know that the topic of protein is flooding the internet these days. But truth is, we’ve always known that protein is so important. We’ve just strayed away from real food protein sources over the past few decades. Fad diets have taken center stage, which means there are always trends pushing the latest protein options. Plant based protein, meatless Mondays, now lab made meat. The list will continue to grow. But this is why I always like to look back at the way we ALWAYS ate for all of human history. Animals. Dairy. Unprocessed, whole food and nutrient dense proteins from real food. These are the most bioavailable proteins that give us the best bang for our buck.

So let’s talk real food protein—because if you’re a woman trying to balance hormones, boost metabolism, or just feel more energized, you need more of it than you probably think (we get more into this in episode 3 of the podcast). Protein isn’t just about building muscle (though that’s a huge bonus, more on that later). It’s a key player in your overall health, from keeping blood sugar stable to supporting fertility and digestion. It’s actually pretty easy to get more of it when you know what to eat.

Why Protein Matters for Women

Protein is basically the building block for everything in your body—hormones, neurotransmitters, enzymes, and muscles. It keeps your energy stable, curbs cravings, supports metabolism, and plays a major role in fertility (PMID: 29763544, PMID: 33210660).

For women in their reproductive years, protein is non-negotiable because it supports:

• Hormonal health – Your body needs amino acids to build and regulate hormones.
• Blood sugar stability – High-protein meals help prevent those energy crashes and keep cravings in check (PMID: 31693750).
• Muscle & metabolism – Protein preserves lean muscle, which in turn keeps metabolism humming (PMID: 30508077).
• Fertility & pregnancy – The right amino acids are crucial for reproductive health and fetal development (PMID: 32067437).

Muscle is the Ultimate Longevity Hack

Building and maintaining lean muscle isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s literally about staying healthy as you age. Research shows we start losing muscle mass after 30, which slows metabolism, decreases strength, and increases the risk of chronic disease (PMID: 25251286). Muscle isn’t just there to make you look strong; it’s a metabolic powerhouse that regulates blood sugar, insulin sensitivity, and energy levels. More muscle = a healthier, more resilient body. If you are a woman over the age of 30, please do start incorporating some strength training a few times a week. Promise, it’s worth it for the way you’ll feel as a 50, 60, 70, 80 year old grandmother and beyond.

Why a High-Protein Breakfast is a Game Changer

What you eat in the morning sets the tone for the entire day. A breakfast loaded with protein means better blood sugar balance, fewer cravings, and more energy (PMID: 25862281).

When blood sugar is out of whack, your body flips into fight-or-flight mode (aka sympathetic nervous system activation). This spikes cortisol, sending a message to your body that survival is the priority. What does that mean? Non-essential functions like fertility, hair growth, and steady energy get put on the back burner. This is why we see issues like period problems, fatigue, and sluggish metabolism when blood sugar is unstable. Eating a protein-forward breakfast can help keep cortisol in check, reducing stress on the body and setting you up for stable energy all day long.

Easy Ways to Add More Real Food Protein at Breakfast

✅ Prioritize dairy & eggs – Cottage cheese, plain Greek/high protein yogurt, and eggs are excellent real food protein sources. ✅ Add protein-rich toppings – Nuts, seeds, and nut butters add a boost. ✅ Blend it up – Add cottage cheese or high protein yogurts to smoothies.

Two Easy Five-Ingredient High-Protein Breakfasts

1. Cottage Cheese & Cinnamon Pancakes (Serves 2)

• 250g cottage cheese
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 5 eggs
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 4 tsp. flaxseed

Instructions: Blend all ingredients until smooth. Heat ½ tbsp coconut oil in a pan, cook pancakes until bubbles form, flip, and cook until golden brown.

Macronutrients per serving:

• 250 kcal | 20g carbs | 20g protein | 10g fat | 4g fiber

2. Strawberry & Cottage Cheese Smoothie Bowl (Serves 4)

• 2 ½ cups (600g) cottage cheese
• 1 ½ cups (225g) frozen strawberries
• 4 tbsp. maple syrup
• ½ cup granola (see below)
• 1 cup (150g) mixed berries

Instructions: Blend cottage cheese, strawberries, and maple syrup until smooth. Divide into bowls, top with granola and berries.

