Your Slimming Essentials – The Weekly Pinch of Shopping 26.08
Friday is here at last and the bank holiday weekend isn’t the only thing to get excited about…it’s time for a BRAND NEW Weekly Pinch of Shopping!
This week it’s all about snacks and side dishes – we’ve spotted a few tasty cupboard staples that’ll come in handy in a time pinch.
Don’t worry – we haven’t forgotten to keep an eye out for a few slimming-friendly treats while we’re at it! Forget Jammie Dodgers, we’re obsessed with these packs of mini chocolate-filled biscuits we’ve spotted. Plus, who likes the sound of a high protein pizza that’s just 331 calories (yep, for the WHOLE THING)?
Speaking of doing your weekly shopping, we’re so excited that our brand new food planner is OUT NOW! The Pinch of Nom Family Meal Planner is our most family-friendly food planner yet – it’s ideal for planning your meals and organising what you need to buy (plus there are 26 exclusive new recipes inside!). You can order your copy here.
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.
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!**
Tesco Pesto And Mozzarella Swirl – 59 calories per swirl
Buttery pastry, herby pesto and creamy cheese sounds like a combo we could get on board with! These Pesto And Mozzarella Swirls from Tesco are just the ticket when you fancy something savoury to snack on. Flaky and delicious, they’re only 59 calories each, making them ideal to nibble when you start to get a bit peckish.
Each puff pastry swirl is filled with a layer of soft cheese, mozzarella and a pesto dressing. Eat them cold or pop them in the oven for a few minutes to heat them up before serving.
Fancy having a go at making your own? Our Pizza Swirls recipe is so much fun to make – and you can get creative with the filling! We’ve used ham, but you can switch to chicken, bacon or extra vegetables if you prefer.
Tesco Pesto And Mozzarella Swirls are available from Tesco, priced at £2.60 for a pack of 6.
Sainsbury’s Moroccan Style Grains – 214 calories per 1/2 pack
If you fancy a change from your usual side dishes, these Sainsbury’s Moroccan Style Grains are sure to bring new flavours to your plate. The delicately spiced grains include a mixture of cooked wheatberries with pearl barley, bulgar wheat, chickpeas and raisins.
Inspired by the aromatic flavours of Moroccan cooking, you could pair these grains with chicken or lamb, or mix them into a crisp, fresh salad. Ready to eat straight from the pack, you can also pop the pouch in the microwave to heat it up if you’d prefer.
If it’s big flavours you’re after, look no further than this Moroccan Style Chicken Drumsticks with Mint Couscous recipe. The fluffy, mint-infused couscous is the perfect accompaniment to our harissa-coated chicken.
Sainsbury’s Moroccan Style Grains is available from Sainsbury’s, priced at £1.35 for a 250g pouch.
Waitrose Eat Flexi British Beef Tomato Red Pepper Meatballs – 130 calories per 3 meatballs
We’re always on the lookout for easy midweek meal ideas – and you can’t go wrong with meatballs. If you don’t have time to make your own from scratch, these Eat Flexi British Beef Tomato Red Pepper Meatballs from Waitrose are a tasty alternative.
With tomato, red pepper and a delicate blend of herbs and seasoning mixed in, these meatballs are ready to be cooked and served with your choice of pasta and sauce.
Why not serve them in the rich, tomato sauce from our Spanish Meatballs recipe? You can make it as spicy as you like it – we’ll have ours served over spaghetti please!
Waitrose Eat Flexi British Beef Tomato Red Pepper Meatballs are available from Waitrose, priced at £3.50 for a pack of 12.
Cook With M&S Wholegrain & Edamame – 252 calories per 1/2 bag
Full of hearty, healthy ingredients, this Cook With M&S Wholegrain & Edamame is a slimming-friendly side dish for busy days. High in protein and vegan-friendly, you’ll find a mix of spelt, black lentils, couscous and edamame soybeans inside.
Served hot or cold, this makes a nice change from rice, pasta or potatoes. Dish it up with salad, meat, fish, or mix it into a tasty stir-fry.
We’d pair this filling side dish with our Chilli and Lime Baked Salmon. It’s so simple, but it packs a punch when it comes to flavours. We love making sure we include some salmon recipes on our weekly meal plan!
Cook With M&S Wholegrain & Edamame is available from Ocado, priced at £2.40.
Seabrook Loaded Rings Sour Cream & Onion – 75 calories per pack
Stock your cupboards with these Seabrook Loaded Rings Sour Cream & Onion and you’ll always have a low-calorie snack when you need one! At 75 calories per pack, you can easily work them into your food plan for the week.
They’re baked rings of maize, so they’re much lighter than fried alternatives. With all the flavour and crunch that you crave from a snack, they’re perfect for packing into picnics or popping into your bag when you’re out and about.
If the thought of onion-y flavours has made you crave some onion rings, you’ll love our slimming-friendly version. These Onion Rings with Garlic and Chive Dip can be a snack, side dish or a starter – and they’re guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser.
Seabrook Loaded Rings Sour Cream & Onion are available from Ocado, priced at £1.00 for a pack of 5 bags.
ASDA Lime & Mint Flavour Mixer – 31 calories per 150ml
Thirst-quenching and seriously refreshing, this Lime and Mint Flavour Mixer from Asda is a delicious summer drink. Designed to be used as a mixer, you can pair it with gin or vodka, mix it into a cocktail, or try making a mocktail if you don’t fancy a tipple.
With no artificial colours or flavours, and only 31 calories per 150ml serving, this zesty drink is ideal for anyone who’s counting calories or following a diet plan like Weight Watchers.
When life gives you lemons, make our Homemade Lemonade! You won’t believe how easy it is to whip up, and it’s just 35 calories per glass. Pour it over ice, sit back and sip.
