Your Slimming Essentials – The Weekly Pinch of Shopping 13.10.23
Eep, it’s Friday the 13th! Don’t worry though – there’s nothing but goodies in our Weekly Pinch of Shopping.
Take a scroll and you’ll find a Caramelised Biscuit Gateau that’ll steal the show at your next get-together. You can’t say no to that crumb topping!
Plus, it’s time to tap and unwrap…Terry’s Chocolate Mint has arrived! It’s divided into Terry’s signature, orange-inspired segments, ready to share over the season of chocolatey treats.
We’ve also got plenty of inspiration to liven up your midweek menu. There’s a Chicken and Mushroom Traybake on our list that saves on time, effort and tastes sensational.
Don’t forget, our newest cookbook, Pinch of Nom: Express, is now available to pre-order! It’ll be with you on the 7th of December and it’s bursting with recipes that prioritise your time, without compromising on flavour.
When you fancy something you can prepare in minutes and leave to simmer, or a tasty dish that cooks before you know it, Express has you covered with 100 NEW slimming-friendly recipes.
Split into ‘Quick Cook’ and ‘Quick Prep’ sections, it’s so easy to find the perfect dish to suit your schedule. Now’s the time to make some room on your bookshelf; place a pre-order and your copy will be with you before Christmas!
You can share your recipes and photos by posting over in our Facebook group, where you’ll also find our members having a good old chat about lots of these shopping items too. You can join the group by clicking here. Make sure to let us know if you spot any yummy-looking, slimming-friendly new products on the supermarket shelves – we might just feature them in our next article!
Our Weekly Pinch of Shopping list aims to show you slimming-friendly products that you can find online or in one of your local supermarkets. We try to make it as easy as possible for you to pick up these items as part of your usual weekly shop, and we’ll always include the calorie information and the RRP for you.
Please remember that, although all prices are correct at the time of writing, supermarkets can change their prices often, so this should be used as a guide only.
Along with our favourite new finds from the supermarket shelves, each week we include details of the Aldi Super 6. Every fortnight Aldi discounts a selection of 6 fruits and veggies that you can pick up for a fraction of the price. There’s a fresh selection this week, so scroll down to find out what’s included, along with some ideas on how to make the most of the ingredients.
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**A note on our shopping list: we do not take payment, promotion or gifts for including any of the items mentioned in these articles. We bring them to you because we love them and hope you will too!**
COOK by ASDA Dirty Fries Seasoning – 29 calories per 10g
Take a humble portion of chips to the next level with COOK by ASDA Dirty Fries Seasoning. A ready-mixed blend of garlic, paprika, dried onion, salt and pepper, simply sprinkle a serving onto chips, fries or roasties, and you’ll add an instant burst of flavour to your plate.
Remember, a little goes a long way. You can always add a dash more for a spicier serving!
A portion of crispy, mildly-spiced fries would go down a treat next to our Cajun Spiced Chicken Burgers. We’ve made our seasoning with a homemade blend of herbs and spices you’re likely to have at home already.
If you stack these burgers high tonight, don’t forget to take a photo and share it in our Facebook group! We’d love to hear how they go down with the food critics at your dinner table.
COOK by ASDA Dirty Fries Seasoning is available from Asda, priced at £1.00.
Cabbage and Sliced Leeks – 30 calories per 1/2 pack (microwaved)
We’ll take anything that makes busy days easier, and this mixed bag of Cabbage and Sliced Leeks does just that. Fresh from the shelves at Morrisons, this leafy, nutritious medley contains 2 servings, and comes in at only 99p per bag.
Ready in minutes, microwaved or steamed, it’ll work nicely alongside a variety of main dishes – including fish or meaty roast dinners. Why not add a pop of green to our Roast Beef and Gravy?
Just the ticket for a Sunday afternoon, our recipe keeps things simple, and it leaves you with a boatload of leftover slimming-friendly Gravy.
You’ll want to make room for extra batches in your fridge and freezer, to drizzle over your midweek dinners too. It’s a tasty way to warm things right up!
Cabbage and Sliced Leeks is available from Morrisons, priced at 99p per bag.
Bio & Me Spiced Apple Gluten Free Porridge – 240 calories per pot
You can’t say ‘I don’t have time for breakfast’ with Bio & Me Spiced Apple Gluten Free Porridge in your cupboard. Maximum flavour for minimum fuss, it’s a simple two-step method: add boiling water and stir.
To complement the warming sweetness of apple, every spoonful comes infused with almonds, coconut and punchy cinnamon too.
You can also pick up ‘Nice & Nutty’ flavoured porridge pots from the same plant-based, gut-healthy range.
