Pinch of Nom’s August Recipe Roundup
It’s been a seriously sunny August! Whether you’ve been in the mood for summery light lunches or ice-cold snacks to cool you down, we’ve had you covered with our latest recipes. Summer isn’t over yet, so make sure you don’t miss any of these sunshine-inspired lunch, dinner and snack ideas.
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Cheesy Leek Risotto
Made with only a handful of ingredients and minimal stirring, this Cheesy Leek Risotto really is a dreamy dinner option. If you love a classic cheese and onion combo, the flavour of this creamy dish is exactly what you’re after.
The leeks are sautéed until they’re velvety and sweet, then it’s time to add your risotto rice and stock. Unlike lots of other risotto recipes, you don’t need to stand over the pan for ages, stirring constantly – just keep an eye on it so the rice doesn’t stick.
Finished off with (lots and lots) of mellow cheese, this recipe tastes more indulgent than it really is. Each serving is only 438 calories, making this a winning dinner all round!
Vegetable Couscous
This Vegetable Couscous might only take 11 minutes to make, but that doesn’t mean it’s lacking in flavour! Whether you serve it as a side dish or main meal, you’ll love the smoky harissa, salty feta and squeeze of zingy lime.
Handy when you have a few stray veggies that you need to use up, this is a light dish that’s easy to make and perfect when you want to save a few calories – it works out at just 153 calories per portion.
We love to serve this at a barbecue or package it up and take it out for a picnic spread. It tastes just as good served hot or cold, eaten indoors or outside in the sunshine. Next time you need a flavour-packed lunch in a hurry, you need to give this a go!
Pizza Swirls
Calling all pizza lovers! We’ve got good news for anyone who could eat pizza all day every day – these Pizza Swirls are a light little snack with all the cheesy flavour you’re craving. For 102 calories you can enjoy a crunchy bite of pastry, filled with tomato, ham, Cheddar and Parmesan.
These are such a treat as a snack, and they’re perfect for buffets, picnics and parties too. Why not try them for breakfast or serve a couple with salad or some Sweet Potato Fries as a tasty lunch?
We love experimenting with recipes like this – you can make it your own and change up the fillings to suit your taste. Swap the ham for chicken or bacon, and add in extra vegetables that need using up! Just remember to adjust the calories accordingly, if you’re counting.
Pink Sangria
We’re not kidding when we say this Pink Sangria is the drink of the summer! Served ice cold, it’s a fruity tipple that’s perfect for sipping in the sunshine. Made from rose wine mixed with Peach Schnapps, we’ve topped it up with sparkling water and infused it all with fresh fruit to add extra flavour.
At only 109 calories per glass, there’s no need to miss out on a little tipple with your tapas-inspired dinner. We love to pour a glass to enjoy alongside our favourite Spanish-style dishes, such as these rich Spanish Meatballs.
Cheers to more sunshine in September so that we can sit outside with a freshly made jug of this refreshing beverage!
Ice Cream Sandwich
This is the only dessert recipe you need this summer. Our Ice Cream Sandwich is a whopper, but it’s way more slimming-friendly than it looks! We’ve sandwiched a good chunk of low-calorie cookie dough ice cream in-between two circles of fluffy sponge cake to create this ultimate sweet treat.
The secret to keeping the calories so low is all in our fatless sponge recipe. It’s not as tricky as you might expect and it looks so effective when it’s all put together!
There are no rules when it comes to the ice cream for this recipe – you can use whatever flavour takes your fancy. There are lots of low-calorie ice creams in the supermarkets, so just be sure to work out the calories (if you’re tracking).
Mexican Style Crunch Wrap
We used a hack we spotted on TikTok to make this Mexican Style Crunch Wrap recipe. Folding the tortilla wrap in this way doesn’t just mean less mess, it means flavour in every single bite.
Inside, we’ve layered up taco-seasoned beef, homemade guacamole, crushed tortilla chips and melted cheese, before baking it all in the oven until you’ve got the perfect crunch. These little parcels have big flavour!
At 288 calories per wrap, this dish is light enough (and quick enough) to make for lunch any day of the week. You could also whip up whatever Mexican style side dishes you like to turn it into a hearty, filling dinner.
Gin and Tonic Ice Lollies
We hope you have as much fun preparing this grown-up frozen treat as we did! These refreshing Gin and Tonic Ice Lollies are a boozy delight you can enjoy straight from the freezer – we can’t think of a better way to cool down.
Each low-calorie lolly is made with half a single measure of gin, a splash of tonic water, blueberries, mint leaves and zingy lime slices, and frozen until you’re ready for a little ice cold tipple.
So refreshing and easy to make, they’re perfect for when the sun is shining, and only 29 calories per lolly (we’ll raise a toast to that!).
Moroccan Style Chicken Drumsticks with Mint Couscous
This Moroccan Style Chicken Drumsticks with Mint Couscous recipe is ideal when you fancy something a little different for dinner. Inspired by the fragrant, aromatic flavours of Morocco, every bite is bursting with a mouth-watering blend of smoky, spicy, fruity flavour.
It might sound fancy, but this dish is so simple to prepare. You can mix up the marinade in seconds, coat the chicken and leave it in the fridge to work its magic.
We’ve even used packaged pomegranate seeds from the supermarket to save on the mess (and faff) of using fresh, whole pomegranates.
We love how this dish comes together, with juicy, succulent chicken and fluffy, hearty wholewheat couscous making for a complete meal that’s just 413 calories.
Mediterranean Style Stuffed Peppers
You’re sure to look forward to dinner when these Mediterranean Style Stuffed Peppers are on the menu! They taste as good as they look, with delicious flavour baked into every bite.
We’ve filled each juicy, oven-baked pepper with beef, bulgur wheat, handfuls of dill and parsley. To make them extra moreish, we’ve added a dash of zesty lemon juice and finished them with a topping of crumbly feta. They taste far too good to be slimming friendly!
The combination of meat and grains inside makes this recipe filling enough to be enjoyed on its own, although you can also add a fresh, crisp salad on the side if you fancy a couple more of your 5-a-day!
Spinach and Feta Turnovers
Tempted to nip to the bakery for a filled pastry snack? Before you go, take a look at this super simple recipe for Spinach and Feta Turnovers. They’re crispy little parcels of wilted spinach and crumbly feta and we reckon they rival anything the bakery has to offer!
There’s no pastry in sight here, which helps to keep these nice and light (just 68 calories per turnover). Instead, we’ve used our favourite hack and baked the filling inside a low-calorie tortilla wrap. You won’t be disappointed when you bite into the crunchy golden parcels.
Whether as a quick snack or a light lunch, this is a recipe you’ll come back to time and time again!
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