Trader Joe’s Cruciferous Crunch Collection
Posted: March 11, 2014 Filed under: Brussles sprouts, Cabbage, Kale, Kosher, Salad, Trader Joe's Brand, Vegetables, Vegetarian | Tags: salad mix, Trader Joe's 33 Comments
With a salad mix this good, it doesn’t matter what your name is.
Those word geniuses at Trader Joe’s have done it again, by gum! I never thought they’d top Avacado’s Number, and while Trader Joe’s Cruciferous Crunch may not have dethroned my favorite math-pun named guacamole, it comes close. After all, who in this wide world of popular appeal and lowest common denominator chooses to name their product after a tongue-tangling Latinate family? Trader Joe’s, that’s who. Keep up the good work, whoever it was at Trader Joe’s who was in charge of that! Some R&D wonk, maybe!
The Cruciferous Crunch Collection, as is not at all clear from the title, is a bag of shredded kale, Brussels sprouts, green cabbage and red cabbage. It is, in short, the nightmare scenario of every little kid sitting down to the dinner table. Back in the day that would have been me panicking at the site of kale, however since growing to adulthood I’ve developed a certain fondness for robust salads. To the modern day me, this bag of greens is a god send. The texture and heft of your greens are aspects of salads that go criminally under appreciated. Every time you’ve ever sat down do a cold plate of watery iceberg lettuce, someone has taken the texture and heft of their salad greens for granted. The absolute bastards.
Trader Joe’s Cruciferous Crunch mix brings vibrant tastes and textures to your salad, shading the other elements with the nutritious, nutty flavor of kale, the crunch of crisp shredded cabbage, and the dense chewiness of sliced Burssels sprouts. Throwing an handful of two of this mix in with your bed of baby spinach, romaine or, dear I say it, arugula, is the easiest thing you could do to upgrade your entire salad experience.
A word or two must be spared for the outre name of this bag of greens. Cruciferae is the Latin family name for a whole range of of dark, leafy greens – from broccoli to wasabi – and refers to the cross shaped leaves of the plants. Confusingly, cruciferous plants are also known under the more generally used family name brassicaceae, for no good reason other than to make trouble for botanists. I assume Trader Joe’s opted for cruciferous over brassicaceous because it’s marginally easier to pronounce, and because “Cruciferous Crunch Collection” sounds better than “Brassicaceous Bunch Bag”.
In any case, I would certainly assert that the bag is amazingly named, and that if you’re at all a fan of good, satisfying salads this is an essential addition to your fridge’s crisper drawer.
The Breakdown
Would I Recommend It: To salad makers everywhere.
Would I Buy It Again: I already have.
Final Synopsis: An awesome name for an awesome bag of salad greens.
Trader Joe’s Cruciferous Crunch Collection – Nutrition Facts
Eating At Joes 
Yum that sounds like a great option for those that like bagged salads!
I just tried this and it is wonderful. I plan on buying more of this. It is especially good with toasted sliced almonds and a balsamic dressing.
I had some of this left in my fridge and needed a vegetable with dinner last night. Sauteed it in some olive oil and garlic until it just barely wilted a bit….YUMMY!
Thank you … bought this for salads, but too crunchy for some. Will try it saluted. Made my day! signed, kale newbie
I just tried this and added in some halved grape tomatoes and fresh goat cheese. It was delicious! Thanks for your suggestion.
On my bag, it says that a serving size is “3 cups (85g/3 oz)” and that there are 3.5 servings per bag. There are 10 ounces to a bag. Since when does 3oz equal a cup? Even if this were a typo, there are NOT 3.5 servings in a bag if you’re using a standard 8oz measuring cup.
It’s a delicious salad & I love it, but either they need to change the labeling or add more salad to the bags so the servings match.
Fluid ounces (fl oz) measure volume, normal ounces (oz) measure weight. The bag weighs 10 oz, but your measuring cups use fluid ounces. To measure accurately, you would need a kitchen scale. If you took 3 cups of the salad blend and put them on the scale, the weight would read 3 oz.