If you’re nutty for nuts, you’ll love the nuttiness in our Apple Pie Porridge. We’ve used silky almond milk for lower-calorie creaminess, and topped everything off with sticky, honey-glazed apple segments, and a handful of crunchy flaked almonds.
Bio & Me Spiced Apple Gluten Free Porridge is available from Sainsbury’s, priced at £1.30 per pot.
Morrisons Carrot Cake Slices – 106 calories per slice
Carrot cake has always been a top-tier British bake, and we’ll take any opportunity to nibble on a slice with a cuppa. These Morrisons Carrot Cake Slices are soft and spongy, with a decadent vanilla-flavoured filling and a velvety layer of icing on top.
You can nibble on them one by one for a mid-afternoon coffee break, and they’re easy to keep track of at 106 calories each.
We know from a poll on our Instagram last week that our amazing community loves a bit of carrot cake. Our Carrot Cake Baked Oats lets you start the day with the same classic flavours, for only 399 calories per batch.
Making extras to reheat from chilled or frozen is one of our favourite time-saving hacks.
Morrisons Carrot Cake Slices are available from Morrisons, priced at £1.25 for a pack of 6 slices.
Itsu Mega Miso Protein Noodles – 186 calories per pot
Bathed in a punchy ginger and chilli flavoured broth, these Itsu Mega Miso Protein Noodles will warm you right up on a brisk lunch break.
High in fibre, low in fat and jam-packed with 20g of plant-based protein, these fork-twirling soybean noodle pots are lathered with salty-sweet miso flavouring.
If Japanese-inspired cooking is up your street, you need to try the Baked Teriyaki Tofu recipe on pages 140-141 of Pinch of Nom: Budget.
It’s a fakeaway you can make at home, for a fraction of the cost of a restaurant meal. Our sticky teriyaki-style glaze is far easier to make than you’d think, and you’ll toss it all together with a medley of crunchy, stir-fried veg and tender tofu chunks.
Itsu Mega Miso Protein Noodles are available from Sainsbury’s, priced at £2.00 per pot.
Wicked Kitchen Jalapeño Griller Patties – 195 calories per griller
Get on your way to 5-a-day with Wicked Kitchen Jalapeño Griller Patties. Not for the faint of heart, these smoky plant-based patties promise to pack a punch, with a chilli rating of ‘hot, hot, hot!’
Made with a herby blend of jalapeños, red peppers and a cheese alternative, there’s oodles of sizzling flavour to grill, oven or pan-fry, without a bit of meat in sight.
If you managed to bag yourself a new air fryer in the Amazon Prime Day deals this week, why not rustle up a side of Air Fryer Rustic Potato Wedges for this week’s burger night?
It’ll take less than half an hour to bake your wedges until they’re perfectly crispy on the outside and fluffy in the middle (our oven method is really simple to follow too).
Wicked Kitchen Jalapeno Griller Patties are available from Tesco, priced at £3.00 for a pack of 2.
Ashfields Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Traybake – 189 calories per serving
This Ashfields Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Traybake from Aldi is ideal after a long day. It’s as easy as removing the film, bunging it in the oven and letting the chicken legs bubble away until succulent – in a luxuriously creamy mushroom sauce, with bacon and leeks.
While you’re waiting, get to prepping an easy, low-fuss side dish like our Creamy Mashed Potatoes. Ready in 20 minutes, they’ll be right on time for when your chicken dish is thoroughly cooked through.
It’s no secret that we’ve got a passion for creamy chicken dinners at Pinch of Nom. Love or hate Marmite, we’d recommend trying our Creamy Marmite Chicken next.
It pairs so well with lots of side dishes, and the leftovers reheat like a dream, making it ridiculously easy to work into your midweek meal plan.
Ashfields Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Traybake is available from Aldi, priced at £3.99 for a pack that serves 2.
Iceland Stir In King Prawns Sweet and Sour – 125 calories per 1/2 pack
You’d be surprised what you can cook up in less than 10 minutes with a bag of Iceland Stir In King Prawns Sweet and Sour on standby.
You’ll want to keep an eye on your crispy-coated king prawns while they fry, and add a couple of tablespoons of water to create a runnier sweet and sour sauce.
Serve them up with lots of freshly-chopped vegetables, rice or noodles for a super-quick midweek meal.
We can’t talk about prawns without mentioning our Creamy Garlic Prawns recipe. Our white sauce looks and tastes indulgent, for a fraction of the calories you’d expect.
We’ve used reduced-fat cream cheese rather than low-fat; it makes for thicker, richer results.
