Your Slimming Essentials – The Weekly Pinch of Shopping 01.03.24
How is it March already?! Let’s celebrate the first day of a new month with a brand-new Weekly Pinch of Shopping. You’ll want to make a list…we’ve got Easter treats AND a few bits for quick midweek meals.
Easter Sunday is only a few weeks away and, whether you want to enjoy a sweet treat, savoury snack, or get ahead with the roast dinner, there’s something for everyone on our shopping list this week. The indulgent-looking Cadbury Creme Egg Cupcakes we’ve spotted are only 225 calories each!
Will you be rushing to Tesco for a tin of Heinz Cathedral City Cheesy Baked Beans? Cheese and beans is an elite combination, so we NEED to know how you’d serve them. Hop over to our Facebook group and let us know pleeeeeease!
Our latest cookbook Pinch of Nom: Express has been out in the world since December and we are still over the moon with all the positive comments you’ve left for us (we promise, we read every single one!). Thank you SO MUCH and please keep the recipe photos coming; there’s nothing we love more than scrolling through your creations!
You can share your photos with us in our Gallery, on our Facebook group or over on instagram @pinchofnom. Just don’t forget to tag us – we wouldn’t want to miss it!
You can order a copy here if you still need to grab one.
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!**
Morrisons Extra Crispy Chicken Fillet Burgers – 270 calories per burger
Pencil in a burger night this weekend, and enjoy a change from beef with these Morrisons Extra Crispy Chicken Fillet Burgers. Made from 100% chicken breast, with a golden breadcrumb coating, they’d be super satisfying served in a bun, or on their own with salad and Sweet Potato Fries.
They cook in under half an hour in the oven, but they’re ready even faster in an air fryer – they need just 17-19 minutes to crisp up to perfection. (Psst…did you see we have a whole list of air fryer fakeaway recipes in this article?).
If you’re looking for a quick chicken burger that’s super slimming friendly, our Cajun-Spiced Chicken Burgers are on the table in 20 minutes, and they’re just 273 calories, burger bun included!
Morrisons Extra Crispy Chicken Fillet Burgers are available from Morrisons, priced at £2.50 for a pack of 2.
Iceland Sliced Leeks – 20 calories per 80g serving
Leeks are one of those vegetables that we only pick up now and then, when we have a specific recipe in mind. If you often find you don’t get through a whole pack of fresh ones, these frozen Sliced Leeks from Iceland are well worth stocking in the freezer.
With every bit as much flavour and goodness as their fresh counterparts, there’s no need for washing or dicing – these can go straight into the pan.
We’ll be using them to rustle up a big batch of Ham, Leek and Potato Soup this weekend. It’s a proper warming lunch, and it only uses 4 simple ingredients. Best of all, it’s freezer-friendly, so leftover portions can be stashed away for a rainy day.
Iceland Sliced Leeks are available from Iceland, priced at £1.00 for a 600g bag.
Krunchie Gravy Browning – 61 calories per 100ml
If you’ve ever made our show-stopping Gravy recipe you will have spotted gravy browning in the ingredients list. It’s not something that’s a day-to-day kitchen staple, but if you’re making homemade gravy often, you might want to pop to Morrisons for a bottle of this Krunchie Gravy Browning.
Just a few drops of the vegan-friendly liquid will add colour to gravies, but also other foods like soups and BBQ sauces. It doesn’t add flavour, but it’ll give your gravy (or other sauce) a gorgeous, glossy, deep brown hue.
For your next Sunday dinner, make a tray of our crispy, golden Roast Potatoes, then drench them in delicious gravy. They’re beautifully simple to make, with an oh-so-fluffy centre that makes every bite super satisfying.
Krunchie Gravy Browning is available from Morrisons, priced at £1.45.
Cadbury Creme Egg Cupcakes – 225 calories per cupcake
It’s Easter at the end of the month, and if you can’t wait to treat yourself to chocolate egg themed snacks, we don’t blame you! We’ve spotted these new Cadbury Creme Egg Cupcakes in Asda, and they look like they’ll be dreamy with a cuppa.
