Little Miss Momma: Trader Joe's Salad Recipe

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Trader Joe's Salad Recipe

Trader Joe's Five Minute Arugula Salad

This is seriously one of my favorite salads to make and eat.

It appears to be supper fancy, but really it takes about 5 minutes to whip up.

The catch...you need to live near a Trader Joe's.

I'm a sucker for those little booths where they hand out samples.

I get sucked in every time, and I always end up buying what they're pushing.

That's how I learned about this gem.

Ingredients:

Champagne Pear Vinaigrette with Gorgonzola dressing

Arugula

Mixed Baby Greens

Dried Cranberries

Candied Walnuts

Parmesan Romano and Asiago cheese shavings

Arugula is my new go to lettuce. I just love it. But it can sometimes be a bit heavy by itself in a salad so I go 50/50 with mixed baby greens.

{arugula}

{mixed baby greens}

Then combine all ingredients and toss.

Mmm, Mmm good.

Some yummy variations include:

Pomegranate seeds

Strawberries

Pears

Mandarin Oranges

Candied Pecans

What's your favorite summer salad?

Give me links por favor, because I'm in me a salad kinda mood.

Labels: DIY, recipe

40 Comments:

At June 28, 2011 at 1:19 AM , the Momma Bird said...: i don't have any pictures for this salad but its my FAVORITE during strawberry season :)
http://www.themommabird.com/2011/02/friday-foods_25.html

enjoy!
At June 28, 2011 at 1:30 AM , Nicole @ Miss Mommy said...: I think being in a salad mood comes with the nice weather and Summer. We're in Winter here so it's cold and that means Slow-Cooker and Roasts.

In Summer I make this YUMMY salad (Sorry - I don't have a link).

Mixed Greens
dried cranberries
Goat Cheese
Thinly sliced red onion
chopped almonds
Paul Newmans Balsamic dressing

So yummy!!!!
At June 28, 2011 at 4:01 AM , Casey Martinez said...: these pictures are beautiful for starters and this salad sounds so fresh and yummy!!! I love a simple spinach salad with strawberries or mandrin oranges and a tangy vinegar dressing. Soooo yummy!!
At June 28, 2011 at 5:30 AM , Jennifer said...: Oh my goodness! I just had the TJ's dressing this past weekend for the first time. So good! I'll have to try this salad! Thanks for sharing
Jen
Scissors & Spatulas
At June 28, 2011 at 5:38 AM , Jenna said...: ooohhh that looks yummy! Trader Joe's should be coming to Texas soon so I'll be able to try to! yay!

Thanks for sharing
At June 28, 2011 at 5:44 AM , ashley said...: I am ADDICTED to McDonald's Tuscan salad (gasp! I know), but I make my own at home. I used baby spinach, dried cranberries, shaved parmesan, sunflower seeds, and Renee's low-fat garlic yogurt dressing...top with a chicken breast...mmmm
At June 28, 2011 at 5:58 AM , Kate said...: You might not believe it, but the new berry almond chicken salad from Wendys is AHHHH-mazing :)
At June 28, 2011 at 6:08 AM , Aubrey said...: this is a FAVORITE for the hubs and me.
http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/marinated-shrimp-mediterranean-salad-10000001639862/index.html
At June 28, 2011 at 6:20 AM , jamie @ [kreyv] said...: That looks so good! I'm going to have to try TJ's dressing.

Here's one of our faves:
spinach
strawberries
feta cheese
candied pecans
red onions
poppyseed dressing
At June 28, 2011 at 6:23 AM , Maeve Rachel said...: This sounds and looks delicious!!
At June 28, 2011 at 6:35 AM , Anonymous said...: looks delicious!! i havent been to Trader Joes in FOREVER!! this is def a reason to get there!!!
thank you for sharing!!

http://resourcefulred.blogspot.com
resourcefulred@gmail.com
At June 28, 2011 at 6:35 AM , Jamie W said...: My go-to is

Spinach
Mozzerella Cheese (I take Lj's string cheese and cut it up)
Grilled Chicken strips
tomatoes
olives
cooked whole wheat pasta (usually have leftovers)
balsamic vinagrette

Yum! Now I'm hungry.
At June 28, 2011 at 6:44 AM , Anonymous said...: Oh that salad looks amazing...so sad there are no Trader Joe's around here! :( This is a link to one of my absolute favorite salads of all time, especially during hte summer.

http://www.howsweeteats.com/2011/03/warm-strawberry-bacon-orzo-salad

I "tweak" mine just a little though...bacon is optional, I use toasted slivered almonds as opposed to the pecans sauteed in bacon grease, and I toss the salad with a poppy seed viniagrette, it adds an incredible freshness and so much flavor! I hope you enjoy it!
At June 28, 2011 at 6:45 AM , Mara and Jae said...: this is the one and only salad i ever make, and it's easy peasy:

