Your Slimming Essentials – The Weekly Pinch of Shopping 30.08.24
Happy Friday, everybody! Welcome to a brand-new Weekly Pinch of Shopping article. We know it’s tricky to decide what to eat when the weather can’t make its mind up, so we’ve done the thinking for you!
When you need a quick fix of fiery flavour, add a squeeze of Hellmann’s new Spicy Mexican Sauce to your plate. From tacos and burritos to fajitas and nachos, we can promise it’s absolutely banging on just about everything.
If grey skies make you want to get cosy on the sofa with your favourite TV show, take a slice of Mr Kipling’s NEW Sticky Toffee Loaf Cake. On its own, or drizzled with custard or ice cream, it’s like a comforting hug…and not super high in calories either!
Have you refreshed your email inbox? If you’re a WEBSITE MEMBER, you’ll be one of the first to find out some really exciting news. One tiny clue…you’ll need to make sure you’ve got ‘NEW BOOK NEWS’ ticked in your account preferences.
If you’ve not got a website account, don’t worry! It’s FREE to sign up here. It’s well worth it because our website members are always the first to find out the latest bits of intel from PON HQ.
We just hope you lot know that it’s completely down to you that Kate and Kay still get to bring you new books. Thank you, thank you, thank you a million times over!
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! The members in our incredible Facebook group are always happy to have a good old chat about lots of these shopping items. You can join the group by clicking here.
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!**
Vivera Plant-Based Chicken Pieces – 165 calories per 100g serving
Vivera Plant-Based Chicken Pieces are a tasty way to take a break from meat. This plant-based recipe recreates the taste and texture of chicken really well, meaning you’ll have no trouble trialling them in your usual sandwiches, salads or pasta dishes.
You can pop them in the oven or pan-fry them, but we think they taste closest to the real thing when they’re air-fried.
There’s nothing to stop you using a portion to give our Chicken and Bacon Caesar Salad a vegetarian makeover. Our version of the lunchtime classic is far from boring, with just as much garlicky goodness as traditional versions.
The only difference is, our answer to Caesar dressing is made with a slimming-friendly combination of fat-free Greek yoghurt, light mayonnaise and lemon juice.
Vivera Plant-Based Chicken Pieces are available from Asda, priced at £2.65 per pack.
M&S Sour Cream and Chive Houmous Chips – 142 calories per portion
It’s always a good idea to have light, savoury snacks like M&S Sour Cream and Chive Houmous Chips handy for when you’re feeling peckish. Rather than being deep-fried like traditional potato snacks, houmous chips get their crunchy goodness from baked chickpeas and lentils.
While some reduced-fat snacks can cut the calories and lose taste, we’re happy to report that these grab bags are absolutely jam-packed with punchy flavour!
No matter how you spell it, there’s no denying that Hummus paired with lots of vegetable batons makes for a gorgeous, healthy snack. We’ve used butterbeans because we prefer their naturally silky consistency, but there’s nothing to stop you using chickpeas, if you’ve already got a tin in the cupboard.
Just be sure to tweak the calories to suit any changes you make, if you’re keeping track.
M&S Sour Cream and Chive Houmous Chips are available from Ocado/M&S, priced at £2.00 per bag.
Capsicana Mexican Burrito Tomato and Chipotle Paste – 41 calories per 30g serving
We’re all for making dinnertime more fuss-free! With Capsicana Mexican Burrito Tomato and Chipotle Paste, you don’t need to worry about raiding your spice rack. Use the ready-mixed spice blend to coat tender pieces of sliced chicken, and you’ll be well on your way to making the perfect punchy paste for a Mexican-inspired fakeaway night.
Once you’ve bundled your chicken mix into a low-calorie tortilla wrap, don’t forget to add rice, a sprinkling of reduced-fat cheese, and some crispy shredded lettuce for good measure.
You can turn any main dish into a fiesta-style feast with a side of our Cheesy Avocado Salsa Wedges. If you’re not a big fan of spicy food, there’s no need to worry. The topping of melted cheese, smooth avocado and sour cream cools everything down in an instant.
Capsicana Mexican Burrito Tomato and Chipotle Paste is available from Morrisons, priced at £1.60 per sachet.
Nutini Hazelnut Chocolino Minis – 53 calories per mini
Take a sweet treat break with a bag of Nutini Hazelnut Chocolino Minis nearby. The pack comes filled with ready-wrapped mini bars that are so easy to track if you’re counting, since each milk chocolate, cream-filled bite is only 53 calories a pop.
