10 New Vegan Trader Joe’s Products We Love
Just in time for the holidays, we’re filling our baskets with onion jam, smoked olive oil, mini vegan marshmallows, and more from Trader Joe’s.
November 20, 2016
The season of feasting is quickly creeping up on us, and we’re not going to be empty-handed when the holiday jolliness rolls in. That’s why we headed to our local Trader Joe’s to peruse the shelves for new vegan products we can squirrel away in our fridge and pantry to ready ourselves for the next two months of munching. To our surprise, TJs rolled out a wagon’s-worth of new cruelty-free goods that fit the bill. Here are 10 new Trader Joe’s products we’ll be devouring this holiday season.
Roasted Garlic & Onion Jam
Proving that jam is not reserved exclusively for sweet fruit varieties, this unique and savory (but still fairly sweet, given the onion’s high sugar content) condiment is a perfect addition to a great, big leftovers sandwich crammed with tofurky slices, herbed butternut squash stuffing, orange cranberry sauce, and a hearty schmear of this garlicky onion jam on either side of two slabs of toasted sourdough bread. Hush now, waistline—we’re busy food fantasizing!
Smoked Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Every good vegan knows that stocking a tiny bottle of liquid smoke in the pantry is key to turning boring tofu marinade into a BBQ-scented sensation. The same goes for smoked salt. However, until now, we’ve never thought about getting our smokey fix from olive oil. We grabbed two bottles—one for cold applications such as smokey salad dressings for bowls of greens punctuated with coconut bacon, and another for drizzling over root vegetables before roasting them to golden perfection.
Mini Marshmallows
We were ecstatic when TJs rolled out the large-sized vegan marshmallows this summer, which resulted in daydreams of campfire s’mores quickly replacing any real thoughts in our ‘mallow-obsessed minds. But this chilly season, TJs raised the bar with their new mini marshmallows that have that same sweet, squishiness as their larger counterparts. The thought of melting those tiny little pillows in our hot chocolate, lattes, and eggless nog is now on repeat in our heads from dusk ‘til dawn.
Raspberry Cranberry Spritzer
Ruby red berry sauces and pies are always on our radar this time of year, but a refreshingly fizzy drink—made with the juices of exactly 33 raspberries and 19 cranberries—is a novelty we’re excited to try. This beverage’s balance is achieved by a hint of lemon juice and a bit of sugar, and we’re thinking that adding a touch of vodka or a dry white wine might take this spritzer to party town.
Vegan Spread & Dressing Inspired by Mayo
Just when we thought our lives were filled to the brim with eggless mayo options, TJs threw us a creamy curveball with their own take on the king of condiments. Made with canola oil, cornstarch, and pea protein, we’re mixing in a dollop to enhance the richness of our casseroles, and sneaking a few teaspoons into our baking dough for tender, flakier pie crusts.
Harissa Salsa
With football season in full swing, we’re scouting our favorite chips and salsas for Sunday nights. The complex flavor of this new dip—a blend of red peppers, zingy jalapenos, and African harissa spice—makes it a serious contender for game day. We’re pairing ours with simple tortilla chips for now, but thinking of how great a scoop would be in smoky black bean tacos.
Giant Baked Beans in Tomato Sauce
TJs’ version of a classic dish reminiscent of the meze (or an “appetizer”) you’d be served at a grandmother’s seaside cottage in Greece, this melange of white cannellini beans, dried parsley, and Mediterranean spices comes slathered in tangy tomato sauce. All you have to do for a stellar appetizer is work up the strength to pull the tab on the can. Opa!
Vanilla Almond Spiced Chai
Made with chai tea, almond milk, coconut cream, and loaded with warming spices that mimic the flavor of eggnog, this protein-packed smoothie is perfect as a pre-gym, energy-boosting drink. Does that mean we’re hitting the gym between now and January 1? Not likely. But we bought six in case we need something to help us wash down that third slice of pie.
Bollywood Popcorn
For our 25th-year in a row, we’re planning to watch A Christmas Story while cuddled with our many furry companions the night before the big day. And while popcorn has always been on the menu, this year TJs blew our minds with a movie-time snack that packs a Indian-inspired punch. Tika Masala spices (namely garlic, tomato, and onion powders, turmeric, mustard seed, paprika, and a dusting of nutritional yeast) come together for a boldly flavored popcorn that’s sure to start new Christmas traditions.
Black Cold Brew Coffee
We may be jumping ahead a few months, but we’re dreaming about the day when the last obnoxious uncle has vacated our living room and we’ve deep-cleaned the crevices in the kitchen to remove all the crusty bits of holiday cheer. A time when a strong cold brew coffee is exactly what we’ll need to return to our pre-holiday norm. Luckily, TJs just rolled out a powerful little can of 100-percent arabica bean coffee that’s not too bitter but tastes great with a touch of coconut creamer.
For more great vegan finds at Trader Joe’s, check out:
10 Best Vegan Pumpkin Finds at Trader Joe’s
Two-Ingredient Thanksgiving Hacks from Trader Joe’s
10 Best Vegan Summer Snacks at Trader Joe’s
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