Your Slimming Essentials – The Weekly Pinch of Shopping 08.10

Weekly Pinch of Shopping - Pinch of Nom Slimming Recipes

Woop! It’s Friday! That means another Weekly Pinch of Shopping is here and we’re bringing you lots of different flavours. How about some salt and malt vinegar frozen crisps? Yep, you read that right – FROZEN potato shapes from McCoy’s. 

Oooof! We’ve even got some low sugar chocolate orange cookies for you. Scroll down to dunk them in a brew!

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!**

Sainsbury’s Cottage Garden Pie – 292 calories per pack

Weekly Pinch of Shopping - Pinch of Nom Slimming Recipes

We’re starting the week with a warming cottage pie! When you’re caught out and you haven’t planned something for dinner, it’s always handy to have a ready-made recipe you can pull out of the fridge and trust to be tasty. 

This Cottage Garden Pie from Sainsbury’s is so full of tasty veggies it’ll send you on your way to your 5-a-day. Instead of minced beef, it uses mushrooms and a red wine gravy to keep things hearty and warming. And don’t forget the buttery mashed potato topping! Whack it in the oven and 30 minutes later you’re good to go.

If you fancy making your own Cottage Pie, our recipe has fluffy mash, rich gravy and a meaty filling that’ll bring you all the comfort. 

You can still make it veggie by swapping out the lean minced beef for Quorn and using veggie stock. Yum!

Cottage Pie - Pinch of Nom Slimming Recipes

Taste the Difference Cottage Garden Pie is available at Sainsbury’s, priced at £3.00.

Higgidy Vegetable Samosa Vegan Rolls – 86 calories per roll

Weekly Pinch of Shopping - Pinch of Nom Slimming Recipes

We love samosas on curry night! So we had to mention these Higgidy Vegetable Samosa Vegan Rolls. The flaky pastry parcels are plant-based and stuffed with a sweet filling of chickpeas and mango chutney.

They’re pretty handy because you can enjoy them hot or cold. We love how flavoursome they are after being in the oven for 10-12 minutes. They’re also only very mildly spiced, so you don’t have to be a lover of heat to appreciate their flavour.

The filling in our own Samosas recipe is definitely more spicy than sweet, but that’s just how we like them! It only takes an hour to create the tasty filling and enjoy them fresh and crispy out of the oven.

We’ve used filo pastry to lower the calories and keep things lighter. They taste perfect alongside a rich, creamy curry or you can serve them at your next buffet table spread. 

Samosas - Pinch of Nom Slimming Recipes

Higgidy Vegetable Samosa Vegan Rolls are available from Ocado, priced at £2.00.

Merchant Gourmet Lentil Madras Curry – 68 calories per serving

Weekly Pinch of Shopping - Pinch of Nom Slimming Recipes

Did someone say fiery Madras? This jar of Merchant Gourmet Lentil Madras Curry is a low fat, spicy mixture. High in fibre and protein, this lentil and chickpea mixture will leave you feeling full and satisfied. 

The Madras sauce is cooled down slightly by butternut squash, so you’ll still be able to handle it even if you’re not a fan of heat. It’s so easy to serve with a wholewheat naan bread or a bit of wholegrain rice. 

We love a classic flavour combo, and our Sausages with Creamy Lentils recipe makes the most of a classic dream team: pork, sage and apple.

It’s a one pot meal with minimal fuss – exactly what we want after a busy day! We recommend serving it with pickled beetroot and a bit of red cabbage. SO flavoursome!

Sausages with Creamy Lentils - Pinch of Nom Slimming Recipes

Merchant Gourmet Lentil Madras Curry is available from Waitrose, priced at £3.50 per jar.

Dolmio 7 Veg Tomato and Basil Pasta Sauce – 131 calories per portion

Weekly Pinch of Shopping - Pinch of Nom Slimming Recipes

Perfect partnered with pasta, we’ve picked out a helping of Dolmio’s 7 Veg sauce in Tomato and Basil for you. Another handy jar to have in the store cupboard, it’s SO easy to warm up on the hob and enjoy with your favourite type of pasta or spaghetti.

Why not combine it with mince for a tomatoey bolognese flavoured with lots of sweet, textured veggies? Every portion has 2 of your 5 recommended daily intake of fruit and veg. Nice!

There’s nothing better than pairing bolognese with garlic bread. If you’re going to be making a tomato and basil pasta bolognese this week, we’d recommend serving it with a slice of our Cheesy Garlic Bread.

It’s a slimming friendly accompaniment that uses gluten free ciabatta rolls to keep the cals down. They’re also SO good at absorbing all those garlicky flavours whilst keeping a crispy edge. Mmm, yes please! 

Cheesy Garlic Bread - Pinch of Nom Slimming Recipes

Dolmio 7 Veg Tomato and Basil Pasta Sauce is available from Asda, priced at £1.00.

