Tovita's Top 5 Trader Joe's Treasures

One of our favorite activities is grocery shopping (yes, we're health nerds). Whether it's for ourselves or for our clients, it's always fun to see what new health foods debut in the aisles, and subsequently decide whether we support them. We're BIG fans of Trader Joe's and we generally trust their brand. This is why we get especially excited when we discover a new snack, dressing, dip, or beverage that we can confidently give the Tovita stamp of approval. Here is a list of our top 5 TJ's foods that we're #thankful for. 

1. Trader Joe's Cowboy Caviar: Rather than serving traditional salsa at gatherings, spice things up with this corn, black bean, and pepper salsa. Just 2 tablespoons has 25 calories. 

2. Trader Giotto's Bruschetta: Don't have time to make bruschetta from scratch? We hear you. TJ's has crafted a delicious blend of tomatoes, garlic, onions, basil, and spices. 2 tablespoons has 25 calories and only 2 grams of sugar.   

3. Trader Joe's Freeze Dried Blueberries: Looking for a healthy snack that also satisfies your sweet tooth? 1 entire bag of TJ's freeze dried blueberries contains 7 grams of fiber! The best part? The only ingredient is freeze dried blueberries, meaning no additives, no preservatives, and no ingredients you can't pronounce.  

4. Trader Joe's Island Soyaki Sauce: Sometimes your stir fry just needs a little flavor, and we're sympathetic to that. 1 tablespoon of the Island Soyaki has just 25 calories and gives your meal that teriyaki kick. In addition to veggies, this sauce pairs nicely with fish, tofu, or poultry.  

5. Trader Joe's Spinach & Kale Greek Yogurt Dip: When it comes to diet disasters, the spinach dip is a viable culprit (we've all been there). This spinach and kale Greek yogurt dip is both a healthier and delicious option. 2 tablespoons contains just 30 calories. There you go, game day feels a bit more guilt-free, doesn't it? 

Interview with Heather Cox; founder of Eat Real Food NYC

If you don't already follow Eat Real Food NYC, you are in for a treat. Heather is on a mission to create access to fresh, organic, REAL food for everyone, an idea we are certainly on board with. Her blog provides a wealth of knowledge about how to eat healthy in a simple and straight forward manner, while her Instagram account has turned healthy eating into an art. We had so much fun listening to Heather's adorable Australian accent while we chatted about food, travel, and healthy living.

Ok first things first, what is your dream day of food?

Breakfast would be fresh, local fruit and coffee (preferably somewhere tropical!) and a croissant, lunch would be a salad nicoise and a glass of rose, dinner would be BBQ'd fish and a vegetable by the ocean somewhere (and a glass of rose!)…. Heaven. 

What motivated you to start Eat Real Food?

It just kind of happened organically...back in Australia a girlfriend suggested I start a health food blog. When I moved to NY and was working at Stone Barns I started posting food pictures on Instagram and that took off and I went from there. 

What do you miss most about eating in Sydney, Australia? What are the biggest differences between New York and home?

I miss the access to healthy food in Sydney. It's really easy to find high quality produce, local eggs, or homemade bread. New york can be very extreme with its fads of juicing, raw food, etc. 

Any food or ingredient you wouldn’t touch?

I don't eat meat. Other than that, I'm not into any creepy crawly seafood. I also don't eat garlic. I don't like the way it makes my body feel. My mouth feels unclean, I get sweaty and it stimulates me so much that I can't sleep. 

Food you can't live without?

I have a thing for cashew butter. I eat it by the jar full. I actually have to stop myself from buying it sometimes as it’s really a problem! 

What’s your nutrition/food philosophy?

To me its about listening to your instinctual primal instincts and not listening to the ridiculous claims everyone uses these days. It comes back to eating real food; not about low-fat, protein, sugar or any of these words food companies use to market their products.

What NYC restaurants are you loving right now?

I'm living in the Hamptons for the summer and my favorite restaurant out here is Crow's Nest. In NYC I always love ABC kitchen, it’s a go-to for me.  I recently went to Sushi Nakazawa. A-MAZING!  

Favorite workouts?

I like to change it up, I’m kind of all in until I get bored of it. At the moment I'm trying the Tracey Anderson thing. Last year I didn’t workout much at all but was active working at the farm and I felt great. I stay active with tennis, paddle boarding, and skiing

Favorite indulgence?

Cakes and pastries, anything French. Oh and Jack's apple cider donuts!

If you were having a dinner party, what 5 people dead or alive would you invite? What would you make?

I would go to the local farm and get inspired by what is fresh and in season. I would invite 5 of my closest friends!

Feel best after…

A swim in the ocean…nothing better

Best travel experience?

It’s always hard to answer this question as i’ve done an incredible amount of travel (54 countries to date!) I’ve hang glided off mountains in Brazil, watched lions feed in Africa and trekked through the mountains of Peru. Every travel experience is amazing! But if i had to choose my favorite places it would be Bali, India, Africa and France.