It's easy to find good heart-healthy food here, there and everywhere

The Ahi Tuna Salad at the Suburban Diner, 172 Route 17 north in Paramus, includes rare, sesame-encrusted fish; romaine lettuce, toasted almonds, mandarin orange sections and crisp wontons ($16.50). I asked for the Asian Sesame Dressing on the side, and found it too sweet.

From Maguro Sushi House in Rochelle Park, a Spicy Tuna and Crab Roll (about $8.50). A variety of Maguro rolls are available in the cafe at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center, 350 Engle St., Englewood.

A Seaweed Salad from Maguro Sushi House also is sold in the hospital's cafe (about $3.50).

I often use the $8 dining card given volunteers at the Englewood hospital to buy fresh spinach from the cafe's salad bar. I prepare it in olive oil and sake, adding red-pepper flakes, a little sea salt and other spices.

Japchae, translucent noodles made from sweet-potato flour, are among several meatless, non-spicy Korean dishes from Jinga, a caterer in Queens, N.Y., that are sold at H Mart supermarkets, including the store at 25 Lafayette Ave. in Englewood.

Slices of Kimbap, a Korean sushi roll, are both soft and crunchy, and addictive. Trays include Korean pickles and sliced jalapeno pepper.

Stewed Tofu comes with a spicy red-pepper sauce, and sliced jalapeno peppers are the kicker.

A Tilapia Francese Dinner from Jerry's Gourmet & More, 410 S. Dean St. in Englewood, includes pasta, vegetable, dumpling and stuffed zucchini, above and below.

Jerry's restaurant-quality Meals To Go are marked down to $5.99 after 4 p.m., if there are any left.

A 64-ounce jar of crunchy Arirang Mahk or Cabbage Kimchi is $12 at the source, a storefront in the H&Y Marketplace shopping center, 1 Remsen Place in Ridgefield. The kimchi is handmade without MSG.

At the H&Y Korean supermarket next door to Arirang Kimchi, 1-pound packages of strawberries from Florida were on sale for $1.99 each today, and 18-ounce containers of blueberries from Chile were only $2.99 each.

When I got home, I had a snack of Arirang kimchi and japchae, translucent noodles with vegetables ($4.99 for a 1-pound container made in the kitchen of H&Y Marketplace).

-- VICTOR E. SASSON

Two places you must visit on crazy Route 17 in Paramus

A delicious Harvest Salad at the Suburban Diner on Route 17 in Paramus is served with a small bowl of soup, below.

Manhattan Clam Chowder.

Editor's note: Traffic seems to be building as Thanksgiving approaches, but I managed to make four stops for lunch or food shopping on Friday and Saturday.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

New Jersey specializes in highways lined with entrances and exits to restaurants, stores and malls, ensuring drivers several heart-stopping moments on every trip.

But two good reasons to venture out on Route 17 in northern New Jersey are the Suburban Diner and Trader Joe's -- in that order.

On Friday, I met a friend at the diner for a heart-healthy lunch before we drove up to Trader Joe's, which, like every food store, shouldn't be visited on an empty stomach.

At the diner, I ordered a special of Harvest Salad, which came with a cup of soup ($11.95).

Fresh spinach was the foundation for roasted butternut squash, pear sections, crumbled blue cheese and dried cranberries, with, at my request, a creamy pear vinaigrette dressing on the side.

Refreshing and delicious, though the pear could have been riper.

Suburban Diner, 172 Route 17 north, Paramus; 1-201-261-2605.

I roasted Brussels Sprouts from Trader Joe's with extra-virgin olive oil and sea salt, adding grated Pecorino Romano Cheese, red-pepper flakes and black pepper after I removed the pan from the oven.

Shopping frenzy

We thought the diner was busy, but when we got to Trader Joe's, the crowd of shoppers seemed even bigger.

But I didn't have to wait to check out. 

According to my receipts, I drove to Trader Joe's, shopped and checked out in 16 minutes.

I bought a large stalk of Brussels Sprouts ($2.99); two 64-ounce bottles of low-sodium Garden Patch, which is 100% vegetable juice ($3.49 each); and two 2-pound bags of sweet potatoes ($1.69 each).

For the meat eaters in the family, I picked up two packages of antibiotic- and nitrite-free bacon ($5.49 each); uncured, antibiotic-free beef hot dogs and jumbo hot dogs ($4.99 each).

A 4-pack of Organic Apple Sauce with Cinnamon was $1.99.

Trader Joe's, 404 Route 17 north, Paramus; 1-201-265-9624.

A 3-liter tin of Corrado's Extra Virgin Olive Oil was $23.99 on Saturday -- $10 more than the same quantity of EVOO at Fattal's in Paterson.

Stocking up on EVOO

After hearing about the poor olive harvests in Spain and Italy, and possible higher prices for extra-virgin olive oil, I drove to Fattal's in Paterson on Saturday.

I picked up three 3-liter bottles of Al Defah Extra Virgin Olive Oil for $13.99 each, adding them to the two I had at home.

