Your Slimming Essentials – The Weekly Pinch of Shopping 06.12.24
It’s time! Your first Weekly Pinch of Shopping for December is here. It’s officially the season for sweet and savoury goodies with a festive twist, and you’ll find bags of that in this week’s blog.
How about a unique bottle of M&S White Mulled Wine? While red mulled wine is the usual go-to, we’re starting to wonder if a new favourite has arrived. Light and zesty, it’s got the same soul-warming effect – perfect for a cosy winter’s evening.
On the sweeter side, take a moment for yourself with the new Galaxy® Maltesers® Profiteroles. They’re indulgent enough for any occasion and the calorie count might surprise you.
Deck the halls with PINCH OF NOM: ALL IN ONE! We know so many of you haven’t just picked up a copy for yourself, you’ve gifted one to someone you know…and that’s just AMAZING to us!
With All in One, you’re wrapping up all of this to put under the tree:
- 30 slow cooker recipes (more than we’ve ever put in one book before!)
- Over 90 brand-new recipes, organised into the Nom chapters you know and love
- Fuss-free, flavourful meals, without a mountain of dishes to clean afterwards
There’s even a festive recipe inside on page 248…our Cranberry Poached Pears. It’s a Christmas gifting dream!
Tap the photo below to bag one for yourself, or treat someone else.
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!**
Sainsbury’s Spiced Red Cabbage, Taste the Difference – 71 calories per 80g serving
We love a bit of red cabbage to the side of meaty roast dinners, casseroles or pies. This Taste the Difference Spiced Red Cabbage is perfect for the most wonderful time of the year, with a medley of apple, cranberry, and redcurrant flavours swirled in.
A dollop would go down a treat with our Slow Cooker Creamy Sausage and Bean Casserole from pages 100-101 of our newest cookbook, Pinch of Nom: All in One.
We’ve cooked everything in a rich, creamy sauce with sweet slow-cooked onions and leeks, and added a scrummy Italian-inspired twist with a sprinkling of Parmesan and fresh basil.
Grab a crusty wholemeal bread roll to mop up every last drop of sauce!
Sainsbury’s Spiced Red Cabbage, Taste the Difference is available from Sainsbury’s, priced at £2.25 (or £2.00 with a Nectar card).
Exceptional by ASDA Festive Whisky, Fig & Spiced Honey Smoked Salmon – 75 calories per 1/2 pack
This ‘Exceptional by ASDA’ Whisky, Fig and Spiced Honey Smoked Salmon would be a great option for Christmas morning. On top of scrambled eggs or divided between Christmassy canapés, it’s a taste sensation that’s lighter than you’d think, at only 75 calories for half a pack.
A match made in heaven, our Dill Cream Cheese and Smoked Salmon Bagel is a go-to for us on the 25th of December. You just can’t beat waking up to that gorgeous, cheesy, savoury crunch!
It’ll serve you just as well for brunch or lunch too. The full recipe is on pages 32-33 of our Quick and Easy cookbook.
Exceptional by ASDA Festive Whisky, Fig & Spiced Honey Smoked Salmon is available from Asda, priced at £3.79.
MOMA Blueberry & Vanilla Porridge Sachets – 147 calories per 40g serving
When you need something quick, cosy and healthy for breakfast, these MOMA Blueberry and Vanilla Porridge Sachets tick all the boxes. High in fibre and low in saturated fats, the fruity-sweet flavours here will fuel you up for the day ahead.
We’re in the habit of having porridge or overnight oats for breakfast regularly. If you’re the same and you’re running low on topping inspiration, our rundown of healthy toppings has you covered.
You can always try something a little bit different with our Lemon and Blueberry Waffles. You’re still getting your oats in, just in a new way!
We serve them topped with a fresh handful of blueberries and sweetened quark.
MOMA Blueberry & Vanilla Porridge Sachets are available from Tesco, priced at £3.30 per box.
Yorkshire Provender Jacket & Toast Topper Three Bean Medley in a Smoky BBQ Sauce – 134 calories per 100g
Stop scrolling if you love having beans on toast for lunch! This pot of Yorkshire Provender Jacket and Toast Topper Three Bean Medley in a Smoky BBQ Sauce is right up your street.
