Trader Joe's The Bagel Spinoza Cinnamon Raisin Bagels

Every once in a while that itch for a bagel kicks in. Evidently on a quest to try different things, I picked up a package of the Trader Joe's The Bagel Spinoza Cinnamon Raisin Bagels. Cinnamon raisin isn't my first bagel of choice, but every once in a while you want want something that's got a little sweetness to it.

 

The bagels are your average, hearty bagel, which is in a cinnamon raisin flavor. I find they're not as sweet smelling as your "traditional" cinnamon raisin bagel, but they are tasty and satisfying all around. They have a little more of a whole wheat flavor to them, than your grocery store brand - but it's not overwhelmingly noticeable. The bagels are speckled with raisins running throughout them, which when bitten/cut into they provide a juicy raisin. The cinnamon flavor is there, but it's not overpowering on the senses.  When popped into the toaster, they crisp up perfectly, while leaving the outside to be nice and crunchy while the inside gives off a little chewiness.

 

They're great with a little butter on them, peanut butter or cream cheese, etc. Truthfully, I enjoy these bagels making a savory sandwich with them. Throw on a little ham and it's a perfect combination of sweet and savory. Don't knock it 'til you try it!

 

As I recommend with all of Trader Joe's bagels, do store these in the refrigerator. Since there isn't any preservative in the bagel, they tend to go bad fast and sometimes even before the date on the bag. I find storing in the refrigerator or even freezing and defrosting gives them a little longer of a shelf life.

 

A bagel is 250 calories or 6 points plus values.

Trader Joe’s Chicken Chow Mein

I picked up this bag of frozen Trader Joe’s Chicken Chow Mein on one of my last run-throughs. I’ve been trying to find quick and easy meals that we could stick in the freezer for days where dinner isn’t quite planned out perfectly or for days where quick and easy is necessary. I have purchased this in the past and enjoyed it so much that I made sure to repurchase it (and will continue to repurchase).

In my area this dish is called lo mein, whereas chow mein in my area is more along the lines of a dish made out of thickened gravy, bean sprouts and veggies. Fun fact aside …

This chicken chow mein dish literally took about 8 minutes to cook and it is absolutely DELICIOUS! The package calls for a tablespoon of olive oil to be added to the bottom of a skillet and I have done that in the past, but I find a spritz of non-stick cooking spray to the bottom of a non-stick skillet does the trick (depending on how it’s cooking I add in about a tablespoon of water after about 5 minutes of cooking). Once the skillet is heated through, assembly is easy … open bag and dump the contents into the pan (not including the package of sauce). Cover the pan with a lid and let it do its thing … stirring occasionally. I toss the sauce packet in a bowl of warm water so it defrosts but it would probably defrost naturally just sitting out because it’s not a frozen solid block. The noodles take a little while to break apart but I had no problem with burning, etc. Everything cooked perfectly and evenly. Once it’s all heated through, all that’s left to do is open the sauce packet and stir it in. Literally 30 seconds after that, dinner is complete and ready to be served.

This is hands down one of the best frozen dishes available at Trader Joe’s! It takes having “Chinese food at home” to a whole new level. The dish is fabulous, the noodles are al dente, the chicken is perfect and white meat, the vegetables are plentiful and the sauce just brings it all together. The whole dish comes together perfectly and has been a crowd pleaser in my household for over a year.

The package states it contains 3 servings but it can also easily be made into two meals, or split into 3 meals (when split into 3 evenly it’s a little less than the amount intended per serving on the label). A fresh steamed vegetable and another side (spring rolls, egg rolls, etc.) make this a perfect complete meal.

A serving is 189 grams, which is 210 calories or 5 points plus values.