Your Slimming Essentials – The Weekly Pinch of Shopping 25.02
It’s officially Fri-YAY, which means it’s time for an all new Weekly Pinch of Shopping!
The sun hasn’t had his hat on lately, but that doesn’t mean our plates can’t be bright and full of flavour. We’ve found some Sweet and Sour Sauce Chicken Breast Toppers in Iceland that are bound to cheer the whole family right up!
Oh and don’t forget, Pancake Day is just around the corner! We had to add a Salted Caramel Choc Shot that’ll sweeten your stack for only 13 calories per drizzle. AND the Salted Caramel treats don’t stop there. We’ve also spotted a NEW version of a classic chocolate bar you’ll definitely recognise…
Don’t forget to let us know if you’ve tried any of the recipes from Pinch of Nom Comfort Food! We’d LOVE to know which dishes are your favourites! If you haven’t picked up a copy yet, you can order yours right here.
You can share your recipes and photos by posting over in our Facebook group, where you’ll also find our members having a good old chat about lots of these shopping items too. You can join the group by clicking 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!
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.
Speaking of doing your weekly shopping, did you know our Quick & Easy food planner includes handy pull-out shopping list pages? It’s ideal for planning your meals and organising what you need to buy (plus there are 26 exclusive recipes inside!).
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!**
MOMA Oat Drink Whole – 58 calories per 100ml
Whether you’re cutting down on dairy or just looking for a change, this Oat Drink Whole from MOMA makes for a creamy, oaty addition to your morning cuppa. Try swapping out wherever you’d normally use milk – it’s well worth trying a new texture and flavour, and it’s deliciously light on calories!
Have you ever tried dairy-free milk in your morning bowl of oats? We love experimenting with different milks in porridge recipes. Our Apple Pie Porridge combines caramel-drizzled apple slices with crunchy almonds and oat milk to bring all the nutty, sweet flavours through. Imagine waking up to this…
Moma Oat Drink Whole is available from Waitrose, priced at £1.85.
Ma Raeburn’s Dutch Pancake Bites – 175 calories per portion
It’s Pancake Day on the 1st of March, and these Dutch Pancake Bites from Ma Raeburn’s are the perfect way to whet your appetite in the meantime. After just 1 minute in the microwave, they’re warm and ready to serve with your choice of pancake accompaniment. A sprinkling of sweetener and a drizzle of lemon juice will do the trick!
If there’s always a tussle over who gets the first pancake in your household, our Strawberry Pancake Traybake offers a tasty solution that’s ready all at once. With fresh strawberries and white chocolate chips in each fluffy slice, there’ll be no complaints around the table. We’ll take ours with a dollop of yoghurt on the side, please!
Ma Raeburn’s Dutch Pancake Bites are available from Iceland, priced at £2.00 per pack.
Sweet Freedom Choc Shot Salted Caramel – 13 calories per tsp
From hot chocolate to porridge to fruit bowls, there’s nothing a drizzle of Choc Shot from Sweet Freedom can’t make tastier. We’ve chosen the salted caramel edition for this week’s shop because it’s the perfect balance of sweet and salty to drizzle all over a stack of freshly-flipped pancakes. There are plenty of other flavours available too for around 13 calories (or less!) per tsp.
Pancakes aren’t just for Shrove Tuesday though! If you love pancakes for breakfast as much as we do, you need to try our slimming friendly Bacon and Maple Blueberry Pancakes recipe. We’ve used Ready Brek to keep the calories down, but you can use chunkier oats too (just blitz them up in a blender to get that all-important fluffy texture!).
Sweet Freedom Choc Shot Salted Caramel is available from Ocado, priced at £2.97 per bottle.
Sainsbury’s Inspired to Cook Green Vegetable Soup Mix – 50 calories per 1/4 pack
Comfort doesn’t come much easier than this bag of Inspired to Cook Green Vegetable Soup Mix from Sainsbury’s. Bung the nutritious mix of peas, broccoli, white onion, spring greens and kale in a pan with some veggie stock and let it simmer away until you’ve got a hearty bowl of green goodness. Perfect for when you don’t fancy chopping veggies!
Speaking of green goodness, our freezer friendly Cream of Spinach and Rocket Soup recipe is rammed with flavour! With spinach, potatoes and peppery rocket, it offers a nutrient-filled midday boost for only 143 calories per portion.
Inspired to Cook Green Vegetable Soup Mix is available from Sainsbury’s, priced at £1.50 per bag.
Mcvitie’s Club Salted Caramel Bars – 115 calories per biscuit
Time to put the kettle on! We’re so excited Mcvitie’s have finally released Club Bars in an all new salted caramel flavour. At only 115 calories per chocolate-covered biscuit, it’s a day-to-day treat you’ll be excited to open your lunchbox for.
Fancy making your own version at home? Our Salted Caramel Rice Krispie Bars give Mcvitie’s a run for their money at 115 calories too. By making a clever swap of traditional caramel with melted low sugar caramel chews, this no-bake recipe is a slimming friendly afternoon delight!
Mcvitie’s Club Salted Caramel Bars are available from Morrisons, priced at £1.00 for a pack of 8 bars.
VFC Original Recipe Vegan Fried Chicken Fillets – 215 calories per fillet
These crispy VFC Original Recipe Vegan Fried Chicken Fillets are covered in a southern fried cornflake coating that would make the colonel proud. Made from a blend of wheat and soya protein, these plant-based fillets are good for the environment and good for your protein intake. Simply pop them in the oven until they’re finger lickin’ ready!