A nutritious, delicious, ready-to-heat combination of beans in a punchy sauce, you can have it ready to enjoy over toast, jacket potatoes and more in minutes.
It wouldn’t be right to talk about baked beans without mentioning our Baked Bean Bolognese recipe. A true midweek hero, this thrifty dish makes a small amount of reduced-fat beef mince stretch even further.
We’ve hidden lots of gorgeous veggies inside the rich, tomatoey sauce – the fussiest eaters at the table won’t have a clue!
Yorkshire Provender Jacket & Toast Topper Three Bean Medley in a Smoky BBQ Sauce are available from Sainsbury’s, priced at £3.00 per pot.
Sauce Shop x Aldi – Brussels Sprout Kimchi Hot Sauce – 27 calories per 100g serving
Spice up Christmas with two brand-new sauces in the Specialbuy aisle at Aldi! We’ve gone for Sauce Shop x Aldi – Brussels Sprout Kimchi Hot Sauce, but Spiced Cranberry Hot Honey Sauce is available too.
Try a dab of the eye-catching green sauce on festive sarnies, over pigs in blankets, or on bubble and squeak. Just be careful – it packs a punch with plenty of green jalapeño heat!
If you’re feeling brave, you could always liven up our BBQ Turkey Sliders and Christmas Slaw with a drop. These small, grab-and-go burgers are absolutely spot on for a Christmas party spread.
Piled high with turkey, cranberry sauce, and a homemade Christmas slaw, they’re guaranteed to bring good tidings to you and your guests.
Sauce Shop x Aldi – Brussels Sprout Kimchi Hot Sauce is available from Aldi, priced at £3.49 per bottle.
M&S White Mulled Wine – 107 calories per 100ml
The ultimate Yuletide tipple, we couldn’t resist picking up a bottle of the M&S’ new White Mulled Wine. While it’s definitely not as traditional as its richer, deeper, red wine counterpart, you’re bound to enjoy the zesty-sweet pear flavours in every sip.
It’s best guzzled with a slice of lemon, to really bring out the citrusy freshness.
If mulled wine flavours tell us anything, it’s that it’s cold outside! That’s why the aromas of cinnamon, cloves and star anise play a starring role in our brand-new Mulled Wine Beef Stew.
You’ll know it’s ready when the meat is velvety, and the gravy is thick, glossy and rich. We’d recommend serving with a simple side of potatoes, or with heaps of roasted vegetables.
In no rush? Make it in your slow cooker by tapping here.
M&S White Mulled Wine is available from Ocado and in-store from M&S, priced at £5.50 per bottle (reduced from £6.50).
Richmond Extra Tasty Pigs in Blankets – 93 calories per 2 pigs in blankets
Nothing says ‘Merry Christmas’ quite like pigs in blankets. These Richmond Extra Tasty Pigs in Blankets bring the signature ‘Richmond’ pork sausage flavour to everyone’s favourite part of Christmastime buffets.
We’d say these cocktail-sized piggies bundled into streaky beechwood smoked bacon blankets are surprisingly light, at 93 calories for two.
Believe it or not, pigs in blankets can get even better! Our showstopping Pigs in Blankets Christmas Wreath doesn’t just have the ‘wow’ factor, it’s utterly irresistible too.
You can use any low-fat sausages you can find at your local supermarket. Just be sure to adjust the calories accordingly, if you’re counting.
Richmond Extra Tasty Pigs in Blankets are available from Tesco, priced at £3.00 for a pack of 12.
Prep’d Protein Chipotle Beef Chilli with Coriander Rice – 491 calories per serving
This Prep’d Protein Chipotle Beef Chilli with Coriander Rice is packed with 33 grams of muscle-building protein. We’re talking juicy minced beef, black beans, kidney beans and colourful peppers, all ready-combined in a spiced tomato sauce.
It comes with a serving of coriander-infused long grain rice, so you don’t need to worry about prepping a side dish.
We love the versatility you can get from a single batch of chilli. These Chilli Bowls are one of our favourite ways to appreciate fiery chilli con carne flavours.
