Your Slimming Essentials – The Weekly Pinch of Shopping 26.01.24
Ready, set, scroll! Your Weekly Pinch of Shopping is live and full of goodies for this wet and windy Friday. From spicy hummus to hot chocolate, this week’s list has a little bit of everything to cheer up your midweek menu.
It’s never too early for Easter treats, right? We couldn’t ignore the Strawberries and Clotted Cream Hot Cross Buns we spotted at Tesco. They’re creamy, fruity and spot on with a cuppa!
Plus, sweet treat lovers will want to keep scrolling…Haagen Dazs have released some Salted Caramel Ice Cream Bites and we can tell you exactly where to find them.
Pinch of Nom: Express is out NOW! Thank you SO MUCH for all the love you’ve been showing our brand-new book. It made our year to see how many of you tried and loved the recipes…and we never get bored, so keep those photos coming!
If you’ve made any of the new dishes, we’d love you to share photos with us in our Gallery, on our Facebook group or over on instagram @pinchofnom.
You can order a copy here if you still need to grab one!
You can always 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!**
M&S Vanilla High Protein Yoghurt – 154 calories per pot
On those days where January’s really January-ing, it’s always a good idea to stock up on sweet snacks that’ll curb your cravings without taking you off track. M&S’ Vanilla High Protein Yoghurt keeps things silky smooth and satisfying, with 25 grams of filling protein in each pot.
You’ve probably had fruit and yoghurt before, but have you ever tasted the magic that happens in our Syrupy Cinnamon Figs with Greek Yoghurt recipe? This super-sweet dessert is sticky and lightly spiced thanks to cinnamon, maple syrup and oh-so-juicy sliced figs.
We’ve brought the calories down with low-fat Greek yoghurt, but there’s nothing to stop you adding a dollop of vanilla-flavoured yoghurt to your plate (just be sure to take note of additional calories, if you’re keeping track).
M&S Vanilla High Protein Yogurt is available from M&S and Ocado, priced at £1.35 per pot.
Choceur Light Instant Hot Chocolate – 40 calories per serving
Windy, chilly weather calls for one thing…snuggling up under a blanket watching The Traitors’ series finale, hugging your favourite mug! Aldi has answered the call with this brand-new Choceur Light Instant Hot Chocolate.
Simply add two teaspoons of powder to 200ml of boiling water and stir until rich with Belgian chocolate deliciousness.
Even topped with fluffy marshmallows and a drizzle of chocolate, our Hot Chocolate Microwave Mug Cakes recipe is far lighter than you’d think at just 283 calories per cup. Ready in a matter of minutes, you’ll love it even more with a swirl of reduced-fat aerosol cream on top!
Far better for you and your budget than a shop-bought microwaveable pud, you can find the full recipe on pages 184-185 of your copy of Pinch of Nom: Budget.
Choceur Light Instant Hot Chocolate is available from Aldi, priced at £1.55.
Pimp My Salad Spiced Sunflower Seeds – 44 calories per 10g serving (approx.)
If you’d normally toss croutons into your salad for a moreish crunch, Ocado’s Pimp My Salad Spiced Sunflower Seeds are a great way to spice things up a bit. They’re also gluten-free and high in protein, so your ‘pimped out’ salad should leave you feeling fuller for the day ahead.
Psst! If you’d rather grab a non-spicy mix, pick up the Pimp My Salad Super Seed Sprinkles from the same range.
Our Greek Salad is positively brimming with gorgeous Mediterranean-style flavour, thanks to reduced-fat cheese, fresh onions, cucumbers, juicy tomatoes and a zesty homemade salad dressing.
For more salad ideas that are far from boring, take a scroll through our top Pinch of Nom salads.
Pimp My Salad Spiced Sunflower Seeds are available from Ocado, priced at £4.11 per shaker.
Morrisons The Best Houmous With Chilli Jam – 169 calories per 1/3 pack
No matter how you spell it, there’s no denying that hummus is absolutely delicious. We love our hummus with a bit of spice, and Morrisons The Best Houmous with Chilli Jam truly delivers on that front.
Mostly made with chickpeas and sesame seeds, this vegan-friendly blend is livened up with a lip-smacking red pepper, jalapeño chilli and garlic jam. Take chopped veggies or reduced-salt tortilla chips for a dip to give it a try!
