I'm a Pilates instructor who's been shopping at Trader Joe's for 20 years. Here are 10 of my favorite items to buy.

Trader Joe's organic brown rice is flavorful, unlike most other boxed rice I've tried. It comes frozen and is ready in the microwave in just a few minutes.

For a post-Pilates recovery meal, I combine the rice with a protein. This one comes packaged in individual pouches, which helps with much-needed portion control because it's delicious.

I like to add Trader Joe's Greek chickpeas with parsley and cumin to everything. The canned chickpeas come marinated in mouthwatering soybean oil and lemon.

I enjoy this item in a salad or as a stand-alone side dish with rice or other veggies.

Trader Joe's cauliflower gnocchi is a delicious low-calorie pasta substitute. It's the perfect dish for when I'm craving pasta but want to have something light.

I like to either heat the gnocchi in the microwave for five minutes or bake it. I serve it with Trader Joe's marinara sauce and Parmesan cheese.

As indicated on the package, Trader Joe's Just Chicken comes ready to heat and serve. In fact, it's one of my go-to items because it allows me to easily add protein to every meal with zero prep time.

The chicken is cooked plain, so I can choose how to season it. I add this to pretty much every dish I make.

Although Trader Joe's doesn't have a bakery, it sells organic French baguettes for $2.

The bread tastes fresh and is an appetizing choice for a turkey sandwich or served as a side dish with butter.

Trader Joe's baguette is so savory it reminds me of my favorite snack growing up in Brazil — a buttered baguette and café con leche.

Trader Joe's organic tomato-basil marinara comes in a 25-ounce jar, which is enough for about four meals.

The sauce's thickness is ideal for cauliflower gnocchi or zucchini noodles. I also love that the basil gives a freshness to the jarred sauce, bringing out the tomato's sweetness.

Trader Joe's plain hummus is anything but plain. At $3, the 8-ounce container is a bargain.

The blend of oils and tahini adds flavor to this hummus, which I like to eat with pita chips and vegetables.

It also stays fresh for a while when refrigerated — not that it lasts too long in my fridge.

Trader Joe's organic shredded kale comes pre-washed, which saves me a lot of prep time. This vegetable helps me hit my daily nutrition goals with a good balance of protein, carbohydrates, and fiber.

I make it almost daily for dinner as a hot dish sautéed with olive oil.

Nothing is more refreshing than drinking a glass of lemonade on a hot summer day.

However, I like to enjoy Trader Joe's organic low-calorie lemonade year-round because it tastes so good. An 8-ounce cup has only 40 calories.

Trader Joe's spanakopita is stuffed with spinach, ricotta, and feta cheese. It's the closest I've had to an authentic Greek spinach pie from a regular grocery store.

The 12 triangles in the package make a great appetizer that my vegetarian friends enjoy. They taste freshly baked, and people think they're homemade.