Lazy Vegan Italian Risotto Ready Meal – 408 calories per bag

Weekly Pinch of Shopping - Pinch of Nom Slimming Recipes

When it’s cold outside and we need a fluffy bowl of comfort, risotto is a go-to dish. But we all know it can be a little high maintenance to make! If you’ve not got the time to be faffing with prepping a fresh batch, this Lazy Vegan Italian Risotto Ready Meal is a great option. 

It’s ready-to-serve creamy risotto in a bag that’ll be on the table in 8 minutes. We LOVE all the veg that’s in it: asparagus, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, garlic, spring onion, green peas and parsley. Yummy!

Have you had a chance to try our Carbonara Risotto recipe yet? If you love carbonara, you will be obsessed. It’s got all the cheesy, creaminess of the classic Italian dish with a fluffy risotto twist. 

It takes a little more effort to make, but trust us – it’s sooo worth it!

Carbonara Risotto - Pinch of Nom Slimming Recipes

Lazy Vegan Italian Risotto Ready Meal is available from Waitrose, priced at £2.60 per pack.

Müller Kefir Smoothie Raspberry & Pomegranate – 72 calories per 100ml

Weekly Pinch of Shopping - Pinch of Nom Slimming Recipes

This Raspberry and Pomegranate Smoothie from Müller is a convenient grab-and-go drink option. It’s low in fat and good for your gut – winner! It’s also high in calcium, which is the most important mineral for healthy bones. 

The blend of raspberry and pomegranate is SO refreshing, it’ll give you the boost you’re after in the day. Simply pop it in your bag and keep it refrigerated at work. 

Thinking about pomegranates gives us all the festive feels (eep, sorry – is it too soon?). They’re in season now until the end of the year and they’re a key flavour in our Cranberry and Pomegranate sauce. 

Since autumn has firmly arrived, why not try it as a fruity accompaniment with your next roast dinner? 

Cranberry and Pomegranate Sauce - Pinch of Nom Slimming Recipes

Müller Kefir Smoothie Raspberry & Pomegranate is available from Sainsbury’s, priced at £1.30. 

Light & Free Protein Banana & Peanut Butter Flavour Yogurt – 83 calories per pot

Weekly Pinch of Shopping - Pinch of Nom Slimming Recipes

This Banana & Peanut Butter Flavour yoghurt pot from Light & Free is a refreshing pot that’s high in protein. The velvety, creamy texture will leave your taste buds satisfied and they’re only 83 calories per pot. Perfect!

We LOVE the combination of banana and peanut, that’s why we created our Banana and Peanut Muffins! These ones aren’t the dessert kind – they’re actually much better enjoyed at breakfast time or through the day as a snack.

They’re so handy if you don’t want to mess about first thing in the morning. Simply prep (in only 25 minutes!) and refrigerate or freeze them until the night before you want to eat them. Easy peasy!

Banana and Peanut Muffins - Pinch of Nom Slimming Recipes

Light & Free Protein Banana & Peanut Butter Flavour Yogurt is available at Asda, priced at £0.95 per pack.

Wholey Moly Chocolate & Orange Cookies – 165 calories per cookie

Weekly Pinch of Shopping - Pinch of Nom Slimming Recipes

Someone put the kettle on! You’re gonna want to dunk these cookies in a cuppa. These Wholey Moly Chocolate & Orange Cookies from Ocado are a little indulgent but they taste amazing. 

The blend of chocolate and orange is perfect to curb your sweet cravings when you’re in a slump. They contain 50% less sugar than similar products and they use real orange, so the zesty punchy flavours are all natural.  

If we’ve left you with a craving for cookies, don’t worry! Our recipe for Double Choc Chip Cookies is super quick to make. Plus, they’re only 40 calories per cookie, so the gooey-ness is totally slimming friendly!

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies - Pinch of Nom Slimming Recipes

Wholly Moly Chocolate & Orange Cookies are available from Ocado, priced at £1.50 per cookie.

The Pantry Mini Lemon Flavoured Meringues – 32 calories per 3 mini meringues

Weekly Pinch of Shopping - Pinch of Nom Slimming Recipes

We love how easy this tub of Mini Lemon Flavoured Meringues is to keep on hand as a light dessert option. You’ll want to stock up on all the flavours from this range in your pantry – plain and raspberry are also available.

Why not use them to add a sweet, citrus crunch on top of your favourite yoghurt? If you felt like going all out, we think these would be SO tasty paired with a bowl of Winter Berry Ice Cream

Crumble up a portion and you can serve the creamy, winter berry flavours with a zesty sprinkling on top. 

Winter Berry Ice Cream - Pinch of Nom Slimming Recipes

The Pantry Mini Lemon Flavoured Meringues are available from Aldi, priced at £1.09.

The Real McCoy’s® Salt and Malt Vinegar – 230 calories per serving

Weekly Pinch of Shopping - Pinch of Nom Slimming Recipes

FROZEN CRISPS! Yes, really. This bag of Salt and Malt Vinegar from McCoy’s is a bit different from the usual grab bag you’d find in a vending machine. These are crinkle cut potato shapes you can keep in the freezer and warm up in the oven. 

