Feelin’ Kinda Mello!

Thank you all for your sweet comments on my Irresistable Carrot Pan-CAKES! They were absolutely scrumptious! Definitely make it your next pancake recipe!

As I told you guys yesterday, I met my friend Christine yesterday to do some shopping and to introduce her to the wonderful world that is the inside of a Trader Joe’s store! It’s hard to believe, but my very first trip wasn’t but about 6 months ago. I honestly don’t know how I lived before!

My snackage for the road included a Green Gray Monster and a half slice of whole wheat naan with dark chocolate almond butter (leftover from the cookies).

“It’s (obviously) Not Easy Being Green” Monster Shake:

  • 1 cup plain low-fat kefir
  • BIG handful fresh spinach
  • 1/2 of banana (0h yeah, I ate the other half while making my smoothie)
  • 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
  • 1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder

Before we headed to Nashville, we decided to stop in this store that Christine’s hubby had been telling her about. Anyone out there ever heard of an Essex? Well, it turns out there is actually one around where I live only much smaller than the one we visited yesterday. The best way to describe it is TJ Maxx meets Goodwill!

They have all sorts of merchandise ranging from clothing to housewares to TVs and mattresses! You have to do a bit of digging to find the good stuff (some items were damaged), but check out what all I found!

 

 

Can you believe I got all this stuff for under $30?! I got 16 place mats, 1 table runner, a 2.5 quart crock-pot, 2 bowls, 2 salad plates, and a cup and saucer! Score!!

The prices weren’t marked on a lot of items and the sale signs were a bit confusing so I really wasn’t sure how much I would be spending until I got to the check-out. When the cashier told me that the place mats were only 50 cents a piece, I HAD to go back and grab more!

Christine seemed pretty impressed with the overall TJ’s experience, plus it helped that they were sampling something amazing:

Definite proof that sampling increases sales revenue since we both ended up buying one! It has got to be the creamiest hearty canned chili I have ever tasted!

I did pretty well this time. Since my cupboard are about to burst at the seams, I had to make sure I didn’t get the “TJ Fever” and go crazy!

Turkey chili, organic baked beans, unsweetened vanilla almond milk, plantain chips, carrot ginger muffins (so I can finally see what Allie is talking about), white bean hummus, and a red pepper/eggplant/garlic spread (hello, yum!)

Christine also got some great foodie items including some peanut flour (Haha! I have converted another!), a 5 pound bag of cuties, and a pummelo the size of her head!

On the way out, we stopped by Whole Foods so I could grab something special!

Oh yeah! Guess who’s making Elise’s Corn Flour & Coconut Tofu and Ashley’s Chickpea Bake!

To round out the evening, Christine introduced ME to something new…Mellow Mushroom, a local pizzeria offering just about anything you can think of to top a pie! Check out their specialty pizza menu here!

We split a 10 inch pie, Christine’s half was Hawaiian with pepperoni instead of ham and my half was the Mega Veggie. Wow, when they say mega they mean MEGA!

I have NEVER seen so many veggies on a pizza before in my life! I was in LURVE!

  • Sun-dried tomatoes
  • Spinach
  • Bell peppers
  • Mushrooms
  • Onions
  • Black olives
  • Roma tomatoes
  • Broccoli πŸ™‚
  • Banana peppers
  • Artichoke hearts
  • Tofu

My two slices of pizza were the equivalent to FOUR with all those toppings. I was only able to finish one, but you know what that means…leftovers for dinner tonight! Well, that is if I can peel myself away from the white bean hummus! I am currently crunching away on some sweet mini peppers dipped in this creamy white bean goodness while I am typing this!

After a fun-filled evening of shopping and pizza lovin, we headed back to her place and watched the movie The Producers. This was my first time seeing it. A bit of a slow start, but after you get into it, it is such an entertaining and hilarious movie! If you like musicals, you should definitely see it!

