Your Slimming Essentials – The Weekly Pinch of Shopping 04.02
It’s the first Friday of February and we’re back with a whole new Weekly Pinch of Shopping! We’ve got plenty of warming finds to get you through the February chill.
We’re talking veg-filled curry, superfood soup and mushy pea fish cakes – how’s that for comfort?
If you’re a choc-lover who can’t choose between light and dark chocolate, we’ve found some deliciously sweet double-dipped Magnums that give you the best of both worlds. You HAVE to try them!
Pssst…did you know that our NEW cookbook Pinch of Nom Comfort Food is out NOW! If you haven’t got your hands on a copy yet, it’s FULL of hearty, wholesome, home cooked dishes including Sweet Potato Chilli, Stuffed Pasta Bolognese and Millionaire’s Shortbread. Do we need to say any more?! Get your copy here.
We’ve also dropped in a reminder of this fortnight’s Super 6. Every fortnight Aldi discounts a selection of fresh fruit and vegetables, so we’re giving you the rundown of last 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!**
Innocent Berry Light Super Smoothie – 54 calories per 150ml
This energy-boosting Innocent Berry Light Super Smoothie is packed with handy vitamins, fibre and natural sugars that’ll satisfy day-to-day sweet cravings with ease. At 54 calories for a 150ml glass, it’s well worth pouring this fruity mix to brighten up a sluggish day.
Fun and vibrant berry flavours aren’t just for summer. The zesty lemon and blueberry combo is a topping made in heaven on our Lemon and Blueberry Waffles recipe. We’ve used oats to make our waffles fluffy, light and totally slimming friendly.
Sweet with a lemon zest kick, the interesting flavours will wake you right up at breakfast time. Why not give them a try with a scoopful of sweetened quark?
Innocent Berry Light Super Smoothie is available at Ocado, priced at £3.79 for a 750ml bottle.
BOL Butternut Squash & Chilli Power Soup – 132 calories per serving
Mildly spiced and full of plant-based goodness, this BOL Butternut Squash and Chilli Power Soup will give you a warming midday boost for 132 calories per bowlful. It’s a tasty way to enjoy four of your 5-a-day in one easy meal and it’s high in filling fibre.
You can’t beat a hearty bowl of warm soup when there’s a chill outside, and our light yet filling Minestrone Soup recipe is ideal to cosy up with at lunchtime.
There’s no shortage of home comfort in this recipe, with pasta, veggies, beans and garlicky herb seasoning in a rich tomato-based soup. We feel warmer already!
BOL Butternut Squash & Chilli Power Soup is available from Ocado, priced at £3.00 per pot.
Babybel Plant-based Vegan Snacks – 50 calories per Babybel
Ba ba ba Babybel’s back with a brand new plant-based version of their signature round, cheesy snack. Made with a smooth and creamy blend of coconut oil, starches and vitamin B12, this vegan-friendly alternative turns out even lighter than Babybel originals, at 50 calories per individually-wrapped snack.
Speaking of vegan snacks, if you’re on the lookout for a warm, savoury bite to tide your day over, our Vegan Sausage Rolls recipe is just the ticket.
Pop them in the oven until the plant-based filling is piping hot and the sesame seeded tortilla wrap ‘pastry’ is baked golden. Bring on the dip(s)!
Babybel Plant-based Vegan Snacks are available from Sainsbury’s, priced at £1.95 for a pack of 5.
Itsu Dark Chocolate Rice Cakes – 85 calories per rice cake
How does a rich, dark chocolate coated snack sound? These Dark Chocolate Rice Cakes from Itsu come in at only 85 calories per serving. They’re a crispy, chocolatey way to curb your sweet cravings, and they’re suitable for vegan or gluten-free diets.
If you fancy having a dabble at making your own grab-and-go snack, our Marshmallow Bars recipe is the perfect reason to get your mixing bowl out.
With only TWO ingredients (cheerios and molten marshmallows), you’ll have this budget-friendly treat prepped and setting in the fridge faster than you can put the kettle on.
Itsu Dark Chocolate Rice Cakes are available from Morrisons, priced at £1.00 per pack.
Sainsbury’s Inspired to Cook Vegetable Curry Kit – 86 calories per 1/2 pack
For only 86 calories per portion, this Sainsbury’s Inspired to Cook Vegetable Kit is the perfect time-saver on family curry night. With ready-chopped red onions, cauliflower, potatoes and green beans pre-seasoned with coriander and spices, each bag sets you well on your way to preparing a hearty homemade curry.
Are you feeling a mild korma or a fiery madras? If you prefer the hotter end of the scale, you’ll love our veggie-filled Cauliflower Madras recipe. We’ve used fresh chillies and chilli powder to make sure our sauce has the signature madras kick to it, but you can always leave those out if you’d rather enjoy a milder version (it’s just as fragrant and delicious without the heat!).
Sainsbury’s Inspired to Cook Vegetable Curry Kit is available from Sainsbury’s, priced at £1.50 per bag.