Our Hummus Soup hasn’t been live on our website for very long, but we’re not surprised you’re already loving it. Lemony, garlicky and silky smooth, our favourite part has to be the crunchy topping of lightly spiced, oven-baked chickpeas.
Morrisons The Best Houmous With Chilli Jam is available from Morrisons, priced at £2.25 per tub.
The Fishmonger Skinless & Boneless Pollock Fillets In A Harissa Sauce – 231 calories per 1/2 pack (oven cooked)
Adding more fish to your weekly meal plan is always a good idea, especially when it’s as tasty as Aldi’s The Fishmonger Skinless and Boneless Pollock Fillets In A Harissa Sauce.
This high-protein fish dish comes ready-coated in a cheese and onion crumb, and smothered in a rich, smoky, harissa and spinach sauce. Suitable for ovens, microwaves and air fryers, this one will fit in swimmingly – no matter your schedule!
If you’ve not cracked out your air fryer yet this year, why not rustle up a batch of our Air Fryer Rustic Potato Wedges to serve with your fillets? They’ll be crispy and golden brown in just 25 minutes, with only 5 ingredients.
Don’t worry if you read this section wondering ‘what the heck is harissa?’ We’ve got the answers to all of your harissa paste questions here.
The Fishmonger Skinless & Boneless Pollock Fillets In A Harissa Sauce are available from Aldi, priced at £2.99 for a pack of 2 fillets.
M&S Cauliflower Rice – 26 calories per portion
It’s no secret that we love finding new ways to transform the humble cauliflower into lots of different tasty, slimming-friendly dishes. When you’ve not got time to blend your own florets. M&S’ Cauliflower Rice is a scrummy, fresh, ready-prepared alternative.
Great if you’re looking to cut down on your carb intake, it’ll also get you well on your way to your 5-a-day. Stir-fry it in a hot wok with your chosen protein, or pop the pot in the microwave for 2 minutes.
We’ve prepared our own cauliflower rice for our Cauliflower and Chicken Fried Rice recipe, but there’s nothing to stop you stirring in M&S’ blitzed florets. An easy-peasy one-pan fakeaway, it’s ready faster than you could get a takeaway delivered, for a fraction of the calories and cost.
M&S Cauliflower Rice is available from M&S and Ocado, priced at £1.95 for a pack that serves 2.
Morrisons Protein Chicken Jambalaya – 495 calories per pot (with rice)
Morrisons’ Protein Chicken Jambalaya has tender chicken pieces, chorizo chunks and brown rice tossed together in a jambalaya-style sauce, so all that’s left for you to worry about is banging it in the microwave.
There are 32 grams of protein in the jambalaya ready meal, and you can also take home Red Thai Chicken Curry (36 grams), Chicken Pesto Pasta (31 grams) or Singapore Chicken Noodles (32 grams) from the same protein-packed range.
Inspired by the one-pot staple from Louisiana, our version of Jambalaya is bursting with tender chicken chunks, rice and heaps of colourful chopped vegetables. To find out how to make the tomatoey, Cajun-style spice mix that gives this dish its oomph, turn to pages 130-131 of our second cookbook, Everyday Light.
Morrisons Protein Chicken Jambalaya is available from Morrisons, priced at £4.50 per pot.
Sainsbury’s Slow Cooked Harissa Lamb Tagine with Pomegranate Glaze, Taste the Difference – 363 calories per 1/2 pack (oven cooked)
Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Slow Cooked Harissa Lamb Tagine with Pomegranate Glaze will sit baking in the oven without a fuss for an hour, until it’s fall-off-the-fork tender.
You’ll give it a stir midway through, just to make sure it’s all cooking evenly, and the smoky harissa paste, mint rub, apricots and sultanas are mingling nicely.
When it’s ready to leave the oven, squeeze the provided sachet of pomegranate glaze on top. It’s a mouth-watering, indulgent-tasting combination!
A side dish that’ll help you mop up every last drop of sauce is a must for this tagine! Our Creamy Mashed Potatoes recipe would work like a dream, and only add 176 calories to each plateful.
