This simple vegan meal consists of Arugula, Brown Rice, and Humus, all from Trader Joe’s and ready to eat in less than 10 minutes. Top with blueberries and sunflower seeds for extra flavor and nutrition.
I like a lot about Trader Joe’s and I shop there from time to time. The stores are not huge, cavernous places with dozens of cereal choices and walls of processed meats. The atmosphere is relatively friendly and the employees seem happy to be there. The one thing I haven’t liked about them is the fact that much of their produce is packaged in plastic so a re-usable mesh bag won’t do any good.
Let’s face it: all grocery stores contain a huge amount of packaged foods and extra plastic so unless we shop only in bulk and at farmers’ markets there’s probably no way to avoid packaging altogether. I do my best to recycle everything and hope that it really does get recycled and not end up in landfill.
Trader Joe’s has begun to make some positive changes with regard to the environment, like reducing the number of items sold in plastic packages in its produce sections, replacing Styrofoam trays with recyclable ones in their meat sections, replacing the plastic wrap on greeting cards and flowers with a compostable material, and getting rid of non-recyclable foil and plastic pouches from tea packaging.
Now, for the sake of the environment and our bodies I definitely recommend cooking foods in advance, like rice and beans for instance, and putting together quick meals that way. I know the reality is that many people are too busy and too tired on their two days off each week to do any major cooking. Lack of sleep is a big problem because people who work just cannot fit everything into the day. For this reason I’d like to offer an Idea for a healthy meal that can be put together very quickly, and at the same time, give Trader Joe’s a little shout-out for the changes they are making with regard to waste.
Brown Rice and Hummus
Trader Joe’s has their own label of pre-cooked, frozen foods. Some of them are full meals or side dishes, and others are individual ingredients like rice or vegetables. I’ve always made my own brown rice in a simple pan with water and I still do…most of the time.
For those times when you can barely stand at the end of the night, this is the easiest way ever invented to get a good bowl of brown rice that tastes just like you’ve cooked your own for 40 minutes. Just follow the instructions and in 3-6 minutes you’re ready to go, with one caveat: Instead of heating up the rice in the plastic pouch per the instructions, I recommend removing the contents and placing the rice in a ceramic bowl. Then cover the bowl with the plastic and a rubber band, and heat it for the 3-6 minutes required. It turns out just as well this way and then you’re not getting residues from the heated plastic into your food. You can recycle or re-use the plastic (some grocery stores recycle plastic wrap or you can call your local recycling center.)
Trader Joe’s also carries a few varieties of humus. I love the red pepper humus but all of them are good. Again, the best humus you’ll get is homemade and it’s pretty easy to make but on a night when that’s never going to happen, the pre-made humus is a good option. I prefer humus with olive oil but there are those made with canola oil and I think on occasion these are fine to eat.
The only thing left to do is…
- · On a dinner plate place your rice and beside that, your humus.
- · On top of rice put a handful of raw sunflower seeds.
- · Season the rice lightly with Braggs Liquid Aminos or Soy Sauce, dried basil, and red pepper flakes.
- · Fill the remaining third of your plate with a handful of arugula. Top with dressing of your choice or olive oil, vinegar, and Braggs.
- · Add a handful of blueberries to the center of the plate, for a bit of sweetness.
This combination – using the rice along with pre-made humus and pre-washed arugula – takes all of about 10 minutes and it’s vegan and healthy. Enjoy!
Do you use Trader Joe’s for uncomplicated meals? Let me know in the comments section below.
Note: This post is in no way sponsored by Trader Joe’s.