-mix of spinach and mixed greens
-walnuts
-dried cranberries (is there any salad that these don't go with??)
-cheese of your choice (i usually use a nice sharp cheese)
-pomegranate dressing

that's it. thanks for sharing!
At June 28, 2011 at 6:57 AM , Anonymous said...: UM, YUM! Looks delicious. We FINALLY got a Trader Joe's here in Iowa, I'll have to make a trip and try it out!
At June 28, 2011 at 7:13 AM , Rachel said...: i live for the snack shack @ my local traders. w/o traders i think id starve. this salad looks yummy. thx :)
At June 28, 2011 at 7:48 AM , Cherry Blossoms said...: This is also one of my favorite salads! LOVE that dressing.
Another favorite is the walnut cranberry salad that is prepackaged.
At June 28, 2011 at 8:03 AM , lori said...: that looks delish!!! unfortunately, i do not live by a trader joes... maybe when we move... :(

my fave salad to make a spinach/mixed green salad with goat cheese, toasted almonds, raisins and balsamic vinaigrette.
At June 28, 2011 at 8:14 AM , Bluebird Kisses said...: I'm in love with baby spinach salad, with blue cheese, pear, dried cherries, raw walnuts, a little onion, avocado and a home made blackberry vinaigrette.
At June 28, 2011 at 8:43 AM , Karri said...: This arugula, grapefruit, & avocado salad from Bob Greene's Best Life cookbook. So yummy. We will sometimes serve it w/ whole wheat pitas, fresh whole milk mozzarella, and then stuff the salad in the pitas.
http://books.google.com/books?id=lA7JaD4ug9oC&pg=PA211&lpg=PA211&dq=bob+greene+arugula+grapefruit+avocado+salad&source=bl&ots=qSqXNidMi4&sig=eflD18Bs1FOnXnPRvbl1JV0N6A4&hl=en&ei=YPYJTv6fKor3gAezo8WqAg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBYQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false
At June 28, 2011 at 8:55 AM , Karri said...: I think this is a Rachael Rae recipe, but I am not certain. I don't have a link for it. I don't eat chicken, but the rest of my crew does. The salad is yummy for me even w/o the meat.

Citrus-marinated Chicken and Orange Salad  
3 oranges 
3 garlic cloves, chopped 
7 T extra virgin olive oil 
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional), plus a large pinch for the dressing 
Salt and freshly ground pepper 
4 6-8oz boneless, skinless chicken breast halves 
1 large head of radicchio 
1 small red onion, thinly sliced 
1 bunch of arugula, stemmed and thoroughly cleaned 
3 sprigs fresh oregano, stripped of leaves then chopped 
2 T honey
 1 heaping tsp dijon mustard 
4 thick slices crusty bread  

Zest 2 of the 3 oranges and put the orange zest in a large, shallow dish. Juice half an orange and add to the zest. To the zest and juice, add the garlic, 3 T of EVOO, then 1/4 tsp cayenne (if using), salt, and pepper and stir to combine. Add the chicken breasts, toss to coat thoroughly, and let marinate for 5 minutes.  While the chicken is marinating, cut the skin and white pith from the 2 remaining whole oranges, being sure to remove it all. Slice the oranges into disks and place in a salad bowl. Cut the radicchio in quarters through the core, cut the core of from each quarter, and then thinly slice the radicchio and add to oranges. Add the red onions and arugula. To make the dressing, juice the other half orange into a small bowl and add the pinch of cayenne, the oregano, honey, and mustard. In a slow, steady stream, whisk in the the 4 remaining tablespoons of EVOO.   Transfer the marinated chicken to the grill and cook on each side for 5-6 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove from the grill and let rest for a few minutes. Lightly toast the bread.  Thinly slice the grilled chicken on an angle, add to the salad, and then pour the dressing over. Toss to combine and serve with the toasted bread.  Serves 4. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Notes: I've used dried oregano and it was just fine. Also, I used a spring salad mix or a spinach instead of radicchio w/ the arugula. Still yummy.
At June 28, 2011 at 9:06 AM , Lil Mama Stuart said...: Raspberry Vinaigrette (raspberries, walnuts, red onions, spinach...)
At June 28, 2011 at 9:46 AM , Ariel @ Dreams To Do said...: Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. My town is FINALLY getting a Trader Joe's this Fall and I can't wait!!! As for summer salads, I'm a huge fan of pasta salads. I will buy those spiral multi-colored noodles and chop up any veggies I'm feeling, throw in some cheese chunks or feta, maybe some diced turkey or ham, and whatever bottled salad dressing I have on hand. Turns out good every time. Not as healthy as greens, but the epitomy of summer to me. :-)
At June 28, 2011 at 10:13 AM , All Dahl'd Up said...: That sounds so yummy! My fav is a spinach salad with strawberries, candied peacan, bacon, mandrin oranges and a raspberry vinaigrette dressing. SO good!
At June 28, 2011 at 10:38 AM , Aimee said...: I don't think anyone has shared this yet, but I had this salad yesterday. It's my favorite. I add goat cheese crumbles to it and pecans. Also, I left out the pineapple b/c I didn't have any. The dressing makes a lot! But it keeps well in the fridge.

http://annies-eats.net/2010/05/05/summer-strawberry-salad-with-poppy-seed-vinaigrette/
At June 28, 2011 at 11:44 AM , Lindsay said...: looks so yummy and healthy! i'll have to try that one of these days...thanks for the recipe! :)

http://amommyslifestyle.blogspot.com
At June 28, 2011 at 12:10 PM , Megan said...: OH MY!!! Everything I have tried from Trader Joe's is excellent! I'm going to go this week and get this stuff to try! Thanks for sharing!
At June 28, 2011 at 12:19 PM , Perfectly Jenn said...: All I want to know is how this fabulous salad is going to make it to my house for dinner tonight?!