They hold all the classic chilli dinner accompaniments, from a rice base to a cheesy topping. You can even add a spoonful of guacamole or sour cream, if you fancy!
Prep’d Protein Chipotle Beef Chilli with Coriander Rice is available from Asda, priced at £3.50 for a pack that serves one.
Specially Selected Dark Chocolate Coated Mango – 140 calories per 30g serving
Thanks to the bright yellow packet, these Specially Selected Dark Chocolate Coated Mango bags are hard to miss at Aldi. That’s a good thing, because the combination of juicy-sweet mango slices coated in rich dark chocolate is snacktime heaven.
You can also pick up chocolate-coated oranges as a Specialbuy too – although you might need to hurry, both flavours are flying off the shelves!
Mango has a special place in our heart, and so does this Mango and Raspberry Ice Cream recipe. It’s just like restaurant-style gelato, yet budget-friendly and low in calories.
It’s also ready in 10 minutes with just four ingredients, so it’d be rude not to…
Specially Selected Dark Chocolate Coated Mango is available from Aldi, priced at £2.79 per pack.
Galaxy® Maltesers® Profiteroles – 86 calories per profiterole
Imagine profiteroles coated in a silky layer of chocolate, filled with malt flavour cream and topped with honeycomb-flavoured chunks. That’s exactly what you get when you grab a box of Galaxy® Maltesers® Profiteroles from Iceland.
At 86 calories per profiterole, we’re definitely sold. You could always top them with a pour of homemade, low-calorie Toffee Sauce if you’re in the mood for more.
The advantage of making your own Profiteroles at home is that you can fill them with whatever you like. While we’ve gone for low-calorie squirty cream to keep things nice and light, there’s nothing to stop you preparing yours with low-fat custard to your favourite jam.
Just be sure to make adjustments to the calories, if you’re keeping track.
Galaxy® Maltesers® Profiteroles are available from Iceland, priced at £4.00 per box.
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 extra-special Super 6 offering, along with some recipe ideas for you.
Limes – 30 calories per 100g
Limes are little bursts of zesty magic that can brighten up any dish with just a squeeze! Take our Honey and Lime Pork Nachos for example – they wouldn’t be the same without a tangy twist.
At just 495 calories per bowl, this one’s the ultimate savoury sharer for a cosy night in watching Christmas films.
Lemons – 17 calories per 100g
Feeling the winter chill? Unwaxed lemons are just the ticket for a vitamin C boost, and they’re so versatile too; perfect for sweet and savoury recipes alike.
Don’t be surprised if you find yourself reaching for a second slice of our Lemon Drizzle Cake recipe. It’s hard to believe this light and fluffy, zesty sponge is just only 73 calories per serving.
Cauliflower – 75 calories per 100g
Mild-flavoured and low in calories, it’s so easy to throw cauliflower into the mix when you’re cooking. We recently revamped some of our oldest, most-popular recipes ever, including our gloriously golden brown Cauliflower Cheese. We challenge you to resist that cheesy-looking topping…
Brown Onions – 40 calories per 100g
Their bold, strong flavour makes brown onions a versatile, brilliant base ingredient for all kinds of different dishes. From pasties and pies, to curries, stews, and more, the possibilities are endless with onions in your kitchen.
Our Cheese and Onion Pasties are cheesy, oniony perfection…and here’s a little secret: we didn’t use real pastry to make them (you won’t even notice!).
Extra Fine Green Beans – 31 calories per 100g
Whether you’re throwing them into stir-fries, tossing them in salads, or stirring them into curries, extra fine green beans are always a winner.
Ready in under 10 minutes, you can always rely on our Air Fryer Crispy Green Beans recipe to add a pop of garlicky green goodness to any plate. All for only 79 calories per serving!
Easy Peelers – 35 calories per 100g
Easy peelers are a dream to snack on; sweet, juicy, and (as the name suggests!) so fuss-free to peel. They’re perfect for stashing in your lunchbox to take on the go for a slimming-friendly bite.
They’ll also add a vitamin C boost to your breakfast spread, no matter how you like your eggs! If fiery’s the way, try our lip-smacking Harissa Eggs next time you fancy toast.
**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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