Coconut | Trader Joe’s Rants & Raves (mostly raves, a few rants)

Trader Joe’s THAI PEANUT SATAY SAUCE

21 Feb 2024 2 Comments

by promacnyc in All Natural, Asian, condiments, DIY, General, jar, New, News, Pantry, pescatarian, Prices, Products, Rave, recipe, Recipes, review, seafood, spices, Staple, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, vegetarian Tags: Coconut, Food, healthy, no preservatives, peanut, Products, review, Trader Joes, vegan, vegetarian

New item: THAI PEANUT SATAY SAUCE

Ingredients include; Coconut milk, coconut sugar, peanuts, red curry paste, lemongrass, shallots, galangal, tamarind, coriander, cumin….

Trader Joe’s THAI PEANUT SATAY SAUCE is a new addition to their line of Thai and Asian sauces and condiments. (Jan 2024)

TJ has this to say: “Made for us by a supplier in Thailand, our Peanut Satay Sauce starts with a base of rich coconut milk, peanuts, and aromatic red curry paste, to which our supplier adds a mix of savory seasonings including lemongrass, shallot, garlic, galangal, and tamarind paste. In addition to making a delicious dipping sauce for grilled, skewered proteins of all kinds (we’re especially fond of it with shrimp, pork loin, or tofu), it also makes a fantastic condiment for burgers and lettuce wraps, and a superb sauce for serving over Thai Wheat Noodles. And for an effortless and flavorful salad dressing, simply add a bit of Rice Vinegar to a few spoonfuls of Satay Sauce in a bowl, mix, and enjoy.”

https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/thai-peanut-satay-sauce-077247

I got a jar to taste and review recently. My initial take is it’s pretty good. Thai food can be very bold with flavors. For my taste buds while this Satay Sauce is kind of tasty, I just wish it had more “oomph”. That is way bolder with flavors so that it really tasted “Thai”. Personally I wanted more more of everything (more peanuts, more galangal, and way more red curry paste)

Its OK but just way too much on the tame side, and Thai food is not tame in the least. I’m pretty sure a Thai baby could handle this and I don’t mean just in the heat level. So while I wish it was a little bolder never the less this new sauce is kind of tasty — IT CAN BE IMPROVED.

So I I say it has potential. If you fix it up a bit, adding a thing or two. Certainly a squeeze of lime juice for a little more sourness. It’s not spicy, so if you like spicy, just add a bit of your favorite spicy condiment. For instance Peri-Peri or Bomba to jazz it up. Want it more peanut-y? I sure do. I mixed in a few spoons of crunchy peanut butter and it got way better. Crushed garlic too.

But even if you just use as-is, this can be OK in a pinch (if you are not Thai). Satay usually means grilled items so you can use this for grilled proteins or the like. Say with chicken, shrimp, fish, pork, beef or grilled tofu for that matter. You can marinate them in some sauce for say 30 minutes, then grill it. You can also brush some sauce on at the end of grilling for a nice glaze. It can burn so be careful.

The Satay Sauce can be used in a number of ways. At it’s simplest you could just use it on the side or spoon some on top. Say with grilled chicken, meat, fish, shrimp or tofu. Here I served the satay sauce with a grilled chicken breast, and it works great with chicken. Or anything for that matter.

Salad Dressing – “For an effortless and flavorful salad dressing, simply add a bit of Rice Vinegar to a few spoonfuls of Satay Sauce in a bowl, mix, and enjoy.” – Trader Joe’s.

Is THAI SATAY sauce good for noodles? Very much so! This sauce will definitely be good with say your Thai Wheat Noodles or Squiggly Noodles dishes. Add a bit of soy sauce and a squeeze of lime juice too and maybe some chopped cilantro. And again, I would mix in a few tablespoons of crunchy peanut butter.

Thai Peanut Noodles: Mix the sauce into your cooked noodles. Add a nice amount and also a a little soy sauce, some lime juice, and if like spicy maybe some Sriracha, Bomba, or Peri-Peri. Mix in a few tablespoons of crunchy peanut butter. I would add vegetables of ones choosing: maybe shredded cooked carrots, peppers, and green onions. Cilantro too if you like it. If you have some crushed peanuts on top that will help.