[…] 10 oz. shredded kale and cabbage […]
[…] 2 cups salad base (I used TJ’s Cruciferous Crunch Collection and spinach) Sliced bell peppers, cucumbers, zucchini, tomatoes (or your choice veggies) 1/2 […]
Saute with your choice of oil, soy sauce, vinegar and protein for only a few minutes — healthy / easy stir fry. I go through about three bags of this stuff a week.
If you sauté the Cruciferous Crunch with a little bit of olive oil, vinegar (distilled white) and just a touch minced garlic, it will go great on top of a TJ’s bratwurst with some spicy brown mustard. It adds a little bit of variety to the standard sauerkraut.
Great mixed with arugula, onions, mushrooms and avocado. Makes a delicious salad. Top with equal portions of sesame seeds, rice wine vinegar and sesame oil.
The flowers are cross-shaped. Not the leaves.
makes a great omelette too.
[…] I’ve been on a crunchy food kick lately, so I’ve been mixing some spinach with the Cruciferous Crunch mix from Trader Joe’s (kale, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, […]
[…] package of quinoa, cooked 1 can of Kirkland chicken (again with the Costco…) 1 bag of “Cruciferous Crunch” salad (It’s from Trader Joes. It’s basically shredded kale and Brussels sprouts) A bunch of […]
This is a very healthy thing, it can be eaten raw or cooked. I made a hearty soup with it, and added vegetable broth, heirloom carrots,frozen cauliflower, broccoli, sauteed onions and black beans. It made a huge pot of soup,and its great. We may add bacon next time for more flavor and salt.
Did a saute base with bell pepper, onion and garlic, added in a yam, some potatoes and cruciferous crunch. Once things were pretty well cooked I added in cut up sweet Italian sausage (whole package), 21 seasoning salute, everyday seasoning and a couple of dashes of Himilayan salt. A 1 pot Trader Joe’s meal, and it fed 6 of us!
Sautéed this with a little olive oil, sea salt, and garlic and I’ll have you know that even my 6 year olds thought it was amazing and ate seconds! My new favorite thing at TJ’s!!!
Just discovered this delight last week. I added chopped cilantro, chopped green onions, chopped baby carrots, a can of tuna fish, some mixed nuts, including Beer Nuts, and topped it all with Ken’s Lite Sweet Vidalia Onion dressing (watered down with purified water). This is the BEST salad I ever ate! Incredible! A whole meal in itself!
[…] special ingredients in this recipe include the Cruciferous Crunch, Tessamae’s dressing and also the Fish Sauce. I used Red Boat fish sauce, you use whatever […]
[…] Actually the folks at Trader Joes have just come with a version of the cruciferous salad that doesn&… Of course, if you go the Trader Joes route, you will need another source for your pumpkin seeds and craisins. Conveniently, dried fruit and seed mixes are just the sort of thing TJs has always sold. […]
Mmmm check out this salad I made after I discovered Trader Joes starting selling everything already cut and mixed!
[…] au vin + rice + roasted cauliflower > fried rice with smoked trout and tj’s cruciferous crunch collection > s. beach scallion + ginger white fish with braised cruciferous crunch collection […]
I have a bad case of diarrhea, painful intestinal moment. Would this be an after effect of cruciuferous crunch, It’s very good in salads and in soup.
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[…] peach salsa, though that’s on my list for next time. Instead I served the fish over a bed of Trader Joe’s Cruciferous Crunch Collection, lightly sautéed in some olive oil and pepper. I felt like the slight bitterness of the greens […]
Just used this as the veggie in a stir fried rice dinner. It was excellent…
I bought a bag the other night at TJs and was so excited to try it today for lunch…it was super yummy UNTIL I chomped down on a rock!! Yes, a legit rock was in my salad…about the size of a pea. Now I’m trying to figure out if I cracked my tooth 😦
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Souther Style Cruciferous Crunch works too. Simmer in ham stock until it cooks down to about 2/3. Serve hot as a side vegetable.
[…] 1 bag Trader Joes Cruciferous Crunch Collection […]