Grocery Store Finds: October 2018

Grocery Store Finds
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How is October already over? These months keep going by faster and faster.

Grocery Store Finds with Chef Julie Harrington, RD @ChefJulie_RD #dietitian #healthy #grocerystore #groceryshopping #nutrition

The fall season is officially here. This is my favorite time of the year. I love the cool crisp air, wearing scarves and boots, the start of the holiday season, and obviously the food! I would consider this my favorite food season as well. All the fall produce and the fall-flavored items (I’m talking to you pumpkin spice) hitting the grocery store shelves.

Of course, I couldn’t NOT post at least a couple of pumpkin-flavored items for the month of October. If you are looking for a Grocery Store Finds exclusive to just pumpkin items, check out last years Grocery Store Finds post by pumpkin guru, Maggie Michalczyk.

Find out what this dietitian added to her grocery cart this month! #rdchat #rdapproved
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Purely Elizabeth. Pumpkin Spice Grain-Free Superfood Granola

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hand holding Purely Elizabeth Pumpkin Spice Granola

Not only has Purely Elizabeth gotten new packaging, but they also added a few new flavors, like this pumpkin spice granola. This superfood granola is a blend of nuts and seeds combined with pumpkin spice, creating grain-free clusters. This granola packs a punch of pumpkin spice and I’ve been enjoying it on my yogurt for my afternoon snack.

Flackers

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hand holding Flackers Crackers

In search of a crunchy and seedy cracker? Find Flackers, made from flaxseed. They soak their organic flaxseeds in water to begin the germination process, boosting their nutritional value and making the seeds easier to chew, digest, and absorb. Then dehydrate the seeds at controlled low temperatures to lock-in vital nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and antioxidants that benefit overall health. My favorite flavor is “savory” Flacker, which adds garlic, onion, basil, & red chili pepper.

Siete Cashew Queso

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hand holding Siete Cashew Queso

This month I was at FNCE (Food Nutrition Conference & Expo) and Siete had a booth sampling their new queso. When I tell you this is good, it’s like eating the whole jar kind of good. Of course, you should pair them with Siete Grain Free Tortilla Chips. The base of this queso is cashews mixed making it dairy-free queso.

Delighted By Pumpkin Spice Hummus

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hand holding Delighted By Pumpkin Pie Hummus

I’ve told you about Delighted By Dessert Hummus before, but the last time I was at the grocery store I turned the corner and saw a new flavor taking up space – Pumpkin Pie! Of course, I just HAD to try it. I dunked both graham crackers and apple slices in the pumpkin pie hummus. Best. Snack. Ever.

Eden Organic Canned Beans

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hand holding Eden Organic Canned Beans

You might be thinking .. “Uh, okay Julie .. I think we’ve all seen canned beans at the grocery store before. This is not anything new” Well, I have news for you. You probably have seen Eden Organic canned beans on the shelves and maybe have purchased them before too, but did you notice they have an extra ingredient in their can? Kombu Seaweed. These beans are cooked with a bit of kombu sea vegetable. You don’t taste the kombu, but its natural glutamic acid softens and enhances the flavor of beans and helps with digestions, not leaving you feeling bloated or gassy after consuming beans.

Vanilla Maple Yogurt Chia Parfait

Breakfast & Brunch, Dietary, Egg Free, Fall, MAIN DISHES, Make ahead, PREP, Quick & Easy, Recipes, Seasonal, Snacks, Spring, Summer, Vegetarian, Winter
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Looking for some simple meal prep solutions? Prep these simple Vanilla Maple Chia Yogurt Parfaits ahead of time for busy mornings.
Vanilla Maple Yogurt Chia Parfait via RDelicious Kitchen @RD_Kitchen #yogurt #parfait #chia #breakfast #granola #pumpkin #flax #breakfast
By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by Nature’s Path and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.
I’m not going to lie, I wasn’t on board with the whole chia pudding trend when it first started circulating the internet. I wasn’t a fan of the texture. After trying it a few more times, it really grew on me. That goes to show that tastes/textures do evolve over time and we have to give foods a 2nd or even 10th chance.
Vanilla Maple Yogurt Chia Parfait via RDelicious Kitchen @RD_Kitchen #yogurt #parfait #chia #breakfast #granola #pumpkin #flax #breakfast
This is a lesson I share with my clients all the time. We have to try new foods just more than once and in a variety of ways. I once hosted a cooking class that just focused on one ingredient – cauliflower. In this class, we cooked cauliflower in 5 different ways. It was interesting to see that all participants had their opinions on which version they enjoyed best. At the end of the day, everyone enjoyed cauliflower in at least one way.