Iceland Stir In King Prawns Sweet and Sour are available from Iceland, priced at £2.00 per bag.
Terry’s Chocolate Mint – 164 calories per 4 segments
There’s no way we could ignore Terry’s Chocolate Mint on the supermarket shelves. The self-proclaimed ‘minty sibling’ of the classic orange chocolate treat, it’s just as tappable, whackable and enjoyable at 164 calories per quarter.
We’d normally use low-calorie chocolate orange syrup and chocolate orange segments in our gooey Chocolate Orange Brownies, but now we’re thinking…it’s time for a minty makeover!
Ready for the get-togethers and chocolate treats October brings, add a handful of Terry’s Chocolate Mint segments to your brownie mix (with a mint low-sugar syrup), and bake.
Remember, you want your brownies to be slightly undercooked – that’s the secret to serving scrumptious squidgy squares!
Terry’s Chocolate Mint is available from Tesco, priced at £1.50.
Morrisons Caramelised Biscuit Gateau – 226 calories per slice
If you’re obsessed with all things Biscoff, stop scrolling here. Morrisons’ heavenly Caramelised Biscuit Gateau is made with chocolate sponge, and layered together with a creamy, caramel biscuit mousse filling.
And if that hasn’t sent you running for a fork already, it’s topped with a caramelised biscuit sauce and a biscuit crumb topping.
You can stash the whole thing in the freezer, ready to soothe your sweet tooth over the spooky season.
At this point, our scrummy Biscoff Cheesecake needs no introduction. A surefire showstopper for any special occasion, it’s jam-packed with buttery, caramel-spiced deliciousness for just 234 calories per slice.
Morrisons Caramelised Biscuit Gateau is available from Morrisons, priced at £3.49 and serves 8.
NEW Aldi Super 6 Fruit and Veg Selection
We love Aldi’s fortnightly selection of fresh fruit and veggies! They choose different items for a special offer where you can pick them up for much less than the normal price.
Here’s the rundown of this week’s Super 6 offering, along with some recipe ideas for you.
Royal Gala Apples – 52 calories per 100g
The crunchy sweetness of apples can stop you rooting around in the snack cupboard in the middle of the day. Munch on one as part of your lunch, or slice an apple and serve it with your breakfast.
When the cosy blankets are out and the candles are lit, it’s always a good idea to cuddle up to our Apple Crumble. If you’re still feeling the chill, a glug of homemade custard will sweeten the deal.
Baby Potatoes – 75 calories per 100g
Baby potatoes hold their shape after cooking, giving them a delicious bite that makes fresh salads and side dishes more satisfying. Why not take some home to make up a portion of our Garlic and Parmesan Potatoes?
Inspired by Italian flavours, these crispy, mouthwatering roasties come tossed in fresh garlic, Parmesan and herbs.
Red Onions – 41 calories per 100g
With more antioxidants than their white and brown counterparts, red onions are a super versatile veggie that you can enjoy raw or cooked. It’s always handy to have a few in your kitchen, especially if you’re looking to sauté the base for a rich, homemade sauce.
You’ll find red onion finely chopped and simmered until sweet for our Caramelised Onion Quiche. Delicious hot or cold, we never get bored of this recipe!
Closed Cup Mushrooms – 17 calories per 100g
Filled with vitamins and nutrients, mushrooms are an easy-to-cook, versatile veggie you always want on the menu. From risottos to pasta dishes to stews, they’ll add a deeper, satisfying flavour to so many dishes.
Our Mushroom Carbonara is so cheesy and satisfying, you’ll never be left wondering where the bacon or ham is. Try it with a side of Cheesy Garlic Bread if you’re feeling really hungry.
Sweet Potatoes – 86 calories per 100g
Sweet potatoes are a delicious, autumnal alternative to white potatoes, with a tough skin that’s perfect for crisping in the oven or air fryer.
Use them to add a pop of colour to your plate with our Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Mash.
You’ll want to roast the butternut squash for around 60 minutes, before mashing (that should be enough time to bring out their irresistible natural sweetness).
Chantenay Carrots – 35 calories per 100g
These little carrots taste just like the bigger version, but there’s no need to peel or trim them. The perfect size for snacking, they’re great for dunking and dipping, especially into hummus.
Try their tender crunch in our Lemon and Garlic Chicken Traybake, where they soak up the garlicky flavours with ease.
This one-pot-wonder makes for a fuss-free midweek meal; it’s ready in under an hour with hardly any washing-up to do afterwards.
**Remember: we do not take payment, promotion or gift for any of the items mentioned in these articles. We bring them to you because we love them and hope you will too!**
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