Your Slimming Essentials – The Weekly Pinch of Shopping 19.04.24
Get comfy with a cuppa! Your brand-new Weekly Pinch of Shopping is ready to read. If salt and chilli chicken is your go-to takeaway order, put down the menu…Aldi have stocked their freezers with NEW protein chicken skewers that taste just like the real deal (and they’re only 96 calories each!).
We’ve also spotted some zingy sour cream and lime tortilla chips in Tesco that are absolutely banging with a creamy chive-infused dip. You’ll want to grab a bag before they’re all gone!
Plus, you know nostalgic light bites always find a place in our shopping basket. We picked up the new Refreshers Ice Lollies, and we’re happy to report that they’re delightfully fruity for very few calories!
We’ve also got a right indulgent treat for you: a sumptuous mascarpone and banana-crème layered GÜ Banoffee Cheesecake.
Our most-requested cookbook ever, PINCH OF NOM: AIR FRYER, is on the way!! You’ve been buzzing about it just as much as we have over the last few weeks and it makes us beyond happy to see. That’s why we asked our lovely Rosie to film a video answering your most-asked questions! You can either watch it below, or on our Instagram here.
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Keep your questions coming in the comments, or in our Facebook group, and we might just film another one! We also can’t forget to say, THANK YOU SO MUCH if you’ve already pre-ordered your copy. You are the best!
We can’t wait for all 75 scrummy, slimming-friendly air fryer recipes to be with you on the 20th of June (pre-order a copy here!).
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!**
Oddlygood Barista Vanilla Flavour Oat Drink – 64 calories per 100ml
This Oddlygood Barista Vanilla Flavour Oat Drink is a great alternative if you’re looking to reduce the dairy in your diet, or just fancy mixing up teas, coffees and cereals with nuttier flavours.
Infused with added sweetness from natural vanilla flavouring, this blend really is ‘oddly good’ no matter where you try it. If you’re not keen on vanilla, you can always pick up a carton of Oddlygood Barista Salted Caramel Flavour Oat instead.
We went for vanilla because we knew it’d pair like a dream with our Biscoff and Banana Porridge. Nothing stops us hitting ‘snooze’ on our alarm quite like knowing that silky, caramelised biscuit-flavoured spoonfuls of porridge are waiting for us downstairs.
The best part about this recipe is that it’s freezer-friendly (before you add the toppings!), so you can batch cook your time-saving portions on Sunday to get set for the week!
Oddlygood Barista Vanilla Flavour Oat Drink is available from Asda, priced at £2.49 per carton.
Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Bang Bang Noodle Salad – 121 calories per 1/2 pot
Lunchtime is sorted with Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Bang Bang Noodle Salad. A zingy medley of red cabbage, edamame soya beans, shredded carrot and spring onion, it’s all tossed together with ready-to-eat rice noodles and a lip-smacking drizzle of dressing.
If you love the sound of coconut, chilli, lemongrass and lime combined, you’re in for a treat! At 121 calories, it’s well worth scooping a portion into a bowl with chicken, halloumi or tofu for a quick-win lunch.
Our very own Bang Bang Noodles are so speedy and tasty, we wouldn’t blame you for thinking they’re from a takeaway. We’ve wok-fried squeaky halloumi chunks, noodles and chillies with lots of fresh, crunchy veggies until piping hot with flavour!
You can use chicken breast in this veggie-friendly dish, if you’d prefer. Just remember to adjust the calories if you’re keeping track.
Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Bang Bang Noodle Salad is available from Sainsbury’s, priced at £2.50 per pack (or £1.65 with a Nectar card).
Plant Menu Coconut Oil Alternative To Cheddar Slices – 58 calories per slice
These Plant Menu Coconut Oil Alternative To Cheddar Slices from Aldi are another small way to cut down the dairy on your midweek menu. At 58 calories per slice, they’re lighter than a slice of Cheddar, and they bring the gooey goodness to homemade toasties, sandwiches and burgers.
Made with coconut oil and added vitamins, they’re not just vegetarian…they’re suitable for vegans too!
Add a slice or two to our Caramelised Onion Cheese Toasties for a quick and simple lunch with a crunch. You’ll simmer red onions in balsamic vinegar and water for 15 minutes until they’re irresistibly soft and caramelised, similar to a chutney.
We’ve added mushrooms and spinach to make ours even more filling, but there’s nothing to stop you swapping in cherry tomatoes or any other leftover veggies you’ve got handy.
Plant Menu Coconut Oil Alternative To Cheddar Slices are available from Aldi, priced at £1.99 per pack.
