Your Slimming Essentials – The Weekly Pinch of Shopping 03.12
Your Is it just us or is Christmas approaching thick and fast? We’re back with the very first Weekly Pinch of Shopping of December!
When it’s chilly and there’s a dusting of snow, there’s nothing better than hearty, stodgy foods. We’ve found you some rich, creamy mashed potatoes from Aunt Bessie’s that are SO easy to serve for the whole family (and they’re freezer friendly – winner!).
We know Christmas shopping can be a little bit stressful, so we’ve dropped in a super sweet chocolate orange bombe treat – so you can spend a bit of time indulging yourself. Don’t forget the marshmallows and cream!
Pssst…did you know that our NEW cookbook Pinch of Nom Comfort Food is out in SIX DAYS? It hits the shelves on December 9th, but you can pre-order now if you want to make sure you’re one of the first to get your hands on it!
We’ve also dropped in the details of the brand new Super 6. Every fortnight Aldi discounts a selection of fresh fruit and vegetables, so we’re giving you the rundown of this week’s selection.
Please remember that all prices are correct at the time of us writing this article and so they should be used as a guide only.
Make sure that you make a note of your favourite products so that you can pick them up with your weekly shopping. Our new Quick & Easy food planner is perfect for this as it will really help you to plan out your meals and keep track of exactly what you’re eating or need to buy.
Lots of these products have been talked about over on our Facebook Group, so if you’re not a member then make sure that you click here to join now so that you don’t miss out (and don’t forget to share any delicious new products that you come across).
Our Weekly Pinch of Shopping list aims to show you slimming friendly products that are available in a wide range of stores so that you can pick them up during your weekly shop, and to make things really convenient we’ve also listed any relevant nutritional info and the RRP.
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**A note on our shopping list: 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!**
12 Mini Thai Inspired Salmon Fishcakes – 38 calories per fishcake with dip
Tis the season for hosting gatherings and enjoying warming, exciting flavours. If you’re putting on a festive spread and looking for a meat-free option, we think these Mini Thai Inspired Salmon Fishcakes from Sainsbury’s are a tasty go-to. Infused with a sweet yet spicy salmon filling, they also come with a hot dipping sauce to add even more flavour.
Our Chilli and Lime Baked Salmon is the perfect dish to get the spice and zest of Thai-inspired flavours into your midweek dinner routine. We like to serve it up with Pineapple Salsa for added zing.
If you’re not a lover of salmon, you could serve the zesty marinade with chicken instead. It’s just as refreshing!
12 Mini Thai Inspired Salmon Fishcakes are available from Sainsbury’s, priced at £2.50 for a pack of 12.
Batchelors Gastro Pub Mushy Peas with a Hint of Chilli – 77 calories per serving (1/3 can)
Normally served on the side of a plateful of fish and chips, mushy peas are a chip shop staple. We love that these Batchelors Gastro Pub Mushy Peas with a Hint of Chilli have a serious kick of spice to them. They’re a handy tin to have in your store cupboard ready for when you’re on the lookout to add a little bit of veggie protein to your meal.
We typically use plain mushy peas in our Mushy Pea Curry recipe, but you could use these chilli-infused peas to add some fire to our chip-shop-inspired favourite. It’s the closest you’ll get to the taste of the takeaway, without the calories (no wonder our Facebook group loves it!).
Batchelors Gastro Pub Mushy Peas with a Hint of Chilli are available from Sainsbury’s, priced at £0.70 per tin.
Oumph! Smoky Bits – 181 calories per serving
High in protein and good for the environment, these plant-based Oumph! Smoky Bits are a tasty addition to your freezer. Pop them in the oven or shallow fry them until they’re crispy and cooked through. They’re a quick and easy way to add smoky flavour to a sandwich or midday salad – they also go really well in creamy, classic dishes like our Spaghetti Carbonara recipe.
At just 181 calories for a serving of smoky-flavoured ‘bacon’ pieces, we think they’re a great, slimming friendly, meat-free alternative to whip up a veggie version of our Roasted Potatoes with Smoked Bacon. Just in time for the wintery roast dinner season!
Oumph! Smoky Bits are available from Morrisons, priced at £2.00 for a pack.