When it comes to crunchy, chocolatey pick-me-ups, nothing beats our indulgent-tasting Chocolate French Toast. The trick is to sprinkle in spices that’ll take the notes of hazelnut in our filling to the next level, which is why we’ve stirred cinnamon, vanilla extract, ground nutmeg and sweetener together with egg.
Coat your sandwich in the spice-infused mixture, pop it in a frying pan with low-calorie cooking spray, and watch both sides turn gloriously golden within minutes.
Nutini Hazelnut Chocolino Minis are available from Iceland, priced at £1.00 per bag.
John West On The Go Greek Salad – 218 calories per pack
There are only two steps to getting this John West On The Go Greek Salad ready: stir and eat! A quick, healthy lunch option you can turn to when you’re in a time pinch, the pot comes filled with ready-to-eat pasta pieces, tuna chunks, peppers, tomatoes and olives in a zingy vinaigrette dressing.
It’s also less than 200 calories, with 17 grams of protein to fuel you for the day ahead.
As soon as we hear the word ‘tuna’, we’re in the mood to make our Tuna Niçoise Pasta Salad. With no shortage of salad veggies, olives, sliced boiled eggs, pasta and tuna, it’s one of our favourite filling lunches to make.
We’ve used a nifty blend of fat-free yoghurt, punchy mustard, dill and lemon to make our salad dressing far lighter than shop-bought versions.
John West On The Go Salad Greek Salad is available from Ocado, priced at £2.59 per pack.
Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Cheddar and Pesto Twists – 40 calories per twist
There’s no doubt that these Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Cheddar and Pesto Twists will have you coming back for more. As if flaky, buttery puff pastry wasn’t delicious enough, it’s also flavoured with tangy notes of Cheddar and fresh basil.
Enjoy them as they are, or take them for a dip in your choice of sauce – we’d go for some chutney, or better yet, more pesto!
If you’re looking to host a get-together with a spread of savoury nibbles, our Pizza Twists with Pizza Dip should be invited. They’re easy-peasy to rustle up with a short list of budget-friendly ingredients, and pizza lovers won’t be able to get enough.
We’ve gone for a classic, margherita-style combination of cheese and tomato, but there’s nothing to stop you getting creative with different pizza-inspired flavour combinations.
Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Cheddar and Pesto Twists are available from Sainsbury’s, priced at £2.00 per pack.
Tesco Finest Moroccan Inspired Cauliflower – 109 calories per 1/2 pack
All the hard work is done for you with this Tesco Finest Moroccan Inspired Cauliflower. The tray comes filled with a medley of crunchy, sliced cauliflower florets and chickpeas, tossed in a smoky blend of Moroccan-style spices that’s ready to go in the oven.
There’s even a sachet of fiery harissa dressing that you can drizzle on top right before serving. If you’re thinking ‘what’s harissa?’, everything you need to know is in our blog just here.
Whenever we’re hosting a buffet, we’ll always put out a large serving plate full of Air Fryer Cauliflower Hot Wings. You’ll need to open your air fryer a couple of times to get them just right, but trust us, the fiery crispy-coated florets you’re left with are so worth the effort!
You can crunch on them for 154 calories per portion, velvety yoghurt dip included.
Don’t worry if you’re not on the air fryer train yet – you can make this one in your oven too.
Tesco Finest Moroccan Inspired Cauliflower is available from Tesco, priced at £3.00 per pack.
Ashfields Sweet Chilli Chicken Breast Fillets – 216 calories per chicken breast
Fancy Chinese takeaway inspired flavours in the middle of the week? Aldi’s got you covered with Ashfields Sweet Chilli Chicken Breast Fillets. They’re coated in a lip-smacking sweet yet spicy marinade, which means you can pop them straight in the oven.
Double up on sweet chilli deliciousness with the provided sachet of sauce, ten minutes before they’re ready to serve.
That’s it! Now we’re daydreaming about our Sweet Chilli Chicken Burgers. The longer you leave the chicken to marinate in our homemade sticky-sweet sauce, the more intense the flavours will be.
Pile them high on a wholemeal bun with zingy salad veg and an extra spoonful of sweet chilli, for just 314 calories per burger.
Ashfields Sweet Chilli Chicken Breast Fillets are available from Aldi, priced at £2.75 for a pack of 2.