Schweppes Cranberry Spritz Mocktail – 48 calories per can
There’s no need to drink alcohol for a good time, especially with a tasty alternative on offer like Schweppes’ Cranberry Spritz Mocktail. A fizzy, fruity treat, it’s a gorgeous refresher for when the sun’s out, while guaranteeing you’ll always skip the hangover!
We spotted it on the shelves at Tesco, alongside a selection of other cocktail-inspired cans: Classic Mojito, Blueberry Mojito and Aperitivo Spritz.
We made our Cranberry Fizz inspired by the festive season, but there’s no reason you can’t enjoy it year-round! To give our cocktail a heavenly zinginess without taking you off track, we’ve combined sweet cranberry juice with Russchian pink soda, Prosecco and a dash of lime.
When the BBQ season officially kicks in, keep this one in mind to serve in your favourite pitcher!
Schweppes Cranberry Spritz Mocktail (250ml cans) are available from Tesco, priced at £1.39 each.
Refreshers Strawberry Ice Lollies – 40 calories per lolly
It’s no surprise that we couldn’t ignore these Refreshers Strawberry Ice Lollies in Morrisons! Anyone who knows Pinch of Nom, knows we can’t resist a retro-inspired treat.
At 40 calories each, they’re far lighter than the chewy bars you’d find in sweet shops as a kid. If you try them, please let us know what you think in our Facebook group – we love to read your comments!
Our Fabulous Lollies halve the calories you’ll find in shop-bought versions, and they taste fab-tastic. We’ve made the signature red and white layers slimming friendly using trusty almond milk, vanilla extract and no-added sugar strawberry squash.
When the wait is over for everything to set, add the scrumptious melted chocolate and fun, colourful sprinkles. You can either serve them straight away, or stash them in the freezer ready for sunny afternoons.
Refreshers Strawberry Ice Lollies are available from Morrisons, priced at £2.69 for a pack of 4.
Sainsbury’s Amarillo & Lime Butterfly British Chicken Breast, Taste the Difference – 159 calories per 1/4 pack
Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Amarillo and Lime Butterfly British Chicken Breasts are just as juicy, tender and flavourful as you’d expect from a grill restaurant. You can make them in your oven, but we found they’re even better air-fried.
The punchiness of the aromatic lime marinade is an unmissable pairing with the included sachet of sweet mango and avocado salsa.
Since the air fryer’s already on the worktop, it makes sense to rustle up a batch of Air Fryer Rustic Potato Wedges to serve on the side. Our recipe keeps things nice and simple, using a small handful of store cupboard staples to achieve crispy-on-the-outside and fluffy-in-the-middle results.
Don’t worry if you’ve not got an air fryer at home – our Oven Rustic Potato Wedges are also golden and crisp in well under an hour.
Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Amarillo & Lime Butterfly British Chicken Breast is available from Sainsbury’s, priced at £5.50 per pack.
Tesco Finest Sour Cream & Zingy Lime Tortilla Chips – 124 calories per 1/6 pack
As far as savoury nibbles go, these Tesco Finest Sour Cream and Zingy Lime Tortilla Chips are worth every calorie. The thick and crunchy corn tortilla chips are flame-toasted in a moreish lime coating, and shaped specially for scooping up a creamy dip of your choice.
They’re great to snack on in-between meals, or as a starter to whet your appetite for a lightly spiced dinner.
If you’re serving a Mexican-inspired feast this week, you’ll want to round it off with our brand-new Creamy Lime and Coconut Pots. The ultimate zesty dessert, dig through the creamy posset-style centre to find a crunchy base of crushed-up Lotus Biscoff biscuits.
Whatever you do, don’t skip toasting the desiccated coconut before it’s sprinkled over each pot – it really brings out the nutty flavours!
Tesco Finest Sour Cream & Zingy Lime Tortilla Chips are available from Tesco, priced at £1.35 for an 150g bag.
OMV! Deliciously Vegan BBQ No Ribs – 186 calories per 1/2 pack (ovenbaked)
Give Meat-free Mondays an upgrade with OMV! Deliciously Vegan BBQ No Ribs. They’re made with soya protein that’s melt-in-the-mouth delicious, and coated in a smoky-sweet paprika glaze.
Half a pack comes to around 186 calories, a fraction of what you’d get from a restaurant-bought rack of meat ribs. The best part is, the oven does all the hard work for you! Simply remove the film and wait for them to bake until piping hot.
Why not plate them up with a helping of our vibrant Coleslaw recipe? A crowd-pleasing side dish for summer barbecues and beyond, our recipe is ready in just 15 minutes (shredded veggies and creamy sauce included!).