The fluffy chocolate sponge cakes have a sweet fondant centre, and each one is topped with a swirl of vanilla frosting and milk chocolate decorations. They’re 225 calories per cupcake, which is lighter than you might expect, especially since a Creme Egg is 177 calories.
For an even more slimming-friendly sweet treat, our Chocolate Creme Egg Cakes work out at just 41 calories each. They really look the part, and they taste just as good too! In fact, they’re too special to save for Easter, so we recommend making them all year round!
Cadbury Creme Egg Cupcakes are available from Asda, priced at £2.50 for a pack of 2.
Nairn’s Gluten Free Mini Cheese Bakes – 209 calories per 45g bag
Did you know that Mini Cheddars aren’t gluten free? Nobody should have to miss out on a crunchy baked cheese snack, so we were pleased to spot these Nairn’s Gluten Free Mini Cheese Bakes on the shelves in Sainsbury’s this week.
Made with real cheese and wholegrain oats, the tasty baked biscuits are perfect for on-the-go snacking, with 209 calories in each 45g bag.
Speaking of cheesy bakes, you need to make our Cheese and Onion Bakes for lunch next week! They turn a humble sandwich thin into a crunchy bakery-style treat, with a gooey, savoury filling that you won’t be able to get enough of.
Nairn’s Gluten Free Mini Cheese Bakes are available from Sainsbury’s, priced at £1.00 for a 45g bag (or 75p with a Nectar card).
Fray Bentos Meatballs In Bolognese Sauce – 190 calories per 1/2 can
Fray Bentos has been making pies for years, but these Meatballs In Bolognese Sauce are the newest addition to its range of convenient, quick dinners. These are chicken meatballs, in a tomato and basil bolognese sauce, with 1 of your 5-a-day in half a can.
Ready to plate up alongside your favourite type of pasta, they cook on the hob or in the microwave in a matter of minutes. If you’re planning to stock up, keep an eye out for the other new flavour too – chicken meatballs in Swedish-style gravy.
If the thought of meatballs for dinner has set your mouth watering, how about rustling up this Chilli Meatball Orzo? It’s hearty, delicious and chock-full of fresh veggies, all for just 358 calories per serving.
Fray Bentos Meatballs In Bolognese Sauce is available from Morrisons, priced at £1.20 per can.
Aunt Bessie’s Slow Cooked Shoulder of Lamb – 309 calories per 1/4 pack
Whether it’s for a regular Sunday roast, or your Easter dinner, this Aunt Bessie’s Slow Cooked Shoulder of Lamb will make the preparation easier. Ready to go straight from the freezer into the oven, it’s already seasoned with salt and pepper, as well as thyme and parsley.
When it’s had an hour and a half in the oven, you’ll want to shred the succulent lamb, saving all the glorious cooking juices to pour over the meat before serving.
For anyone who wants to serve lamb in a different way on Easter Sunday, we’ve got you covered with our Loaded Lamb Sweet Potato Fries. Rather than a leg or shoulder of lamb, all you’ll need is some lamb mince, sweet potatoes and a handful of Mediterranean-inspired ingredients.
Aunt Bessie’s Slow Cooked Shoulder of Lamb is available from Iceland, priced at £10 for a pack that serves 4.
Tesco Finest Cheddar & Red Leicester Hot Cross Buns – 157 calories per bun
You can’t get away from the shelves of hot cross buns when you pop to the supermarket at this time of year. If you’re more into savoury flavours than sweet, you might be interested to know that Tesco now has these brand-new Finest Cheddar and Red Leicester Hot Cross Buns in stock.
A double whammy of cheesy goodness, they’ll toast up a treat, so you can serve them with a simple scrape of butter (or reduced-fat spread). Why stop there though – imagine adding spreadable cheese, chutney or melting even more Cheddar on top!
Since these are only 157 calories each, we reckon we’d pair them with a wholesome bowl of soup for lunch. The Roasted Root Vegetable Soup from our latest book Express is always a winner. It’s comforting and hearty, packed with goodness for just 120 calories.
You can pick up a copy of Express here if you don’t already have one (you’ll find this recipe on pages 152-153).
Tesco Finest Cheddar & Red Leicester Hot Cross Buns are available from Tesco, priced at £1.60 for a pack of 4.
