These Are The 3 Best Things We Ate This Week

The Sporked team gets together each week to accumulate the very best things we ate. And, if you’ve been following the series, you’ll know that our comeback to this series has seen some extra special summertime favorites like the best popsicles of the summer and fresh sauces to keep the hot months cool and fresh. This week, we’re staying on the summer theme. Without further ado, these are the fresh flavors getting us through the heat.

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Trader Joe’s Caro Sugo Italian Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce

Generally, I’d say I’m adverse to jarred pasta sauce. It takes a true act of desperation for me to even purchase one. Luckily, on one tired evening this week, I picked up this pasta sauce from Trader Joe’s. The best thing about this sauce is that it’s simple. It has seven ingredients and is made in Italy. The sauce is pure tasting and each ingredient is carrying its weight.

Also, something I long for in a jarred pasta sauce is for it to not be so chunky that it’s like eating chili. This one is smooth enough where it beautifully coats your pasta of choice, but not so much so that you can’t tell what the ingredients are. You’ll get little slivers of tender garlic and can see pieces of fresh basil. It’s also excitingly fresh. It doesn’t taste like it’s been stewed for hours with a tomato paste-y flavor. It tastes deeply reminiscent of fresh summer produce instead. For someone who is far more likely to make a quick and simple sauce despite the convenience of jarred pasta sauce, this one has made me rethink that need.

365 by Whole Foods Organic Italian Farro

Apparently, we’ve been living out our Euro-summer fantasies this week via our food selection. But, this farro is simply irresistible. It comes raw, so you’ll have to cook it up yourself. But I’d recommend following the instructions on the packaging with the simple substitute of chicken or vegetable broth in place of the water. I do this with most of my grains, but when you’re think about grains absorbing all of their flavor through the liquid they’re cooked in, the hack is a no-brainer.

Cooked and served warm with lemon juice, herbs, and a pan-seared white fish filet and you have a deeply fresh and nutritionally dense dinner. Or cook and cool the farro and toss into big salad for a more satisfying dinner. It’s nutty in flavor and chewy in texture, so it’s going to add so much intrigue to your low effort summer meals.

LaCroix Sunshine Flavor

Of the sparkling water brands, LaCroix is definitely not my #1. But it’s reliable and usually there’s a some kind of sale. This week, with Publix’s BOGO deal on all LaCroix flavors, I decided it was time to try out something new. This Sunshine flavor is not only delicious, but mysterious, too. After drinking a can or two and being absolutely addicted to its summertime freshness, I had to figure out exactly what it tasted like. Turns out, it’s a blend of citrus, honey, and pineapple. It’s the essence of a tropical cocktail―ready for you to enjoy at all hours of the day while keeping you hydrated and cool, too.