I also picked up Fattal's Mini Meat Pies ($8.99), and a package of crushed dried mint ($6.99 a pound).

The EVOO in the Al Defah bottles is said to be from Palestine, and I've been using it for months in salads and cooking.

After visiting Fatal's, I crossed the border into Clifton to shop at Corrado's, a big, ethnic supermarket that once was the low-price leader.

But the prices for most produce, imported whole-wheat pasta, dried cod from China and Canada, and extra-virgin olive oil were higher than at the other stores I patronize regularly.

The only real bargain I saw were bananas for 39 cents a pound.

I didn't buy anything, and I don't think that has ever happened before on my infrequent visits to Corrado's.

Fattal's, 975-79 Main St., Paterson; 1-973-742-7125. Open 7 days, parking lot.

Corrado's Family Affair, 1578 Main Ave., Clifton; 1-973-340-0628. Open 7 days, large parking lot.

Trying new items at Trader Joe's in Paramus.

Trader Joe's encourages customers to try new items in Fearless Flyer, a publication sent to homes with detailed descriptions of fresh, frozen and prepared food, much of it organic or naturally raised.

By Victor E. Sasson
Editor

Sliced yogurt cheese with jalapeños. Check. Antibiotic- and preservative-free hot dogs. Check. Sweet potatoes. Organic or conventional? Check.

My Trader Joe's shopping list hardly varied, and I'd return time and again for a handful of items I couldn't find in other food stores.

Costco Wholesale, for example, has better prices on just about everything, but only carries sweet potatoes at holiday time and doesn't stock the organic kind.

Trader Joe's in Paramus has both year-round.

Then, I got Trader Joe's Fearless Flyer in the mail, read through it and took it with me on Thursday after I met a friend for lunch at a diner near the Route 17 store.

Steaks, juice, pasta

I picked up frozen Grass-Fed Angus Strip Loin Steaks from New Zealand ($10.99 a pound); a 4-pack of canned, not-from-concentrate Pineapple Juice, each one about 8.5 ounces ($2.99); a 16-ounce package of 8 chopped vegetables ($2.99); and a 16-ounce package of frozen Tropical Blend Organic Fruit ($2.99).

I also picked up more 1-pound packages of Trader Joe's Organic Whole Wheat Fusilli Pasta ($1.39 each); a 3-pound bag of Organic Sweet Potatoes ($3.69); and naturally raised Applegate Sliced Roast Beef ($3.99 for 7 ounces), $2 less than at the ShopRite in Englewood.

I also picked up packages of antibiotic- and hormone-free Trader Joe's Bacon and Beef Hot Dogs ($4.49 each).

Trader Joe's prices don't vary, unlike the fluctuating prices at Costco Wholesale.

Trader Joe's produce section.
 

Mold problem

At the Hackensack Costco last Tuesday, I bought a 5-pound tray of Sunset Beefsteak Tomatoes, put them on my counter to ripen and was surprised to see mold growing out of the stem end of two or three of them only 2 days later.

My wife took them back for a full refund of $6.39, which is about 40 cents higher than before.

I also saw mold growing on one of the fresh California Black Figs I picked up at Trader Joe's (2 pounds for $4.99), and I'm monitoring them.

Luckily, I can substitute tomatoes and black figs from my garden.

Trader Joe's, 404 Route 17 north; 201-265-9624. Open daily 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

A large, deep bowl of split-pea soup at the Suburban Diner in Paramus.

Soup for lunch

At lunch on Thursday, I ordered a bowl of split-pea soup -- a Greek-diner classic -- at the remodeled Suburban Diner in Paramus, and, well, I was bowled over by the portion size ($3.95).

Even without croutons, the serving filled me. I also ordered Earl Grey Tea, and was told all teas are organic ($2.25).

The same whole-leaf bag yielded 3 strong cups of tea.

The lunch menu also lists wine by the glass for $4.95.

The Suburban Diner's new look.

Suburban Diner, 172 Route 17 north; 201-261-2605.

Two big food hits on Route 17 in Paramus

The newly renovated interior of the Suburban Diner on Route 17 north in Paramus, where I enjoyed a Greek-diner staple, a filling bowl of thick pea soup without carb-filled croutons, below.

Route 17 through Paramus isn't for faint-hearted drivers -- with shoppers cutting off other cars to turn into store driveways or leaving parking lots and barging into fast-moving traffic.

This is typical of small North Jersey communities, which line their state highways with malls and other businesses to generate property taxes.

There are only a few things that can get me to use Route 17, and two of them are the Suburban Diner and Trader Joe's, both in Paramus.

The Paramus Trader Joe's is bigger than the store in Westwood.

At the Suburban Diner on Thursday, my friend Gene bought me lunch -- a bowl of thick pea soup and hot tea.

Then, we drove about a mile north to Trader Joe's, which shares a building with Office Depot.

I know to start braking when I see the Stew Leonard wine store, where you can enjoy free wine-and-cheese samples.

I've purchased a few bottles of wine at Stew Leonard, but in recent years, most of my wine is delivered to my door as part of introductory wine club offers.

