Obsession: Trader Joe's Many Clove Garlic Cooking and Simmer Sauce

I live for my shopping day at Trader Joe's. It's probably the most exciting part of my week.

I always go on my day off, and it's about a mile walk from my apartment. On the nice days, I'll walk all the way there instead of taking the L. It feels like a ritual for me, and I feel so fulfilled after I come home with those brown TJ bags full of fresh produce, meat, and always a few impulse buys that I am eager to try.


And I am obsessed with one of my latest on-a-whim purchases.

Walking up and down the aisles, skimming the names of various salsas, jams, nut butters and other jarred goodies, I came across the Trader Joe's Many Clove Garlic Cooking and Simmer Sauce. Man, that sounded pretty good. It was only a few dollars, why not give it a try?

Little did I know that just a little bit of this sauce would pack so much flavor.

It's definitely garlicky, with whole cloves throughout, and has a buttery taste. It's a little salty, but in my opinion, it's a good thing and I just add less salt to the foods when I use the sauce.

This sauce is multi-functional. The first time I used it as a marinade for my baked tilapia filets. Just a little sauce poured over the fish (seasoned with a little salt, pepper, and chili powder) with sliced lemons made a delicious and light lemony-garlic meal, packed with flavor.

But I also use just a little to add flavor to whatever I'm cooking. At the beginning of the week, I roast or stir fry vegetables to use in my lunches, and just a spoonful or two of the simmer sauce cranks up the flavor level tenfold.

When I was home, I suggested my mother try the sauce. She rubbed a little on the inside of the spaghetti squash we were baking for dinner that night, giving it an infused garlic flavor--subtle but definitely noticeable. It only added to the deliciousness of our meal that night. Now my mom is turned on to the sauce, too!

Best part? It's only 70 calories per serving (which is a fifth of the jar!!!).

I'm getting ready to make my Trader Joe's run in a few hours, and the Many Clove Garlic Cooking and Simmer Sauce is decidedly a new staple on my weekly shopping list.