ASDA Lime & Mint Flavour Mixer is available from Asda, priced at £1.75 for a 750ml bottle.
Sainsbury’s Lemon Cumin & Coriander Rice, Summer Edition – 197 calories per serving
We’ve been loving Sainsbury’s Summer range this year, and it’s the gift that keeps on giving. This week we’ve spotted this Lemon Cumin & Coriander Rice, and we reckon it’ll be a lifesaver for quick lunches and speedy dinners.
The parboiled rice only needs a minute or 2 in the microwave before it’s ready to serve – and it’s super versatile. Flavoured with zesty lemon, roasted coriander powder and cumin seeds, it’ll add a touch of the Mediterranean to any meal.
We’d serve it on the side of these easy, cheesy Parmesan Pork Skewers. They’re quick to make, packed with flavour and you can even make them in the air fryer.
Sainsbury’s Lemon Cumin & Coriander Rice, Summer Edition is available from Sainsbury’s, priced at 75p for a 250g pouch.
Choccie Dodgers Minis – 97 calories per bag
Everyone loves a Jammie Dodger, but what about a Choccie Dodger? We couldn’t resist popping these bags of mini chocolate-filled biscuits on the shopping list this week. At 97 calories per bag, they’re a special little treat that’ll put a smile on your face!
Whether you crack them open at home with a cup of tea, or take them out and about with you, these tiny versions of the classic biscuits will sort out any chocolate cravings during the day.
If you want to get serious about chocolate, we recommend treating yourself to one of these Chocolate Lava Mug Cakes. They’re one of the speediest puddings you can make, and they’ll more than satisfy your sweet tooth.
Choccie Dodgers Minis are available from Morrisons, priced at £1.00 for a pack of 6.
Bonne Maman Clementine Mousse – 120 calories per mousse
Light and refreshing, we’re obsessed with the flavour of these Bonne Maman Clementine Mousses. Infused with clementine and lemon juices, they also have a little clementine zest thrown in to really ramp up the zing factor!
The velvety texture comes from mixing yoghurt and whipped cream into a melt-in-the-mouth mousse that’s 100% irresistible. For 120 calories per pot, we think they’re a lovely light end to any meal.
If you prefer berries over citrus fruits, we’ve got you covered! Our Blackcurrant Mousse is sharp, sweet, airy and so easy to make. This is one of our favourite summer desserts and (best of all) it’s only 92 calories per portion.
Bonne Maman Clementine Mousses are available from Sainsbury’s, priced at £1.80 for a pack of 2.
The Gym Kitchen Tandoori Chicken Pizza – 331 calories per pizza
Pizza is officially back on the menu! Not only is this Tandoori Chicken Pizza from The Gym Kitchen high in protein and 1 of your 5-a-day, it’s just 331 calories for the whole thing! If that’s not already a winner, it comes frozen, so you can pop it on a shelf for a rainy day. It cooks from frozen in under 15 minutes – we bet your local pizza delivery can’t match that!
Fancy a different flavour? There’s also a Mighty Meat version in the same range; it’s just as slimming-friendly, with 21g of protein per pizza.
Calling all pizza lovers! Pizza Pasta is here and you need to try it. It’s one of our most popular recipes ever and it’s easy to see why! Just look at that golden cheese topping…You’ll find the full recipe in our Quick and Easy cookbook, which you can order here.
The Gym Kitchen Tandoori Chicken Pizza is available from Tesco, priced at £2.75.
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 the rundown of this week’s offering, along with some recipe ideas for you.
Radish – 16 calories per 100g
These crunchy little root vegetables are perfect for adding into salads and stir-fries. They have a mild, slightly peppery taste and a firm texture that has a lovely crunch when you slice them up.
You can cook them, or serve them raw on top of a dish like our Turkey Bun Cha – they add the perfect crisp freshness!
Mini Bananas – 89 calories per 100g
How cute are these mini bananas? Whether you need to pick up some fruit for the kids’ lunches, or you just prefer a smaller snack, these little bananas have all the familiar flavour you’d expect.
Grab a few extra bananas while they’re cheaper and don’t worry if you don’t get through them before they start to spoil – overripe bananas are just what you need for this Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips recipe.
Mini Easy Peelers – 35 calories per 100g
Bursting with vitamin C, easy peelers add a boost of goodness to breakfast, or you can save them to be enjoyed as a fruity pick-me-up at lunch time. Sweet and juicy, they’ll definitely curb your cravings in the mid-afternoon lull.
Why not try adding some of the segments into our Trifle recipe and pairing with orange-flavoured jelly for a zingy, zesty dessert?
Baby Plum Tomatoes – 18 calories per 100g
From the same family as cherry tomatoes, these baby plum tomatoes are sweet, juicy and versatile. From snacking, to salads, to cooking, they’ll come in handy no matter what meals you’ve planned for the week ahead.
If you need some inspiration, why not pop them into this easy Roasted Red Pepper and Cherry Tomato Pasta? It never disappoints.
Mini Pears – 42 calories per 100g
They might be little, but these mini pears have just as much crisp, juicy flavour as the bigger versions. Perfectly snack-sized, they’re great as a little treat when you fancy something sweet, or chop them up and use them to top your breakfast.
We’d add a few wedges onto the side of these Oat Pancakes for a breakfast that’s filling and packed with goodness.
Snack Pack Green Grapes – 67 calories per 100g
There’s no need to crack out the tupperware – these fresh green grapes already come in an individual snack pack. Just the right amount for a little afternoon nibble, crunching these juicy grapes will stop you getting peckish before dinnertime.
Ever tried grapes in a salad? Trust us, it works! Give this Very Green Zingy Kale Salad a whirl if you don’t believe us…
**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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