Heinz Cathedral City Cheesy Baked Beans – 213 calories per 1/2 can
The nation’s favourite beans meets the nation’s favourite cheese! We’d heard these Heinz Cathedral City Cheesy Baked Beans were on the way, and we finally managed to find them in Tesco this week.
Cheese and beans together is a no-brainer, so it makes sense that these flavours work in perfect harmony. Whether you’re using them to top some toast, pouring them onto a jacket potato, or adding them to your full English breakfast, you can’t go wrong!
Cheesy beans with a difference, the Greek-Style Baked Beans recipe from Pinch of Nom: Enjoy is a rustic side dish with bags of flavour. Rather than Cheddar, we’ve crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese over our herby, tomatoey butter beans – scoop some onto a flatbread and thank us later!
Flick to pages 192-195 of Enjoy for the full recipe (or order a copy of the book here).
Heinz Cathedral City Cheesy Baked Beans are available from Tesco, priced at £1.80.
Malteser Ice Cream Bar – 128 calories per ice cream bar
Imagine chocolatey, crumbly Maltesers in an Ice Cream Bar – that’s exactly what we’ve found in the freezers at Morrisons! Lovely and light at 128 calories each, they’re perfect for an after-dinner sweet treat.
The velvety-soft, malt-flavoured ice cream has tiny chunks of crunchy Malteser mixed through it, and the whole bar is encased in a thin chocolate shell. You’ll want to hide these at the back of your freezer drawer so no one else can get to them before you!
We love making our own ice cream, especially when it’s as easy as this Biscoff Swirl Ice Cream. You only need 3 ingredients to make a luxurious, low-calorie dessert that the whole family will lap up.
Malteser Ice Cream Bars are available from Morrisons, priced at £2.49 for a pack of 4.
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.
Spring onions – 32 calories per 100g
With a burst of fresh, vibrant flavour, spring onions are always handy to have in the fridge. From salads and stir-fries, to a simple garnish, they add a mild onion flavour wherever they’re sprinkled.
If you’re planning a Chinese-inspired fakeaway night in the near future, pick up some spring onions and make this Mongolian Crispy Lamb as a taste bud tingling starter. The freshness of the veggies is the perfect companion to the aromatic, crunchy lamb.
Mangetout – 33 calories per 100g
Mangetout are a type of garden pea that are picked while they’re very young, so they’re particularly crisp, sweet and fresh-tasting. Similar to a sugar snap pea, you can eat the whole pod, and they’re equally delicious served raw or cooked.
We’ve used sugar snap peas in our Vegetarian Thai-Style Green Curry, but there’s no reason you can’t swap them for mangetout instead!
Romaine lettuce – 17 calories per 100g
Fresh and crunchy, romaine lettuce is great for salads, and it’ll add a nice bite layered inside a sandwich too. Since it’s so low in calories, it’s an ideal ingredient for high volume, low-calorie eating.
You could add it to pretty much any salad recipe, including chopping the leaves up for this BLT Pasta Salad. It’s such a treat for lunch!
Kiwis – 61 calories per 100g
Full of tangy sweetness, kiwis are a juicy pick-me-up fruit you can enjoy at any time of day. Good for digestion and full of immune-boosting vitamins, they’re well worth having in the fridge to reach for when you need a little treat.
Use them to make our Strawberry and Kiwi Ice Lollies – they’re a deliciously low-calorie sweet treat that’s bursting with fruity flavour.
Royal Gala Apples – 52 calories per 100g
These crisp dessert apples are mild and sweet, so they’re the ideal healthy snack. Pop one into your packed lunch, or chop up slices and serve with a scoop of fat-free Greek yoghurt, peanut butter or even Nutella!
If you’d rather use them in a savoury dish, these Royal Gala apples are perfect for our Somerset Pork recipe.
Oranges – 47 calories per 100g
If you need a boost of vitamin C, grab a bag of oranges while they’re included in the Super 6. Juicy, sweet and packed with goodness, they can be sliced, squeezed or simply peeled to make the most of their fruity freshness.
We’ve already picked some up this week, and they’ll be getting turned into these Air Fryer Ginger and Orange Chicken Kebabs. They’re so quick to cook, and full of lip-smacking, zesty flavours.
**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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