Being Wrong Can Be DELICIOUS!

Recently, my sister-in-law and her hubby sent Ross a gift card to Trader Joe's for his birthday (he reluctantly admitted that he is entering his "mid-thirties" now...and he doesn't like it).  I had only been to Trader Joe's once before, and it was when the store near South Hills Village had just opened.  It was crowded - very crowded - and I could barely move around, much less find any great products or deals.  Unfortunately, it left a little bit of a bad taste in my mouth.  I hadn't had the chance to see what people were raving about, so I just sort of shrugged it off and kept shopping elsewhere.

However, we ran out of chicken breasts this week.  And that gift card meant that more chicken breasts were already lovingly paid for by Jay and Lindsey!  So off I went.

Let me tell you...now that I was actually able to move around the store and not be accidentally crammed into a corner by over-eager, elbow-tossing hipsters...I really like the place!

Other than a few posts I wrote a few years back about my favorite bargain places to shop, I don't typically try to promote any particular brand or product.  I'm certainly not being endorsed by anyone!  But this post is as much about self-discovery as it is about organic-food-discovery.

I had this image in my head - and I have absolutely no clue where it came from - that Trader Joe's was for slightly snobbish, holistic, earth-mothery people who still managed to drive the biggest gas-guzzling SUVs on their block.  That the food was overpriced and just as uppity as the customers.  Wow - was I ever wrong!

Sometimes, it's awesome to be wrong.  Because, when you find out you're wrong, you get a whole new insight on life.  And, in my case, you get to save a huge amount of money on your grocery bill while trying new things (kale, anyone?)...and that makes an acceptable side dish for humble pie!

I went twice this week and actually found myself doing double takes when I checked the prices.  Trader Joe's version of Nutri-Grain bars was only $1.99?  And it's made with organic ingredients?  Nutri-Grain bars are $2.50 when they are on sale at Giant Eagle.  It didn't take long for me to realize that all of my perceptions were completely mistaken.  Strange how crazy ideas can get into our head and then flat-out refuse to leave, huh?

I was also delighted with the variety of slightly quirky products that Trader Joe's carries.  I brought home their "Inner Peas" - a crunchy and light snack actually made from green garden peas - and it's pretty tasty (my hubby calls them "pea fries")!  Also, my new favorite carb is their whole wheat Tuscan pane bread.  I bought another loaf today even though I still have half a bag left.  I don't want to run out! 

"So," I joked with my lovely, organic-friendly sis-in-law, "It appears that you have converted us!"

"Muah, ha, ha!  That was my evil plan all along!" was her reply.

Best evil plan ever! 

Announcing the Forthcoming Arrival of...

A brand-new, beautiful, bouncing baby...

Blog.

And some restaurant reviews.

Fooled you.

So...some new writing horizons are opening up for me.  I have recently started writing restaurant reviews for urbanspoon.com.  You'll be able to pick them out by the fact that I am unable to write negative reviews.  Even if I didn't like a place, well, I can't pan it.  Don't have it in me.  I'll have to mention how nice the waiter's apron looked.  Or how clean the windows were.  You'll see.  Check out the link on the left of my homepage.

And see what I think of other people's cooking.  And windows.

Also, hopefully in the near future, my husband will begin to post for his financial blog, cleverly entitled "Godlove's Money".  This is only clever, of course, if you appreciate the subtle "pun-ctuation".  Ha, another joke.  I am so on a roll today.  Anyway, he will be sharing good, solid advice for people who want to learn how to use their money wisely.  Although his mini-lessons are primarily geared towards young people just starting out on their own, he has lots of advice and ideas on staying our of debt or taking steps towards getting out of it.  I am very proud of him because he has a real passion for seeing people free from burdensome debt.  He is currently helping one of our close friends get scholarship money for her graduate studies.  You'd be surprised at what they'll give you money for.  Being a female over 5'10"?  You bet.

I missed out on that one.

At any rate, keep your eyes peeled.  Our respective blogs reflect our real passions in life: healthy, fun cooking and financial wisdom.  Other than Jesus, some good friends and a killer pair of heels (for me, at least), what more in life do you need?