The kids are bound to love them! They’ll definitely bring some fun to the table. You’ll want to try them dipped in ketchup. You could even plate them up alongside some fuss free chicken nuggets, or even a burger.

Our BBQ Chicken Nuggets taste like a crispy, indulgent recipe but they’re actually from our Everyday Light category!

You can also batch cook and freeze them, so they’re a perfect crowd pleaser for busier days.

BBQ Chicken Nuggets - Pinch of Nom Slimming Recipes

The Real McCoy’s® Salt and Malt Vinegar are available from Iceland, priced at £2.00 per bag.

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:

Baby Plum Tomatoes – 18 calories per 100g

Weekly Pinch of Shopping - Pinch of Nom Slimming Recipes

We love baby plum tomatoes! They’re packed with vitamin C and super tasty. While you can eat them fresh, they’re mostly used in cooking because they’re so good for making salsas or sauces.

The baby plum tomatoes in our Indian Fried Rice add a delicious sweetness to balance out the spice. This recipe is so packed with veggies, it’s a Fakeaway portion for only 248 calories per serving.

Indian Fried Rice - Pinch of Nom Slimming Recipes

Asparagus Tips –  25 calories per 100g

Weekly Pinch of Shopping - Pinch of Nom Slimming Recipes

Low in calories and full of nutrients, asparagus is a really well-balanced vegetable. Taste wise, it’s often compared to broccoli (with a hint more bitterness).

Asparagus flavours really complement lemon and white fish, which is why we’ve added it in our Cajun Baked Cod with Asparagus and Cherry Tomatoes recipe.

The Cajun spice mix really brings this dish to life! It’s typically a light lunch or dinner, but we like to enjoy it with a jacket potato in the colder months.

Cajun Baked Cod with Asparagus and Cherry Tomatoes - Pinch of Nom Slimming Recipes

Chestnut Mushrooms – 17 calories per 100g

Weekly Pinch of Shopping - Pinch of Nom Slimming Recipes

Mushrooms might not have the most popular texture in the world, but they’re definitely good for you. They’re rich in many vitamins and important nutrients, including potassium and vitamin D.

You could use chestnut mushrooms for our Balsamic Mushrooms recipe. They’re a delicious side dish or savoury snack. And they’re SO easy to make – once the mushrooms are coated in the mixture, your oven will do the rest. Perfect! 

Balsamic Mushrooms - Pinch of Nom Slimming Recipes

Conference Pears – 64 calories per 100g

Weekly Pinch of Shopping - Pinch of Nom Slimming Recipes

You can’t beat a sweet, juicy pear! They’re full of beneficial goodness for your gut and your heart. They’re a fibrous fruit, so they’re also a filling snack you can enjoy day to day. Just make sure to eat the peel! It’s where a lot of the goodness lives.

Did you know pears go really well with ginger? Our Pear and Ginger Crumble recipe is topped with a light, oaty crumble that you’ll love with a dollop of low-fat Greek yohurt.

The sweet pear flavours go SO well with the zingy ginger. Yes, please!

Pear and Ginger Crumble - Pinch of Nom Slimming Recipes

Miniature Potatoes – 76 calories per 100g

Weekly Pinch of Shopping - Pinch of Nom Slimming Recipes

The humble potato! So versatile and easy to transform into a meal. They’re a great source of fibre, so they’ll help you feel fuller for longer. They’re also full of good vitamins that your body needs.

Whether you chop them, bake them, or slice them into chips, they’re a staple ingredient in plenty of dishes.

If you’re after a dish that’s hearty and warming with little fuss, our Ham, Leek and Potato Soup is the perfect solution.

Simply chop your potatoes into chunks, combine with the rest of the ingredients and let the slow cooker do the work. So convenient!

Ham, Leek and Potato Soup - Pinch of Nom Slimming Recipes

Mini Apples – 53 calories per 100g

An apple a day is never a bad thing! Sweet and full of fibre, they’re SO good for your gut. You can enjoy them as a quick snack on their own or chop them and combine them with another dish. They’re especially good as a sliced yoghurt topping.

An Apple Crumble is one of our favourite puds and our recipe is just as delicious as a ‘normal’ full fat crumble. Make sure to serve with a smooth custard or low-fat cream! Yum.

Apple Crumble - Pinch of Nom Slimming Recipes

**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!**

Love our Weekly Pinch of Shopping articles? Remember to sign up to our newsletter to get first access to the next one.

And if you’re not already part of our Facebook Group then make sure you join as we love seeing all of the new products that you find – not to mention all of the amazing support and motivation!

**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!**

Love our Weekly Pinch of Shopping articles? Remember to sign up to our newsletter to get first access to the next one.

And if you’re not already part of our Facebook Group then make sure you join as we love seeing all of the new products that you find – not to mention all of the amazing support and motivation!

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