Hellmann’s Sauce Spicy Mexican – 9 calories per serving
Get more flavour from all kinds of dishes with Hellmann’s brand-new Spicy Mexican sauce. A mildly spicy, tangy blend of tomatoes, jalapeños, red chilli pepper and spices, you can take fajitas, nachos, tacos, sandwiches or salads up a notch with a single squeeze.
At 9 calories per serving, we’d say this one’s well worth adding to your collection of condiments.
We don’t know anyone who can say no to a colourful plate of Chicken Fajitas. With crunchy veggies, fiery spices and tender chicken chunks all stirred together, it’s always welcome on our midweek meal plan.
There’s no need to stick to bundling your filling into wraps! Mix things up with a base of fluffy basmati rice, pasta or fresh salad.
Whatever you choose, a good dollop of fat-free Greek yoghurt is a must!
Hellmann’s Sauce Spicy Mexican is available from Asda, priced at £2.60 per bottle.
Mr Kipling Sticky Toffee Loaf Cake – 165 calories per slice (1/6th of a cake)
It’s always a good day when there’s a scrummy new creation from Mr Kipling! This Sticky Toffee Loaf Cake is the ultimate comforting cake for a cosy night-in, and only 165 calories per sticky-topped slice.
It’s moreish and light with chunky bits of fudge swirled through, so you’re in for a treat whether you decide to try it cold, or warm it up gently in the microwave.
We’ll leave it to you to decide whether it’s tastiest served with custard or ice cream…
While we’re on the subject of squidgy loaves, our Air Fryer Chocolate Brownie Loaf is ready after 10 minutes in the air fryer, with 5 minutes of prep.
Gooey and luxurious with a topping of chocolate chips, you won’t believe it’s only 64 calories per slice. You can find the full recipe on pages 196-197 of our latest book, Pinch of Nom: Air Fryer.
Mr Kipling Sticky Toffee Loaf Cake is available from Morrisons, priced at £1.75 per loaf cake.
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.
Celery – 14 calories per 100g
We’ll always pick up celery if it’s part of the Super 6 deal! It makes for a tasty addition to base sauces, stews and soups – alongside onions and carrots. It’s also great to nibble on dunked into a budget-friendly homemade dip.
It’s also great for bulking out recipes like our Creamy Tomato Pasta, as well as adding a nutritious flavour boost.
Easy Peelers – 35 calories per 100g
You can’t go wrong with a few mini easy peelers in your fruit bowl. Far better for your sweet tooth than cake or chocolate, one or two will keep the cravings at bay for a fraction of the calories.
Full of vitamin C, they also make a great addition to your breakfast spread, no matter how you like your eggs! If fiery’s the way, try our lip-smacking Harissa Eggs recipe.
Cucumber – 45 calories per 100g
Cucumber is the ultimate refreshing veg for summery weather. We love it chopped and sliced into batons for dunking (try it with hummus or a homemade dip!), sliced into salads or pickled in a Kimchi slaw.
We can’t talk about a Chinese-style fakeaway night without having Crispy Duck Pancakes on the menu. Chop your cucumber into matchsticks and fold it into pancakes with spring onions, shredded duck and hoisin sauce.
Mini Apples – 53 calories per 100g
Small but mighty, mini apples will give your day a sweet boost for only 53 calories each. You can snack on them as they are, use them as a delectable, juicy-sweet porridge topper or chop them into fruit salads – and so much more!
We love cooking them into fillings for scrumptious bakery-inspired recipes, like our Apple Strudels. They’re so simple to make, and far better for you and your budget than shop-bought versions.
Sweet Pears – 58 calories per 100g
These sweet pears are the perfect answer to your mid-afternoon sugar cravings. Juicy and soft, bite into them as a snack, slice them up for breakfast or throw them into a side salad.
Seeing pears makes us want to crack out the custard and pour a glug over our crunchy-topped Pear and Ginger Crumble. Ready in only 30 minutes, pears have never tasted so good!
Seedless White Grapes – 69 calories per 100g
When it’s hot outside, grapes are a sweet, budget-friendly, low-calorie pick-me-up! You can even pop a few in the freezer and eat them frozen instead of an ice lolly – it sounds odd but trust us, it works so well.
There’s no shortage of sliced grapes in our Very Green Zingy Kale Salad. It’s lovely when served as a veggie main meal, but also works really well as a vibrant, leafy green side dish.
**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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