Trader Joe's Korean Beef Bool Kogi

Summertime — the best time of year to spend hours toiling in a hot kitchen, right?

Not and then much?

When the weather is sweltering and anybody is over-committed to summer fun, one pick for mealtime is of grade to merely eat out every dark. But that'south not really sustainable, or the greatest of ideas (though I've been known to practice it for also-long of stretches myself).

Happily, yous have options. And we tin count on the sweetheart grocery of America to step in with goodies that don't take a toll when the temperature'due south rising. Trader Joe's is my favorite place to shop anytime of year (I volition ever wonder how they manage to hire such amazingly overnice people that make the dreaded chore of grocery shopping actually fun!) but they're downright lifesavers come summertime.

To observe out some of the all-time buys for easy summer mealtimes, I talked with Deana Gunn, co-author of 10 Trader Joe's cookbooks, and such a longtime fan that she shopped at their first store. She shared some of her pinnacle Trader Joe's picks for her family with NBC News BETTER.

Pre-cooked beets (and mozzarella and basil) for easy summer salads

Gunn likes to grab the ruby red veggies to sub in for another red veg in the summer classic Caprese salad. Instead of tomato, mozzarella, and basil, she layers sliced beets with Trader Joe's "corking fresh mozzarella" and leaves from a basil plant likewise available at the store. "They have the footling plastic containers of basil," she said, "but they as well have the big plants. They take those nice thick leaves — choice off half and have the residue and stick in your garden. I have had similar shrubs come up past August!"

She tops it off with a drizzle of olive oil (Trader Joe's, who else!), balsamic and black pepper, and serves information technology with crunchy Trader Joe's bread.

Steamed lentils and pre-cooked rice provide virtually-set-made meals

Gunn is a huge fan of the packs of pre-cooked lentils. Taking advantage of the time of year that y'all tin go proficient, fragrant tomatoes and parsley, she said, she tosses the lentils with chopped tomatoes and parsley, then mixes in some olive oil, lemon juice, and freshly ground pepper.

A family favorite at her business firm is a grilled lentil wrap. "I'm always surprised my kids beloved it and then much," she said (but it sounds delicious!). "Saute some chopped onion, so add the pre-cooked dark-brown rice and lentils, stirring in little yogurt and shredded mozzarella," she explained. Then she warms upwards a Trader Joe'due south flour tortillas in a skillet and assembles the wraps with the filling down the eye, and the tortillas folded inward. Simply similar with making panini, she suggests putting something heavy on the wrap as it heats up. "It makes this yummy cheesy toasted lentil and rice wrap," she said. "I have iv teenagers and they all love it."

The chocolate-brown rice, by the way, may be her number one go-to, cooking upwardly in the microwave in merely a few minutes. "In the summer who wants to cook steamy rice for an hr?" she said.

Pre-marinated meats (and marinade) for easy Korean tacos

"If y'all similar grilling, Trader Joe's has all those pre-marinated meats like Bool Kogi," Gunn said.

"It's a little fleck on pricey side but actually tasty and really easy." The boneless beef ribs are marinated in a Korean style sweet, sesame-soy-garlic sauce. You can become simple with the frozen brown rice and a vegetable, she said, or, follow her pb to make fusion street tacos.

"We call it Korean carne," she said. After the grilling the meat, she chops it and puts it in corn tortillas with guacamole and tomatoes. "Information technology goes together then well!"

Gunn besides likes the Trader Joe's Soyaki sauce as a marinade. "That one's great if you want to take chicken thighs and marinate a couple hours and grill them." She too adds grilled bell peppers, and serves it with, yep, that frozen brownish rice. "And y'all haven't cooked anything inside!" she said. The Soyaki is also practiced with salmon on the grill, she added.

Mini quiche make an easy mid-week dinner

The workhorse of Gunn's kitchen in the summer is the toaster oven. And a meal can be equally easy as popping in a Trader Joe's frozen mini quiche, and tossing together a pre-bagged salad while information technology heats. Dinner, done. (Pro tip: if you still want to get your baking on you lot can purchase a pre-made Trader Joe's pie crust and brand your own quiche filling, she said — and still bake it in the toaster oven!)

Frozen mango for smoothies

Before y'all read further, know that nobody's judging if yous suddenly want a smoothie for dinner. Gunn puts bagged frozen mango cubes from Trader Joe'south to a pretty dreamy use … in orange creamsicle smoothies. Blending vanilla yogurt, ice, OJ, and the frozen mangoes, she whirs together a treat that she calls a breakfast smoothie, just I think I'd like correct now, actually.

More than SHOPPING TIPS

• Target
• Trader Joe'southward
• Starbucks
• Panera Breadstuff

Want more than tips like these? NBC News Meliorate is obsessed with finding easier, healthier and smarter means to live. Sign up for our newsletter and follow u.s.a. on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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Source: https://www.nbcnews.com/better/lifestyle/these-trader-joe-s-products-make-summer-cooking-easier-ncna1023436

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