My hand-held shopping basket at Trader Joe's.

At Trader Joe's, I bought two 2-pound bags of sweet potatoes at 85 cents a pound; organic celery hearts, $2.29; a bottle of Trader Joe's hot Chipotle Salsa, $1.99; and two packages of Trader Joe's antibiotic- and hormone-free bacon, $4.49 each.

Also, Trader Joe's uncured beef hot dogs (antibiotic- and hormone-free), and uncured  jumbo beef hot dogs, $4.49 and $4.99, respectively.

I buy most of my cheese at lower prices from Costco Wholesale, but can't resist Trader Joe's Sliced Jalapeno Yogurt Cheese, $4.79.

Trader Joe's also is my source for the best 100% whole-wheat pasta I've found, available as organic spaghetti, penne and fusilli for only $1.39 a pound.



Suburban Diner, 172 Route 17 north, Paramus; 201-261-2605. Open 7 days, 24 hours on weekends.

Trader Joe's, 404 Route 17 north, Paramus; 201-265-9642. Open 7 days.

More changes at Costco Wholesale

Costco's Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, Italy.

Editor's note: Today, I look at some new and old items at Costco, and report on a light lunch at the newly renovated Suburban Diner in Paramus.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

The world's best-tasting organic salad mix now comes in a new package -- and at a new lower price when you buy it at Costco Wholesale.

Earthbound Farm has tweaked the packaging of its Organic Half & Half -- Spring Mix and Baby Spinach -- and Costco knocked 40 cents off the usual price of $4.99 for a 1-pound container.

How long that price of $4.59 lasts is anyone's guess: 

Costco's price for Earthbound Farm's organic salads goes up and down, but it's always a dollar or two cheaper than other stores. 

The new package is an improvement over the old, though when you open it, you're still left holding tear-away plastic that is a recycling challenge.

In the old package, it was sometimes difficult to find the separation between the clear-plastic cover and tub.

Now, the cover has two tabs that make the package easier to open.

What's the big deal? When you eat a bowl of this salad every day, you appreciate the improvement.

Of course, the salad is still pre-washed, so it goes right from the container to the bowl, ready to be dressed.

Balsamic vinegar

At home, I dress my organic salad with 100% Spanish extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar from Italy, and this week I saw a new bottle of the latter at the Hackensack Costco.

I don't know if this is a new product or just a new bottle and label. I tried Costco's balsamic vinegar a few years ago and found it much too sweet.

Since then, I've been buying this aged vinegar at Jerry's Gourmet and More in Englewood, and since a trip to Italy in 2010, I always buy a brand called Ponti, which I was served in restaurants in Milan and Venice.

Neither Costco's or Ponti's Balasamic Vinegar of Modena contain artificial color, but the latter is a better buy at $1.99 for a half-liter bottle.

Costco's balsamic is sold under the label of the store brand, Kirkland Signature.

This week, I also saw Kirkland Signature Organic Diced Tomatoes, replacing the Del Monte product I bought at the warehouse store. 

Wyman's of Maine says wild blueberries are No. 1 in antioxidants.

In my freezer, I unearthed a package of fresh frozen wild blueberries from Costco that I bought I don't know how many weeks ago to replace Kirkland Signature Dried Blueberries, which contain a lot of added sugar.

I thawed some of the Wyman's of Maine Wild Blueberries, and used them in my cereal this morning.

It's no surprise they aren't as sweet as the dried blueberries. But they are sugar- and sodium-free -- just wild blueberries. 

At Costco on Tuesday, I picked up fresh wild-caught Pacific cod for dinner at $6.99 a pound, and served it with mashed sweet potatoes, skin and all, and an Earthbound Farm salad.

That night, I saw cod fillet for $21.99 a pound at a Food Emporium on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.

A 2-pound package of those incomparable Sunset-brand Campari Tomatoes at Costco was $4.49, or $2.25 a pound, a lower price than at Fairway Market in Paramus.

Costco's Organic Brown Eggs with Manchego Cheese and Pesto, served with mashed sweet potatoes, skin and all. The sweet potatoes came from Trader Joe's.

Organic brown rice

This week, Della-brand Long Grain Organic Brown Rice reappeared at Costco.

In September, employees of the Hackensack Costco told me it had been discontinued, and I ordered another brand online at Amazon. com. 

The Suburban Diner in Paramus re-opened on Monday.

Route 17 diner reopens

The Suburban Diner in Paramus was crowded today with customers getting their first look at the newly renovated and expanded landmark on Route 17 north.

The diner, which re-opened Monday, has about 20 more seats and slightly higher prices. It now seats 230 people.

I ordered black coffee and split pea soup -- hold the croutons -- and got the biggest bowl of soup I've ever seen in a Greek diner. 

An unusually large bowl of soup was $3.10 at the Suburban Diner.

A cup of coffee with free refills was $1.80.

My friend had a Western Omelet Sandwich for $4.95, with coleslaw and a pickle, and a Diet Coke for $2.25.

Details

Suburban Diner, 172 Route 17 north, Paramus; 201-261-2605.