I'm a chef who shops gluten-free at Trader Joe's. Here are 15 things I love to buy and how I use them.

The English muffins are fantastic to have in the freezer when I need to rustle up eggs Benedict or breakfast sandwiches for gluten-free guests.

Once toasted, they have a surprising amount of flavor, with just the perfect hint of sourness.

I love filling them with cheese and poached eggs. But they're also delicious with just jam or honey.

In a pinch, they could even double as burger buns.

Trader Joe's salse-verde corn chips are made from tomatillos and green peppers, with lime, onion, and cilantro. I always have some on hand.

I like to load them up with salsa, sour cream, cheese, and green chiles for nachos. Or, I'll make brunch chilaquiles by simmering salsa in a skillet, adding the tortilla chips, and piling everything high with shredded chicken, crumbled cheese, eggs, and guacamole.

The chips add extra crunch to salads, too.

These tiny morsels make everything taste better.

Recently, I've been adding Trader Joe's green chiles to my scrambled eggs, but they easily elevate enchiladas, cheese scones, and even deviled eggs.

Sometimes, I'll even let them shine in chile corn fritters made with naturally gluten-free cornmeal batter and grilled sweetcorn kernels. I cool down the heat with a dollop of sour cream.

I get jalapeño sauce for my hot-sauce-obsessed partner — there's really nothing she won't dowse in spice.

Fresh jalapeño makes up about 50% of the sauce, so you don't need much to increase the heat on your plate. But the tangy, citrusy condiment has just a touch of sweetness to offset the spice.

Trader Joe's tapas cheese selection goes perfectly with gluten-free charcuterie and crackers.

The wedges of Manchego, cabra al vino, and Iberico come presliced, making them easy to serve alongside dips, meats, olives, and grapes.

It's a nice, easy appetizer to put out while I finish making dinner.

I get Trader Joe's cauliflower chips to go with cheese and a glass of dry cider on a mild evening. Usually, though, I eat half the bag before I even take the cheese out of the fridge.

They have a crispy, almost cookie-like consistency and a distinct roasted-cauliflower flavor.

Blistered shishito peppers are one of my favorite appetizers.

I like the delicious anticipation of not knowing if the next bite will be mild or hot — only about one in 10 are spicy.

They're amazing air-fried with oil, sea salt, and lemon, or with a gluten-free tamari, ginger, honey, and lime dip.

I love tamales, but they're fiddly and time-consuming to make. Thankfully there are usually several varieties on offer at Trader Joe's.

For a more authentic experience, you can steam them. But if you're in a rush, you can simply microwave for three minutes.

They go particularly well with Trader Joe's jalapeño sauce.

The bagged mix contains kale, sprouts, broccoli, and cabbage.

I often eat it raw in coleslaw or tossed with a Thai-style salad dressing. But it can also be steamed, sautéed, roasted, or baked with a cheese sauce.

Adding a hot sauce or dressing will wilt the greens a bit, making them a great accompaniment to meat or fish.

The store's kohlrabi vegetable pasta is another easy dish that can be cooked or left raw.

Kohlrabi is a German turnip that has a jicama-like texture with a cabbage-like taste.

I love it as a raw salad base with prawns or tofu and a honey, garlic, and ginger dressing. But it's also excellent cooked with bacon and Parmesan, mushrooms and olive tapenade, or any pasta sauce.

My partner and I eat the skin-on, boneless salmon slices when I don't have time to cook anything elaborate.

Pairing them with crunchy kale salad or kohlrabi pasta works really well.

Like traditional French tapenade, Trader Joe's Greek-style olive spread has capers and vinegar. But it doesn't have anchovies, making it suitable for vegetarians.

My favorite part is the hint of spearmint, which gives it a surprising flavor.

With this in my pantry, I can elevate cheese boards; have a ready-made sauce for chicken, pork, or shrimp; or slather it directly on crusty, gluten-free bread.

If we're feeling fancy, the tapenade is scrumptious with air-fried sirloin steak.

Zhoug sauce, made from cilantro and green peppers, is so delicious. It's a reason to go to Trader Joe's in itself — I haven't seen it at many other stores.

It's quite easy to make at home, but it would be hard to beat the store's zippy version.

I use it as a dip, with olive oil as a salad dressing, on chicken or eggs, or drizzled over falafel.

I use the crispy crunchy cookies to make my mom's favorite no-bake cake: Kahlua-soaked cookies covered in whipped cream.

Chocolate-chip cookies also make a good backup option for dessert bases if you can't find gluten-free graham crackers.

The jar of English-imported lemon curd suggests spreading it on toast, bagels, and muffins or pouring it over waffles and ice cream.

I like it swirled through cheesecake bars or in plain yogurt. But my favorite way to devour the tangy treat is on top of crushed gluten-free graham crackers with whipped cream, sugar, and lemon zest.

The delicious layered dessert just needs to chill for an hour or two before serving.

Click to keep reading Trader Joe's diaries like this one.