Heinz Tomato & Lentil Ragu Pasta Sauce – 79 calories per serving
Branching out from condiments, tinned soup and baked beans, Heinz are dabbling in a new range of comfort food with their very own pasta sauces. How does a jar of Heinz Tomato & Lentil Ragu Pasta Sauce sound? The fresh lentils bulk out the sauce nicely, so it’s a subtle way to get some fibre into fussy eaters at the dining table!
This could be used as a tasty, lentil-filled replacement for passata in a bolognese or ragu dish like our Beef Ragu Fettuccine recipe. Cook it on high or let the rich lentil sauce bubble away low and slow for 5–6 hours until the meat tenderises and breaks down (yum!).
Even if you’re not feeling pasta, this comfort-packed recipe is just as delicious with mashed potatoes or rice.
Heinz Tomato & Lentil Ragu Pasta Sauce is available from Ocado, priced at £3.00 per jar.
Iceland Meal in a Bag Salmon, Broccoli & Pea Risotto – 411 calories per 1/2 bag (serves 2)
When you fancy risotto but you don’t fancy cooking the creamy, Italian-inspired classic from scratch, this Meal in a Bag Salmon, Broccoli & Pea Risotto from Iceland is a super convenient option. Simply add the mix to your wok and stir frequently for 12-15 minutes until it’s piping hot. If you need to make each bag go further, why not serve it up with a side of greens and garlic bread?
We love a cheesy risotto dish, and it doesn’t get more cheesy and satisfying than our Carbonara Risotto recipe. Rich and indulgent with succulent gammon pieces, this garlicky risotto is well worth the effort of stirring the pot.
It’ll be an instant hit with the whole family, and you can save yourself stirring time down the line by freezing a portion or two – winner!
Iceland Meal in a Bag Salmon, Broccoli & Pea Risotto is available from Iceland, priced at £3.00 per bag.
Princes Malaysian-Style Satay Chicken Kebabs – 191 calories per 2 kebabs
These Princes Malaysian-Style Satay Chicken Kebabs serve up nutty and aromatic flavours in under 18 minutes and for only 191 calories per serving. Coated in a drool-worthy peanut and coconut satay sauce, there’s so much fragrant flavour you can effortlessly build a lunchtime salad or Friday night fakeaway feast around.
Satay chicken and rice makes an irresistible combo, hot or cold! We’ve used a super simple mixture of spices and basic ingredients in our Lemon and Turmeric Rice recipe, so you can invigorate any meal (including a fresh, crispy salad) with zesty flavours.
It’s also irresistibly vibrant and colourful with yellows and greens to brighten up your dinner plate!
Princes Malaysian-Style Satay Chicken Kebabs are available from Morrisons, priced at £3.75 for a pack of 4.
Young’s Gastro Signature Breaded Mushy Pea Topped Fish Cakes – 192 calories per fish cake
Young’s Gastro Signature Breaded Mushy Pea Topped Fish Cakes bring all the cosy chip-shop vibes with them. With a layer of mushy peas between the fish and the breaded coating, these save you a job – no need to crack open a tin to serve on the side!
We’d serve them up with oven chips and a dash of salt and vinegar for an authentic, chippy-inspired dinner that’s ready in 30 minutes.
We created our very own chip-shop tribute with our Fish and Chip Pie recipe, including all the signature elements: a mushy pea base, a flaky fish filling and a vinegary topping of chips. This one’s best served fresh from the oven with plenty of ketchup on the side. Just LOOK how good it looks!
Young’s Gastro Signature Breaded 4 Mushy pea Topped Fish Cakes are available from Iceland, priced at £3.50 for a pack of 4.
Magnum White Chocolate & Berry Remix 3 Pack – 222 calories per magnum
While it’s not quite the weather to be by the seaside with an ice cream, the ‘Remix’ range from Magnum brings us one step closer with double-dipped versions of its most popular flavours. For only 222 calories, these White Chocolate and Berry Magnums are all about getting the best of both light and dark chocolate, with a sweet and fruity ice cream centre.
If you love a fruity chocolate combo, you need to round off your day with a fruit-topped bowl of our slimming friendly Chocolate Mousse recipe. You only need 5 ingredients to whip this budget-friendly dessert together and it’s even lighter than a magnum at 114 calories per bowlful.
Finish with a sprinkling of biscuit crumbs for a crunchy, deconstructed cheesecake feel!
Magnum White Chocolate & Berry Remix 3 Pack is available from Morrisons, priced at £3.50 for a pack of 3.
REMINDER 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 reminder of this fortnight’s Super 6 selection:
- Little Gem Lettuce – 43 calories per 100g
- Salad Tomatoes – 20 calories per 100g
- Sugar Snap Peas – 34 calories per 100g
- Brown Onions – 40 calories per 100g
- Kiwis – 61 calories per 100g
- Brussels Sprouts – 13 calories per 100g
**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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