So I think one could come up with something tasty using this sauce, especially if you experiment a bit with it. Adding some stuff.

It’s $2.29 for an 8 oz jar.

I would buy it again (I just wish it were more authentically Thai)

https://www.traderjoes.com/home/recipes/peanutty-satay-sauce

VEGAN

Trader Joe’s LEMONGRASS COCONUT BODY OIL w Almond and Jojoba

07 Jan 2022 1 Comment

by promacnyc in All Natural, General, Health & Beauty, Products, Rave, review, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: beauty, body oil, Coconut, oil, Products, review, Sri Lanka, Sri Lankan, Trader Joes

Trader Joe’s Lemongrass Coconut Body Oil with Almond and Jojoba Oils

“Gentle, light and aromatic. Moisturizes skin without being greasy”

Ingredients: Virgin Coconut Oil, Olive Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Jojoba Oil, Lemongrass Oil

First off, the aroma. So lovely! This has the most WONDERFUL herbal aroma from the lemongrass oil in it. Once someone asked yours truly (a straight guy) “Excuse me, what is that fragrance you’re wearing?” Ha ha. I guess they smelled this.

This oil itself is SUPER LIGHT, not greasy, and easily absorbs into the skin or hair. This can be used on your hair, and that’s what I do. I find it is great for keeping my curly hair, curly.

This is a really terrific product at a super price. 4.8 oz bottle, $~~3.99~~

PRODUCT OF SRI LANKA

TJ’s ORGANIC VIRGIN COCONUT OIL

26 Jun 2012 1 Comment

by promacnyc in General, New, Products, Rave, Trader Joes Tags: beauty, Coconut, Coconut oil, Cooking, Cooking oil, healthy, Rave, review, Saturated fat, Trader Joes, vegan, vegan gluten free, vegetables, vegetarian

So I’ve been hearing about Coconut Oil, once considered highly unhealthy, being re-evaluated from a health standpoint.

Coconut Oil has been getting a fair amount of buzz this past year. I had read an interesting piece in the NY Times by Melissa Clark about cooking with it.

I saw this jar of Trader Joe’s Organic Virgin Coconut Oil in the NEW PRODUCTS shelf at my Trader Joe’s. I thought, I should see what all this fuss is about and made a mental note to pick up a bottle and try it. Now Coconut Oil is a really interesting product in that it has uses both ‘Culinary’ and ‘Health & Beauty’ ! So you can put this into many categories. So I jokingly say, you can eat it and you can put it all over your skin. Or use it as Cooking Oil but also use it as a Hair Dressing. It really is good for all these things, in fact, it has so many uses!

When I opened the bottle and sniffed it, it was just an intense smell of well, coconut. I mean you smell it and your mind instantly thinks ‘Tropical Beach’. At least mine did. Its just got a lovely aroma.

I heard it was great in cooking especially good for sautéing vegetables, as Melissa Clark wrote about. So I peeled and sliced up some Carrots (TJ Organic Carrots) and tossed them in a pan with about a tablespoon of the Coconut Oil. Again, an amazing smell wafted through the kitchen. Tossed in the sliced carrots and let them sauté for about 10 minutes or so. After the carrots were slightly browned I tasted one. It had a wonderful under-note of (yes) Coconut. The sauteed carrots tasted delicious, and I could imagine many vegetables benefitting from being cooked in coconut oil. Melissa Clark mentions roasted sweet potatoes – that sounds great – and she has a number of interesting recipes listed in her piece, which you can try.

Coconut Oil when it’s kept at a cool temperature appears white and in a solid state. If it warms up it, will become clear and liquid.

Additionally of course this is good for other things, like putting on your hair too. And it is wonderful to rub on dry skin as a moisurizer. I even read its a natural antiperspirant (you put a drop or two under your arms).

What a useful product. The question may be Where to keep the jar?! In the Bathroom or the Kitchen?!!

A jar costs $5.99 for 16 ounces. Check it out. I’m just beginning to experiment with using it. I put it on my hair, it helps keep my curly hair, curly and moisturized – it does make your hair soft and smell wonderful too.

UPDATE: (Spring 2019) They lowered the price. It’s now $4.99 !