Our very own KFC Zinger Burgers recipe is a fakeaway tribute to one of our favourite fast food treats of all time. Using a nifty combination of Doritos tortilla chips and a homemade spice mix, our coating is just as moreish as the original (and way more budget-friendly).
VFC Original Recipe Vegan Fried Chicken Fillets are available from Tesco, priced at £3.00 for a pack of 2 fillets.
Birds Eye Fish Nuggets – 288 calories per 5 nuggets
Arrrr, why not have a nibble on these Birds Eye Fish Nuggets? These fish-filled nugs are coated in a tasty golden batter, perfect for dipping in ketchup or serving with a squeeze of lemon.
Everyone loves nuggets and chips, and our Homemade Oven Chips recipe would be just the ticket to satisfy the whole family without adding too many calories. Pop your seasoned potato wedges in the oven and bake until they’re crispy and ready to curl up in front of the telly with!
Fish Nuggets are available from Iceland, priced at £3.00 per pack.
The Tofoo Co. Straight To Wok Ginger & Chilli Tofu – 179 calories per serving
Coated with ginger and chilli, this tasty ‘Straight to Wok’ tofu from The Tofoo Co. is ideal for when you fancy a quick, veggie-friendly dinner. The trick with tofu is to make sure it doesn’t stick to the pan. Keep stirring and stirring so your cubes are always moving!
Full of veggies and quick to make, our Bang Bang Noodles are perfect for when you want satisfying spice in a hurry. You could always try them with a portion of Ginger & Chilli Tofoo thrown in for added protein (just be sure to count the added calories).
The Tofoo Co. Straight to Wok Ginger & Chilli Tofu is available from Waitrose, priced at £2.25 per pack.
Iceland Sweet and Sour Sauce Chicken Breast Toppers – 200 calories per topper
When you’re feeling like a takeaway but you don’t fancy paying over the odds (or consuming loads of calories), these Sweet and Sour Sauce Chicken Breast Toppers from Iceland are a great option. They’re essentially Kievs with a Chinese takeaway twist. What’s not to love?
If you’re all about the sweet and sour combo, you need to try our Crispy Chicken with Sweet and Sour Sauce. Not only does it bring ALL the comfort as you slurp the noodles down, the sauce is also delicious no matter your choice of protein – beef, turkey, prawns and tofu work well!
Sweet and Sour Sauce Chicken Breast Toppers are available from Iceland, priced at £2.00 for a pack of 4.
Häagen-Dazs Gelato Caramel Ice Cream – 150 calories per cup
If you’re an ice cream lover, these Häagen-Dazs Gelato Ice Cream cups are for you. As well as caramel swirl there are other flavours available from the same range, including chocolate drizzle. At only 150 calories per creamy, indulgent-tasting cup, we think it’s pretty hard to say no…
Brownies and ice cream, anyone? Pairing a scoop of low calorie gelato with one of our sweet and fluffy Chocolate Brownies is a no-brainer. At only 59 calories per sweet square, you can combine them with a cupful of Häagen-Dazs for just 209 calories total. Don’t mind if we do!
Häagen-Dazs Gelato Caramel Ice Cream is available from Tesco, priced at £4.50 for 4 cups.
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 week’s NEW Super 6 selection:
Pineapple – 50 calories per 100g
Healthy and refreshing, pineapple is a super juicy tropical fruit that’ll definitely wake up your taste buds. Low in calories and high in vitamin C, it’s as good for you as it tastes. Typically enjoyed in the warmer months of the year, a tropical treat is just what you need while it’s grey skies out there! How about rustling up our juicy Pineapple with Lime and Cinnamon? The zesty citrus and cinnamon flavours are so warming even on a chillier evening.
Bananas – 89 calories per 100g
Just in time for Shrove Tuesday! Bananas come with a whole bunch of good stuff that looks after your heart, including high levels of potassium. Rich in nutrients and totally filling, peeling a banana per day is a healthy way to curb snack-time cravings. We love banana slices on top of our Banana and Chocolate Pancakes recipe. So sweet and satisfying – why not whip up a batch for the whole family?
Unwaxed Lemons – 17 calories per 100g
Another classic Pancake Day accompaniment, lemons have countless health benefits as well as being full of zingy freshness. Bake with them, use them as a garnish or squeeze them over your plateful of pancakes on Tuesday (so good with a sprinkling of sweetener!).
Not a lover of pancakes? Not to worry! Our Lemon and Blueberry Waffles offer the perfect fruity alternative for only 393 calories per serving…
Oranges – 47 calories per 100g
Keeping the citrus vibes going, oranges are an immune-boosting vitamin C boost, as well as being high in fibre. Peel them and enjoy them as a snack or use them to add a hint of zest to your cooking. Why not try a warming bowlful of Carrot, Orange and Thyme Soup? Bursting with flavour, it’s ideal to rustle up for lunch with a crusty wholemeal bread roll on the side.
Blueberries – 57 calories per 100g
Blueberries are so sweet and tasty, we could easily eat a whole punnet right now! Full of nutrients and low in calories, they’re widely known for being an easily enjoyable superfood.
They’re the perfect way to start the day in our Lemon and Blueberry Baked Oats recipe. Because they bake so well, the flavours work as a breakfast, a mid-afternoon snack or even baked into individual muffins!
Mini Apples – 53 calories per 100g
You can’t beat a bite from a fresh, crunchy apple! Mini apples might be small but they’re mighty, bringing a high amount of natural fibre and nutrients to the table with them. Having apples handy is always a great excuse to bake a batch of Apple Pie Cookies. At only 95 calories per biscuit, they’re the ideal pick-me-up to dunk in your afternoon cuppa(s)!
**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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