Fridge Raiders Chicken & Stuffing Bites – 172 calories per pack
Ho ho ho! Christmas is around the corner, bringing a whole heap of tempting festive flavours with it! Fridge Raiders have your Xmas cravings covered with their brand-new Chicken and Stuffing Bites. For just 172 calories per pack, you can get a convenient stuffing-flavoured protein fix straight from the fridge.
We’re obsessed with stuffing, and no Christmas dinner is complete without it. Our Chestnut Stuffing recipe is far lower in calories than traditional stuffing recipes, and full of festive flavour with sweet cranberries, sage and smoky bacon.
Fridge Raiders Chicken & Stuffing Bites are available from Tesco, priced at £1.00 per pack.
Mighty Pea Protein Oat Milk – 50 calories per 100ml
Plant-based, non-dairy drinks like this Mighty Pea Protein Oat Milk are suitable for vegan diets and free of nuts and soy too. Why not try some on your next bowlful of cereal? It also froths up nicely in coffee – it’s super high in protein, so it’ll give you a boost beyond the caffeine.
Oat milk can also offer a great alternative to using full fat cream in hearty home-made soups, like our Cream of Spinach and Rocket Soup recipe. We love to make our batches of this soup extra peppery by going heavy on the rocket side of things, or you can make it a little milder by adding extra spinach. Why not pop it in your soup flask for a light lunchtime treat?
Mighty Pea Protein Oat Milk is available from Asda, priced at £2.00 per carton.
The Coconut Collaborative Greek Style Almond & Coconut Yoghurt – 126 calories per serving
We’ve got another dairy-free pick for you with The Coconut Collaborative’s Greek Style Almond & Coconut Yoghurt. It’s so creamy and smooth, you would never guess it’s made from fresh coconuts and sweet almonds. If you’re a fan of nutty flavours, you’ll definitely appreciate a dollop of this on a bowl of berries or oats.
Coconut is such a refreshing flavour, although it can be tricky to know what alternatives there are to using full fat coconut milk in your cooking. Our Vegetable Coconut Curry is rich and smooth, thanks to a dairy-free coconut milk alternative. To thicken the sauce, we’ve added in some reduced fat cream cheese too – so you get to enjoy the veggies in a smooth, mildly-spiced sauce. Delish!
The Coconut Collaborative Greek Style Almond & Coconut Yoghurt is available from Sainsbury’s, priced at £2.75 per tub.
Bliss Indulgent Moments Hazelnut – 35 calories per bite
Budget-friendly and low on calories, we love these Bliss Indulgent Moments in Hazelnut flavour. What’s not to love about a crispy wafer coated in chocolate with a creamy hazelnut filling? It’s hard to believe they’re only 35 calories per individually-wrapped bite. You get twenty in a packet, so they’re well worth keeping handy in your desk drawer for when you fancy a pick-me-up.
For even fewer (just 33!) calories, why not have a moment with one of our home-made Jaffa Cakes instead? As long as they’re in an airtight container, you can refrigerate them at the office for a few days so you’ve always got a sweet snack ready. Perfect with your afternoon cuppa!
Bliss Indulgent Moments Hazelnut are available from the Poundshop, priced at £2.29 per pack.
Skinny Whip Mint & Dark Chocolate Snack Bars – 99 calories per bar
Calling all After Eight lovers! We’ve found the perfect freezer-based snack for you. These Skinny Whip Snack Bars in Mint & Dark Chocolate from Iceland are a low calorie treat full of minty, dark chocolate goodness. They’re also high in fibre, so they’re a filling sweet treat for your cosy night-in. At only 99 calories per bar, we can’t say no!
Even if The Great British Bake Off is finished, you don’t have to stop baking your own showstoppers at home. Why not whip up a batch of our slimming friendly Chocolate Brownies? Pop them in the oven until they’re gooey in the middle – they’re well fit! And so easy to experiment with. You could introduce your own After Eight flavours by adding some yummy mint flavouring into the mix.
Skinny Whip Mint & Dark Chocolate Snack Bars are available from Iceland, priced at £1.00 for a pack of 5.
Aunt Bessie’s Mashed Potato – 127 calories per 1/5 pack (15 cubes)
Fluffy, creamy and filling mashed potatoes are a must-have side for a midweek dinner. This frozen Mashed Potato from Aunt Bessie’s avoids the faff of having to peel and boil potatoes yourself. Simply grab them straight from the freezer and portion out ready to microwave in a matter of minutes (they’re even pre-seasoned!).
