it when you can take a trip down memory lane simply by dining on a meal? Well, we were unloading our groceries the other day and noticed that we placed the bag of carrots right next to a bag of raisins. Hmmmm .. we both started to say, remember enjoying carrot raisin salad as a kid?

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We decided to make some right away.

We also decided to keep it super easy and make homemade coleslaw dressing to use as the dressing for the salad as we both LOVE that easy and versatile dressing.

What we did: 

  • Grated up 1 lb of whole carrots
  • Tossed in about 1/2 cup raisins (maybe more…)
  • Tossed it with Easy Coleslaw Dressing

That was it! Super simple, right?

We enjoyed the salad right away on a bed of spinach. It was yummy. A nice mixture of an old friend and new tastes (in the form of the coleslaw dressing).

Luckily we had made enough carrot raisin salad to have it again the next day and this time we sprinkled the top with some sunflower seeds- which gave the salad a wonderful crunch and salty bit every now and then.

Do you love Carrot Raisin Salad? Try it and let us know what you think

Trader Joe’s Inside Out Carrot Cake Cookies

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Trader Joe's Inside Out Carrot Cake Cookies

Trader Joe's Inside Out Carrot Cake Cookies

Here is an incredible new find (well, at least to us) from Trader Joe’s- Inside Out Carrot Cake Cookes!

We found these yummy treats in the bakery area near all the breads and muffins. We both were so surprised to see these treats!

We both love carrot cake- The spicy cake part and all those sweet raisins and bits of carrot.  And what can we say about cream cheese frosting! Eeks! Just delicious.

Now truthfully, we don’t usually take the time to make a carrot cake just on a random whim. Too much time, energy, special ingredients and then the results: who wants to be at home with a carrot cake?

Carrot Cake cookies- Up close!

Carrot Cake cookies- Up close!

So we were delighted to see these cookies at Trader Joe’s. The cookies are similar to a Whoopee Pie, with two soft cookies that are “glued” together with a frosting center. In this case the cookies are made from yummy carrot cake batter, with big raisins and long strings of carrot in the spicy dough. In the center these cookies have a thick layer of rich delicious cream cheese frosting. WOW!!

Just so you know, these cookies are BIG and rich and Sweet- simply wonderful. We enjoyed them with a strong cup of black tea (Trader Joe’s of course) and savored every last crumb…

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Great Snacking with Trader Joe’s

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Like we told you in previous posts, we are working towards making positive changes in out diet. For us, this means that we not only will eat more at home, but ensure that we make better/ more healthy choices about what we eat when we go out.

Enter: The Snack Zone -OK this is really just a plastic bin in the refrigerator that is stocked with a variety of items that are ready-to-eat and ready to-go standing by for us to grab when we are hungry or as we are heading out the door.

Recently we have had a nice selection in the Snack Zone: cheese and crackers and nut mixtures (Trader Joe’s Cashews, Cranberries and Almond) portioned out in small bags. We like to stock the Snack Zone on Friday’s after shopping at Trader Joe’s to get ready for the next week. (This does not always happen, but it is a goal we are working on;)

So this week, with the weather turning a bit warmer (Truthfully…. it is 80+ degrees here in Tucson today…sorry if you are out shoveling snow) we chose a couple of new snack items to add to our weekly menu mix. Two of our requirements of snacks is that they be quick to put together (especially at the last minute) and portable so that we can take them on the road with ease. Also we like to change it up, and these new snack items are just the thing after a number of weeks of cheese and crackers and nuts.

Currently our Snack Zone consists of:

Trader Joe’s Persian Cucumbers
These are petite cucumbers that sorta resemble those long English cucumbers, only smaller. The skins are tender and they are not “Waxed for Freshness” (which often happens to cucumbers-yuck!) so you can eat the peels. They are sweet and tender and simply wonderful.

Trader Joe’s Hummus
This tub of hummus has just enough garlic for a great flavor, with out being too strong and it is blended into a creamy consistency that is not watery.

Trader Joe’s Baby Carrots
What can we say? they are sweet and ready to eat right from the bag. The ultimate Fast Food for busy people.

We have sliced up the cucumbers and poured out the baby carrots into a zip-top bag, and then spooned out the hummus into a small plastic container. So now this snack is ready to go when we are ready to head out the door or just our table.

We are enjoying trying out these new, heather snack options (especially after “taste testing” all that Easter Candy). We hope you get inspired to try those Persian cucumbers or the Hummus the next time you are shopping at Trader Joe’s.

Trader Joe's Hummus & Veg

Trader Joe's Hummus & Veg