Looks amazing, thank you for sharing!
At June 28, 2011 at 12:21 PM , Laynah said...: that looks delicious...perfect for summer!
At June 28, 2011 at 12:32 PM , Happy Home Fairy said...: Gracious! You got enough amazing salad suggestions to last you clear through Labor Day! :-)

For what it's worth, here are our Happy Home's FAVORITE salads...

1. Strawberry Brie Salad - http://happyhomefairy.com/2011/01/28/the-25-days-of-love-fun-day-9-sweetheart-strawberry-salad/

2. Broccoli Salad of Wonder (I never go anywhere without requests for this!) http://happyhomefairy.com/2011/04/20/the-best-easter-brunch-ever/

Enjoy! Thanks for always brightening my day with your daily email!
At June 28, 2011 at 1:01 PM , Erin said...: Funny that you post about summer salads today -- I just made a summer berry salad and dressing. I may make another in a few hours for dinner :) You can find the recipe here on our blog: http://jonerin-luckyinlove.blogspot.com/

Your salad looks delicious! If only there were a Trader Joe's within...oh...3 hours from us :(
At June 28, 2011 at 1:23 PM , Jessica @ Barefoot by the Sea said...: Love this dressing, also love Trader Joes CILANTRO - have you tried that one? It's Light Cilantro and really good if you're in a Mexican kind of mood!
At June 28, 2011 at 1:31 PM , MONster said...: My tummy is grumbling! That looks so so delicious.

Ask the Duplex
At June 28, 2011 at 2:52 PM , Stephanie said...: ohgosh! if you're ever down in tustin you MUST stop and eat at rutabegorz! they make the most insanely delicious salads. my rendition of one of their's:
spring salad mix
turkey
dried cranberries
mandarin oranges
blue cheese
candied nuts
balsamic dressing
and better yet...you can get all the ingrediants at trader's...because no one rocks a balsamic dressing like theirs! enjoy!
At June 28, 2011 at 7:36 PM , mcrmom said...: I just had a Wendy's apple, chicken, pecan salad~ Yummy! Probably not the most healthy, but a good choice from a fast food place!
At June 28, 2011 at 8:55 PM , Kristal said...: I love this salad, it's fresh and super healthy!

Quinoa salad with tomatoes, feta and cucumber

Serves 2-4 people

1/2 cup quinoa
1 cup water
2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tsp EVOO
Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1-2 tsp flat-leaf parsley (optional)
1 cup chopped ripe tomatoes
1 cup cucumber
1/2 cup feta, crumbled

In a small sauce pan, bring the water to boil. Add quinoa, reduce heat to simmer, cover the pan, and cook 15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and set aside, covered, for 10 minutes. In a small glass jar, combine lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper, and shake well.

Combine quinoa, parsley, tomatoes, and cucumber in a large mixing bowl. Pour in the dressing, and toss gently to combine. Transfer to a serving bowl, top with feta. Refrigerate and serve cold.

YUM!

Check out my blog, I am just getting it started and am so excited! I love your blog!

http://sincerelyarizona.blogspot.com/
At June 28, 2011 at 9:01 PM , Unknown said...: Sounds delicious! I think I need to locate the nearest Trader Joe's ASAP to get the stuff to make this! (Just like you, I just recently moved)But seriously it sounds delicious and definitely so easy to make!
At June 29, 2011 at 5:20 PM , Anonymous said...: Oh man...I've been eyeing that dressing for awhile at Joe's but never knew what to put w/ it. That salad looks stinkin' amazing. Totally going out and getting the ingreds soon. Thanks for the inspiration.
Have you tried TJ's Cilantro Dressing? (In the fridge section, right near the dressing in your post.) SO Good!!! And would go lovely with all of your mexican dishes. ;) You have to like Cilantro though...
Here's my fave salad to make anytime. Summer or not.
http://thestarcrossedblogger.blogspot.com/2011/01/spinach-salad-w-cranberries-balsamic.html
At July 2, 2011 at 7:26 PM , p S h A o R t A o said...: That sounds so yummy! I wish I liked blueberries and cranberries but I don't. =/ I did recently discover a dressing (Girald?), apple poppyseed. I drizzle some over a spinach salad sprinkled with feta cheese, pine nuts, and mandarin orange. So good that I eat a big plate nearly everyday!
At July 27, 2011 at 7:11 AM , Jenny {Heavenly Blossoms} said...: mmmm perfect before the taquitos!!!!! WOO HOO!! lol

This Page

Little Miss Momma

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Trader Joe's Salad Recipe

40 Comments:

About Me

Previous Posts