Looking for a simple breakfast meal prep solution? Try these Vanilla Maple Chia Yogurt Parfaits #NaturesPathRecipe #contest #ad @NaturesPath

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For a while, I was blending my chia pudding to create a creamier consistency, but then the texture of the chia pudding grew on me and I really enjoy it as a breakfast since it keeps me full and satisfied all morning. Chia seeds are rich plant-source of omega-3 fatty acids, that can reduce inflammation.
Vanilla Maple Yogurt Chia Parfait via RDelicious Kitchen @RD_Kitchen #yogurt #parfait #chia #breakfast #granola #pumpkin #flax #breakfast
No parfait isn’t complete without the granola layer. I topped mine with one of my favorites – Nature’s Path Pumpkin Seed + Flax Granola.

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layers of chia pudding, yogurt, and granola in a glass jar

Vanilla Maple Yogurt Chia Parfait

  • Author: Julie @ RDelicious Kitchen
  • Yield: 2
Print Recipe

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/4 cup chia seeds
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or milk of choice)
  • 1 (5.3-ounce) container vanilla Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup Nature’s Path Pumpkin Seed + Flax Granola

Instructions

  1. In a bowl, whisk together chia seeds, maple syrup, and almond milk. Let sit for at least 30 minutes to thicken.
  2. In 2 small jars, evenly layer chia mixture into each jar. Then evenly layer the vanilla Greek yogurt on top of the chia seed mixture.
  3. Top with Nature’s Path Pumpkin Seed + Flax Granola when ready to eat.
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Chef Julie Harrington, RD - Culinary Nutrition Consultant of chefjulierd.com

 

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Vanilla Maple Yogurt Chia Parfait via RDelicious Kitchen @RD_Kitchen #yogurt #parfait #chia #breakfast #granola #pumpkin #flax #breakfast

Secrets to making perfect granola

Breakfast & Brunch, Snacks
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I don’t know about you, but my favorite part of granola are those big chunks. I prefer making my own granola versus buying it. A lot of the store bought granolas are packed with a ton of sugar. A lot of recipes I tried to make at home left me with just little pieces of oats and nuts with anything barely sticking together. With a little research I discovered a way to make the perfect granola.

Tips to making chunky granola:

1. Add egg whites. – By adding beaten egg whites, it works as a binding agent to help the granola clump together.
2. Don’t stir. – A lot of recipe say to stir the granola mixture a couple times when it is baking in the oven. By not stirring, it will let the ingredients stay together in larger clumps.
3. Let the granola cool completely. – By letting it cool completely will ensure clumps stay put. You can then break them into whatever size pieces you prefer.

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Granola
Makes 18 servings
(1/3 cup = 1 serving)

 

Ingredients:
3 cups oats
1/3 cup almonds
1/3 cup pecans
1/3 cup walnuts
1 cup unsweetened coconut
1 tbsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 egg whites, beaten until frothy
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup dried blueberries

 
Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or cooking spray.

2. In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, coconut, cinnamon, and salt. Toss to combine.

3. Add in the maple syrup and syrup. Toss to combine until all the dry ingredients are coated.

4. Spread out on a large baking sheet and pat down. Bake for about 40 minutes. Check to see if granola is evenly browned. (May need a few more minutes)

5. Take out of the oven and let granola completely cool in the pan. This will help the large chunks stay together. Then break up granola to whatever size chunks you like. Toss in the dried cranberries and dried blueberries.

* This recipe is very versatile and ingredients can be substituted with different nuts, seeds, and dried fruit.

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(Nutrition Facts based on Calorie Count)

 

Enjoy!