If you’ve got any leftovers, throw it on a jacket spud for a light lunch the next day.
OMV! Deliciously Vegan BBQ No Ribs are available from Asda, priced at £3.50 per pack.
Oakhurst Ready Cooked Chicken Skewers In A Salt & Chilli Seasoning – 96 calories per skewer
With a takeaway-inspired marinade, it’s no wonder Oakhurst Ready Cooked Chicken Skewers in a Salt and Chilli Seasoning caught our eye. New to the freezer section at Aldi, you can also pick up a teriyaki-glazed bag from the same range.
You’ll want to make sure they’re thoroughly defrosted before you enjoy them! Once they’re piping hot from your oven or air fryer, you’ll need a fakeaway-style side dish like our Chilli Roasted Greens to turn them into a feast.
With broccoli, asparagus, courgette and green beans, there’s no shortage of healthy goodness in every serving. The easy-peasy homemade chilli, lime and ginger glaze tastes so good, you’ll never want to go back to plain boiled veg.
Oakhurst Ready Cooked Chicken Skewers In A Salt & Chilli Seasoning are available from Aldi, priced at £2.99 per bag.
GÜ Banoffee Cheesecake – 306 calories per ramekin
If you’ll always order banoffee from the dessert menu, GÜ’s brand-new Banoffee Cheesecake pots will be right up your street. We’re talking about a crunchy biscuit base, topped with smooth mascarpone cheesecake, caramel-banana crème and chocolate shavings – that’s us sold!
The only question left is…what will you use the trademark GÜ ramekin for? We like to take a look through their #RamekinReuse gallery when we’re short on inspiration.
Our Banoffee Cheesecake is one of those desserts that never fails to impress, special occasion or not!
We’ve made ours just as scrumptious as traditional New York-style recipes for fewer calories, by swapping in light cream cheese, fat-free yoghurt and reduced-fat spread.
You can’t go wrong once it’s decorated with freshly-sliced bananas, reduced-sugar caramel dessert topping and a few swirls of low-calorie aerosol cream!
GU Banoffee Cheesecake is available from Asda, priced at £3.75 for a pack of 2.
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.
Radish – 16 calories per 100g
Mild and peppery in flavour, radishes are so easy to prep and throw into salads or stir-fries. They’ll add a scrummy crunchy texture to your lunch, for the bargain price of 29p per bag in this week’s Super 6 – thank you, Aldi!
You’ll find them in the rainbow-coloured salad that we’ve piled onto our Katsu Curry Burgers. They’re an ideal match-up with the creamy Katsu curry sauce that we’ve dolloped on top.
Celery Sticks – 14 calories per 100g
Celery is a versatile vegetable that’s well worth picking up! It makes for a tasty addition to base sauces, stews and soups – alongside onions and carrots. It’s also great to nibble on dunked into a budget-friendly homemade dip, when you’re feeling peckish.
We cook celery down into the sauce for our Creamy Tomato Pasta to give it a nutritious flavour boost, along with plenty of other tasty veggies.
Mini Apples – 53 calories per 100g
Small but mighty, mini apples will give your day a sweet boost for only 53 calories each. You can snack on them as they are, use them as a delectable, juicy-sweet porridge topper or chop them into fruit salads – and so much more!
We love cooking them into fillings for scrumptious bakery-inspired recipes, like our Apple Strudels. They’re so simple to make, and far better for you and your budget than shop-bought versions.
Green Beans – 31 calories per 100g
From stir-fries and salads to hotpots and curries, green beans make for a tasty splash of green with lots of different dishes. You can pick up a bag from Aldi this week for 69p!
We can’t talk about green beans without mentioning our Air Fryer Crispy Green Beans. A hit in any household, even the fussiest eaters won’t complain once they’ve tasted the far-from-boring garlicky coating.
Mini San Marzano Tomatoes – 20 calories per 100g
We don’t often see Mini San Marzano Tomatoes on offer, so you’ll want to grab a punnet if you spot them. With oodles of rich, juicy, tomatoey deliciousness, they’re great for stirring into homemade soups, or cooking sauces for pizza and pasta.
We’ll be tossing them into our Greek Salad, alongside tangy feta and crispy red onion – if the sun shines this weekend, it’ll taste even better.
Blueberries – 57 calories per 100g
Blended into smoothies, baked into puddings or served with yoghurt, there are lots of ways to make the most of blueberries. They’re teamed up with another hugely-popular fruit for our heavenly Banana and Blueberry Muffins from pages 122-123 of Pinch of Nom: Express.
For only 188 calories each, they even include a dreamy sprinkling of chocolate chips…they’re spot on with a cuppa!
**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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