My Kind of Shopping

Some people have a thing for clothes shopping, shoe shopping, or purse shopping but for me my favorite kind of shopping is grocery shopping! Of course I can always shop for shoes too ;-) I know this makes me even more of a nerd but I do love it, and I love to find good deals on great foods!

After work Sanford met me and our first stop was the new Trader Joe's in our area to grab some healthy goodies for some good deals.

I got all of this for around $35! Isn't that great! I am excited to see the fall produce start to come out. All of the squashes and pumpkins, so I couldn't resist one butternut squash that looked too good to pass up! I followed that up with some yummy butternut squash soup, and butternut squash trangoli (aka ravioli) that I plan to make this weekend!

With the holiday baking season lingering over my shoulder I scooped up some whole wheat flour for a good price along with some ground flax seed. I try to substitute whole wheat flour for all purpose flour in most of my baking.

And for my one indulgence I snuck in these mini peanut butter sandwiches, omg and are they ever good! I have a serious soft spot for anything with peanut butter!

My favorite PB combos:
PB & Apple
PB & Chocolate (um hello!)
PB & Crackers 

After we conquered Trader Joe's we headed up the street to one of my favorite stores, Whole Foods, for some serious produce shopping and dinner! It was my kind of night! Best part was I was able to use my $10 for $20 Living Social coupon I had purchased to save $10 on my purchase at whole foods!

 

Look at all the lovely produce we got for the upcoming weeks!

Baby Bok Choy, Beets, Savoy Cabbage, Brussel Sprouts, Grapefruit, Vine ripe tomatoes, Peaches, Lemons, Sweet Potatoes, Baby carrots, Onion, Garlic, Asparagus, Collard Greens, Apples

After our shopping we went over to the prepared food section where we made our plates for dinner, I piled on some black beans with steamed brown rice, roasted brussel sprouts, sauteed mushrooms, baked sweet potato and braised red cabbage it was delicious!

And of course we did pick up one little indulgence, that I just couldn't resist...ready for it....Pumpkin Whoopie Pies!! OMG they were killer!

Do you have a favorite grocery store?

What are some of your favorite fall produce items you are seeing out now in your grocery store?

Any good ideas for some fall dinners? I am going to make that butternut squash ravioli and pair it with a side of Sicilian collard greens, this recipe for collards is delicious and super easy I think it will pair nicely with the butternut squash pasta.

Adapted from Alicia Silverstone’s The Kind Diet

• 1 bunch collard greens
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 tablespoons raisins
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Use a sharp knife to cut out the central rib and stem from each collard leaf. Rinse the leaves in a sink of cool water, lifting them into a colander to drain a bit (you want some water to remain on the leaves).

Toast the pine nuts over medium heat in a dry skillet for about 5 minutes or until golden. Shake the pan often to keep the pine nuts from burning. Transfer to a plate, and set aside.

Place the garlic and oil in a large skillet, and sauté over medium heat for 1 minute or until the garlic is fragrant.

Add the damp collards and stir, then cover the pan and cook for 2 minutes longer. Add the raisins and pine nuts, and stir. Cover and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the balsamic vinegar, cover, and continue to cook for 1 to 2 minutes longer.

-Jen-