Our Chicken Bacon and Leek Cottage Pie is a hearty recipe that’ll warm up the whole family, and you can easily cut down the prep time by swapping out fresh potatoes for Aunt Bessie’s Mashed Potato (just be sure to adjust the calories if you’re counting).
Serve with steamed veg and a glug of Gravy for maximum comfort!
Aunt Bessie’s Mashed Potato is available from Ocado, priced at £1.23 for a pack of 5 servings.
Co-op Melting Choc Orange Bombe – 208 calories per choc orange bombe
We love the irresistible flavour combo of chocolate and orange, and we’re obsessed with hot chocolate – so this Melting Choc Orange Bombe from the Co-op was a no-brainer. If you think chocolate orange sounds good, just wait until you get to the centre. Pour over hot milk and melt until the mini marshmallow filling and chocolate chips are revealed. It’s SO good – perfect to cosy up on the sofa with.
Fancy an alcoholic festive beverage? Our Mulled Wine recipe will warm you right up. It only takes 15 minutes to prepare on the hob, or you can leave the ingredients to simmer away in the slow cooker until you’re ready to drink it. Ideal!
Co-op Melting Choc Orange Bombe is available from Co-op, priced at £1.50 per bombe.
NEW Aldi Super 6 Fruit and Veg Selection
We love Aldi’s Super 6 selection of fresh fruit and veggies. Each fortnight they choose six different items for a special offer where you can pick them up for much less than the normal price.
Here’s our rundown of this fortnight’s selection, plus a little inspiration for how you could use each ingredient:
Conference Pears – 64 calories per 100g
Sweet and juicy pears, anyone? Full of beneficial goodness for your gut and heart, pears are one of the most fibrous fruits you can enjoy. They’re a filling snack that’ll boost your day if you hit a slump – just make sure to eat the peel (that’s where so much of the nutrition is)!
Our Pear and Ginger Crumble recipe is topped with a light, oaty crumble that you’ll love with a dollop of low-fat Greek yoghurt. The indulgent, sweet pear flavour goes so well with spiced ginger.
Unwaxed Lemons – 17 calories per 100g
Whether you’re feeling a little under the weather or looking for a zesty ingredient, stocking up on lemons is never a bad idea. They’re also packed with immune-boosting vitamin C that’s much-needed over the winter bug season.
On a chilly evening, a cheap and cheerful oven bake recipe like our Lemon and Garlic Tray Bake is just the ticket, especially if it’s flavoured with zesty garlic and lemon!
Easy Peelers – 35 calories per 100g
Throw these sweet easy peelers into your lunchbox for a zingy midday boost. From using orange zest in home-baking to adding a citrus punch to a wintery salad or beverage, you can do all sorts with these vitamin C filled fruits.
How about our miniature version of a Christmas classic? Fresh zest from easy peelers would work well in our Mini Spiced Orange Mince Pie Crumbles. Cosy up and settle down in front of a Christmas film with one of these for just 86 calories per crumble.
Mini Roasting Potatoes – 68 calories per 100g
It’s so easy to transform the humble potato into a hearty side dish. A great source of filling fibre whether they’re chopped, baked, or sliced into chips, potatoes are a staple ingredient in plenty of home-cooked dishes. If you fancy a break from the usual chips or roast potatoes, why not try out our Parmentier Potatoes recipe? You can have these fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside in less than 45 minutes in the oven.
Broccoli – 35 calories per 100g
Broccoli is a sturdy veg that’s full of nutrients and ideal in stir-fries, soups and even pasta dishes. We love a slimming friendly version of high calorie takeaway favourites, and broccoli is the ideal veggie for our Hoisin Chicken recipe. Thanks to a home-made hoisin sauce, you can have this dish ready in quick time (less than 30 minutes) for only 249 calories per serving. It’s definitely better than ordering in!
Savoy Cabbage – 27 calories per 100g
Another veggie that’s packed full of vitamins and nutrients, cabbage is a great option for stews or soups and is especially delicious when sautéed. We like to use it as a creamy side dish, like our Creamed Cabbage and Leeks recipe. Using very simple ingredients, it’s a great alternative to the strong flavour of sprouts if you’re looking to get more seasonal greens into fussy eaters over the festive season!
**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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