So, I’ve asked you before what your favorite vegetable is. What about your LEAST favorite?
I would have to say radishes. To me, they seem absolutely pointless since they really have no taste, but there’s just something about them that I’ve never cared for.

Oh and just FYI, that white bean hummus tastes AHHHHHHHH-mazing on these:

Hmm, leftover pizza…hummus and spi-say chippage…that’s a hard one! πŸ˜‰

 

 

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25 Responses to Feelin’ Kinda Mello!

  1. christine says:

    yes!! I made the blog!! And..i introduced you to something!!

  2. Mello mush makes the best leftovers ever! <3 I get the magical mystery tour with pesto and extra veggies/pineapple on it! delish! There's on an hour from my house so I don't go very often.. but when I do… oof! ahhhhmazingness!

    Can't wait to see how all your dishes come out! and omg so many awesome new placemats/dishtowels! you really cleaned up!

  3. I am incredibly jealous of that pizza. nommmm…

  4. Ashley says:

    SO much good stuff going on in this post. There used to be mellow mushroom where we lived in Charlotte, but it closed. We loved it! Buying new flours are so much fun and I love all your new towels!

  5. janetha says:

    you got a lot of great stuff! i made ashley’s garbanzo bean bake last night, i really liked it!

    • Good to know! I’ve heard a lot of people saying they want to make it, but haven’t heard if they tried it and liked it. I’m not usually a big sweets eater so I think it might be perfect for me!

  6. Holy wowza on the placemats girl!!!! AweSOME!!! πŸ˜€

  7. My least favorite veggie is probably beets. I think it runs in my family- they all hate them too!

  8. oh my gosh i would die over that pizza!! hmm least fav?? celery!

  9. WHoa! What a steal! $30??? That’s great!

    I always see this great stuff from Trader Joes, but the closest one to me is like 500 miles away! Ugh!

    My least fav veggie would be….hmmm, so hard because I really love veggies….tomatoes maybe? I know, I know it’s a fruit, but I don’t really like them raw. I have to put something on it or with it. Just can’t eat it plain.

  10. That pizza looks delightful!

    I wish I lived closer to Nashville so I could stop in at TJ. Next time we’re there I am SO having my first Trader Joe’s experience! πŸ™‚

  11. Kayla says:

    So jealous of your Trader Joe’s trip and that pizza just looks delish!

  12. totally jealous of all those cute place mats you found!

  13. Ashley says:

    Wow! All that stuff for under $30! What a deal!

  14. hatethekate says:

    i am IN LOVE with Trader Joe’s Vanilla Almond milk. I’ve been preaching about it to anyone who will listen. It is so creamy and delicious and only 4o cals!!! I love it!
    That pepper spread looks amazing and I’ve always wanted to get the plantain chips but i have no idea what they would taste like!
    Just found your blog by the way, excited to read more!

    • That’s great! So glad you found me! This was actually my first time getting the TJ’s almond milk. I usually drink Almond Breeze but believe it or not BOTH Walmart and Kroger were out! Craziness!

      The plantain chips are out of this world. I was afraid they would taste sweet like dried banana chips (not a fan) but they actually have a good blend of salty sweetness and a light crunch to them that I love! You should give ’em a try!

  15. Anastasia says:

    I have never been to a TJ’s and I am jealous because I hear all these amazing things about it! One day! :]

    You got a ton of stuff for cheap! That’s awesome. I love stores where you have to dig through to find something.. so fun!

    Your pizza looks awesome. There’s a pizza place here that loads up on veggies like that too and it’s so great :] Artichokes on pizza are the best!

  16. elise says:

    how did you SCORE all that stuff for so cheap!!!!! oh my gooooooodness, im jealous. never heard of that place, but clearly im missing out.

    i need to make white bean dip stat.

    hope you like the ‘fu!!

  17. Christine says:

    16 placemats?! I need to see that store!

  18. Pingback: How The Crock-pot Saved Potluck | kissmybroccoli

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