Sainsbury’s Slow Cooked Harissa Lamb Tagine with Pomegranate Glaze, Taste the Difference is available from Sainsbury’s, priced at £7.00.
Tesco Finest Strawberries & Clotted Cream Hot Cross Buns – 171 calories per bun
We know, we know! It’s only January, but it’s hard to ignore the Easter treats that are already showing up on supermarket shelves. These Tesco Finest Strawberries and Clotted Cream Hot Cross Buns are so good with a cup of tea, you won’t care what time of year it is.
Making the most of a classic flavour combination, each fluffy, decadent bun is filled with clotted cream, strawberry jam and white chocolate chips.
If you love strawberries and cream, our afternoon tea inspired Cream Tea Scones are well worth trying next.
We’ve used reduced-sugar ingredients to recreate the layers of jam and cream you’d find in cafe-bought versions, for only 93 calories per scone.
Tesco Finest Strawberries & Clotted Cream Hot Cross Buns are available from Tesco, priced at £1.60 for a pack of 4 buns.
Haagen Dazs Bites Salted Caramel – 123 calories per 2 bites
Haagen Dazs Bites Salted Caramel are described as ‘shareable’ on the packaging, but once you’ve had a nibble, you might not feel so generous!
With salted caramel ice cream and a saucy salted caramel centre, wrapped in a luxurious white chocolate and almond shell, it’s hard to believe it’s only 123 calories for two bites.
You can also grab a pack of Haagen Dazs bites in chocolate flavour, if you’d prefer. They’re 119 calories per choc-centred bite!
Speaking of light bites, our Millionaire’s Shortbread squares taste like such a treat for 127 calories each. To make our version of the bakery classic slimming friendly, we’ve made our sweet, sticky layers using a surprise ingredient: sugar-free creamy toffees!
Haagen Dazs Bites Salted Caramel are available from Aldi, priced at £5.89 for a pack of 8 bites.
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.
Brown Onions – 40 calories per 100g
Brown onions are the key ingredient behind countless kitchen classics. With a strong flavour, brown onions are especially yummy paired with cheese. For a quick, warming lunchtime bite, why not slice them up and bundle them into our Cheese and Onion Pasties?
There’s no pastry in sight here – just oven-baked, crispy, low-calorie tortilla wraps!
Mini Pears – 42 calories per 100g
Sweet, grainy and irresistibly juicy, don’t be fooled by the size of these mini pears. They’re gorgeous raw as a grab-and-go lunch box sized snack, or you can cook them into a variety of sweet recipes, like our comfort-loaded Pear and Ginger Crumble.
You won’t find lashings of butter or sugar in our version, we’ve used porridge oats for our crunchy topping instead.
Little Gem Lettuce – 16 calories per 100g
Crisp and fresh, little gem lettuce is a versatile, leafy ingredient. Slice it, grill it, pan-fry it or use it to scoop up other tasty ingredients – it’ll hold its shape, so you can use it as a ‘cup’ or even as a ‘spoon’! Drizzled in sauce and layered with salad, transform little gem lettuce into a feast with our Katsu Curry Burgers recipe.
Sugar Snap Peas – 34 calories per 100g
Crunchy and ever so slightly sweet, sugar snap peas are an unexpectedly tasty on-the-go snack. We love to eat them raw on their own, or dunk them into a Hummus-Style Dip.
Chop them up and mix them into salads, or throw a handful into a quick and easy stir-fry – they’re more versatile than you might imagine!
Royal Gala Apples – 52 calories per 100g
Royal Gala are pink-red dessert apples with a mild sweet flavour and a crisp texture. They’re perfect for snacking and best eaten raw, although they’re delicious when you use them for our Apple Pie Porridge recipe.
With nutmeg, cinnamon and honey in the mix, you’ll be jumping out of bed even on the chilliest of mornings!
Cherries – 50 calories per 100g
We LOVE seeing cherries in the Super 6, because it makes them nice and budget-friendly (thanks a bunch, Aldi!). Keep them in the fridge as a light, sweet snack or turn them into a scrumptious slimming-friendly dessert.
We’ve lowered the calories in our Cherry Pie Turnovers by swapping out the pastry, and preparing our filling at home using simple store cupboard ingredients.
**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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