A celebrity chef has revealed how these 12 ingredients from Trader Joe’s can help turn any dish into a five-star meal.
Grace Aguilar is a private chef based in Austin, Texas who has worked for a host of A-listers since 2018, including NFL players and elite entrepreneurs.
Whether she’s preparing breakfast for one or cooking enough food for an entire football team, Grace always makes sure to add some Trader Joe’s ingredients to keep her customers salivating for more.
Now she’s revealed 12 of the popular supermarket chain’s items she’s looking for so you can whip up gourmet meals from the comfort of your couch.
The key to a creamy and ultra-tasty quiche! Next time you go shopping, grab the goat’s milk cheese with honey
The celebrity chef revealed that she buys Trader Joe’s goat’s milk cheese with honey, which retails for $3.29, every time she visits the grocery store
The celebrity chef revealed that she buys Trader Joe’s goat’s milk cheese with honey, which retails for $3.29, every time she visits the grocery store.
Speak against Insidershe said it’s the perfect ingredient to enrich your quiches.
She recommends breaking the cheese into chunks and sprinkling it into the quiche, which she says should be filled with “sun-dried tomatoes, arugula, pesto, and bacon.”
Grace explained that she had tried several other cheeses, but “nothing else compares to this,” adding that the dish gets “super moist.”
Small bites for the win! Potato pancakes are delicious when topped with caviar
She noted that the bites are “a must” when she’s cooking for a family or large dinner party
Next on her list are these potato pancakes, which sell for $3.29.
She noted that the bites are “a must” when she’s cooking for a family or large dinner party.
Grace said this product is one of her “go-to” items, and she recommends topping it with caviar and crème fraîche.
She said, “I like to buy this one in case I’m in trouble.”
Grace added that you can never go wrong with small bites.
The more the merrier! Add Furikake seasoning to everything from eggs to toast to take your meal to the next level
This seasoning is a mix of dried nori seaweed, black and white sesame seeds, salt, and kelp powder and costs $2.99
This seasoning is a mix of dried nori seaweed, black and white sesame seeds, salt and kelp powder.
The celebrity chef recommends adding it to everything from eggs to pasta to toast.
She noted that the seasoning is a great “extra hit of flavor.”
It retails for $2.99.
Don’t eat onion or garlic? Umami spices can help you achieve similar flavors
Staying on the spice theme, Grace said she loves Umami spices, especially since her customers don’t eat onions and garlic
Staying on the spice theme, Grace said she loves Umami spices, especially since her customers don’t eat onions and garlic.
She noted that the spice helps create similar flavors.
The seasoning is made from a mix of salt, mushrooms, onion, mustard seed, red and black pepper and thyme.
It retails for $2.99.
Add some spice to your meal! Marinated artichokes are the perfect addition to a variety of dishes
Grace said Trader Joe’s marinated artichokes are a perfect accompaniment to “avocado toast or shakshuka”
Grace said Trader Joe’s marinated artichokes are a perfect accompaniment to “avocado toast or shakshuka.”
The celebrity chef said they make each meal “versatile” and help “balance the flavors.”
According to Trader Joe’s website, they are made from a blend of olive oil, vinegar, garlic, thyme, basil, and lime zest.
The best weekend meal! Trader Joe’s Spatchcocked Lemon Rosemary Chicken is the perfect dish
She noted that it’s an easy dish to pop in the oven when you don’t have time to make something “complicated for lunch.”
Grace said the spiced chicken is one of her all-time favorite meals.
She noted that it’s an easy dish to pop in the oven when you don’t have time to make something “complicated for lunch.”
She told Insider, “It’s so delicious and juicy.”
The chicken is ‘pre-seasoned’; soaked in a brine with orange and lime juice and marinated in extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, garlic, rosemary, parsley and lemon slices. the supermarket’s website.
It sells for $5.99
A delicious snack! Mixed nuts with olives and herbs can be thrown on salads, cheese boards and other dishes
This blend of toasted almonds, cashews and pecan pieces contains oregano, sage, thyme, basil, marjoram and rosemary, along with a little sea salt
This blend of toasted almonds, cashews and pecan pieces contains oregano, sage, thyme, basil, marjoram and rosemary, along with a little sea salt.
The bag also contains Kalamata olives.
It retails for $4.99 and Grace says it’s the perfect addition to salads, cheese boards and more.
An alternative to tortillas! Jicama wraps are a great replacement for the taco wraps
Grace revealed that she loves Jicama wraps, adding that she uses them in making “braised pork or chicken tacos”
Grace revealed that she loves Jicama wraps, adding that she uses them when making “braised pork or chicken tacos.”
She told the outlet: “The subtle sweetness of the wraps ensures that they are perfectly balanced with the richness of the meat.’
“Textually, this tuber resembles a crunchy cross between a water chestnut and an apple.
‘It tastes a bit like radish – minus the spice. Some people even say it’s a little nutty,” according to Trader Joe’s website.
The wraps cost $4.99.
Get your pep! Everything But The Bagel Spiced Smoked Salmon gives your fish a kick
Everything But The Bagel Spiced Smoked Salmon is Atlantic salmon topped with dried garlic and onion, poppy seeds, and black and white sesame seeds
Everything But The Bagel Spiced Smoked Salmon is Atlantic salmon topped with dried garlic and onion, poppy seeds, and black and white sesame seeds.
Grace said she loves throwing little bits of salmon on top of the potato pancakes.
She also noted that they’re great for “enhancing eggs benedict and bagels.”
It retails for $5.99.
The best non stick spray! The Avocado Oil Spray is a tasty cooking spray
According to Grace, the spray has a “decent taste” and is a great choice for coating pans
According to Grace, the spray has a “decent taste” and is a great choice for coating pans.
She noted that it is very “light,” adding that she uses it for baking.
The spray retails for $3.99.
No gluten, no problem! These gluten-free bagels taste just like the original
Grace said the family who cooks them is completely gluten-free, so she loves these grocery store gluten-free bagels
Grace said the family who cooks them is completely gluten-free, so she loves these grocery store gluten-free bagels.
She told the outlet, “Sometimes it’s hard to find gluten-free versions of products that have the same taste or texture as the original.”
However, she has discovered that these are almost identical.
The bagels retail for $4.49.
It’s corn! The chain’s corn and chili salsa is a great and fun alternative to an everyday salsa
The corn and chili salsa is a mix of sweet corn and mixed with finely chopped red peppers, onions, jalapeño peppers and a little sugar, according to the site
The corn and chili salsa is a blend of sweet corn and mixed with finely chopped red peppers, onions, jalapeño peppers and a little sugar, according to the site.
Grace said she’s adding it guacamole, tacos and even salads.
It’s a great addition to salads or tacos and is perfect for dipping chips.
It retails for $3.49.