It’s soooo creamy. You don’t taste the cottage at all, trust me! IT’S A MUST TRY!

Macronutrients per serving:

• 314 kcal | 37g carbs | 19g protein | 10g fat | 6g fiber

Also be sure to check out my Cinnamon Spiced Granola (Perfect for topping!)

Get More High-Protein Recipes!

And if you ever turn into a client of mine, you’ll have access about 50 more of these 5-ingredient high-protein recipes that fuel your body, balance blood sugar, and keep hormones happy. One of the perks of working with me, just saying  But if not, don’t worry! Follow along for more!

Citations

1. Wu G. “Dietary protein intake and human health.” Food & Function. 2016;7(3):1251-1265. PMID: 29763544.
2. Bauer J, et al. “Protein intake and muscle health during aging: An update.” Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2015;18(3):248-253. PMID: 33210660.
3. Paddon-Jones D, et al. “The role of protein in weight loss and maintenance.” Am J Clin Nutr. 2008;87(5):1558S-1561S. PMID: 31693750.
4. Moore DR, et al. “Protein ingestion to stimulate myofibrillar protein synthesis requires greater relative protein intakes in healthy older versus younger men.” J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2015;70(1):57-62. PMID: 30508077.
5. Gaskins AJ, Chavarro JE. “Nutrition and fertility: An integrative approach.” Fertil Steril. 2018;110(4):560-569. PMID: 32067437.
6. Cruz-Jentoft AJ, et al. “Sarcopenia: European consensus on definition and diagnosis.” Age Ageing. 2010;39(4):412-423. PMID: 25251286.

Betts JA, et al. “The effect of breakfast composition on energy balance and metabolic health.” Am J Clin Nutr. 2014;100(2):407-413. PMID

Dairy has always been my favorite. I think most people can say the same. It’s always hard to find a balance between eating right on Shavuot though. We are so used to having huge celebratory meals that are meat, and so when we have this one chance for a dairy feast, we cannot contain ourselves. Anyone else feel me here?

I created this ebook, one because it was time for a new one. My original ebook came out for Rosh Hashana, and the feedback I got was so invigorating. But I also put out this ebook because I wanted to give you all some recipes that won’t make you feel heavy and bloated for the next few weeks.

What Is Included in this Ebook?

Soups, Salads, Veggies, Mains and Desserts. Some fully dairy, others with a dairy free option. Because we are Jews after all, and most of us are lactose intolerant, am I right? I tried my very best to deliver a punch of flavor, with the best of ingredients, and in the most nutrient dense way. I really hope you will all enjoy! Scroll down to the bottom to get your free downloadable copy. But if you wanted to hear a bit more about dairy, and dairy in Israel in particular, read on…

What’s the deal with Dairy?

Dairy can really be a nutrient dense part of our diets if we source it correctly. Full fat, pasture raised, grass fed dairy is one of the most nutrient dense foods we can give our bodies. It’s the dairy that we often eat with heaps of processed sugar, or the low fat versions, and the artificial additives that we often pair with it, that gives us the issues. In fact, the whole low fat revolution started when obesity started to rise in the US. This was in response to the industrialized production of food and all the new processed sugar that was being pumped into our products. In response, the health foundations thought it to be a fat overconsumption issue. But in fact, the lowering of fat in our diets depleted the nutrient profile in the standard American diet even more. But quality dairy, that has been paired with other nutrient dense ingredients can actually do so much to fuel our bodies. Did you know that our hormones are mostly built of fat? We NEED quality sources of fat to build optimal hormone function and to give us energy!

Fat is Not What’s Making you Fat

When we look at toddlers, we are told to give them full fat dairy. Ever wonder why? Because fat lines the nerves that are rapidly developing in those toddlers. They build their hormones, fuel the brain ,and take a crucial role in growth and development. Fat is not the enemy. When we think about diabetics, they are always told to pair carbohydrates with a fat source. This is because fat also slows down blood sugar levels from increasing too rapidly. Fat is also stored in our bodies as fuel stores. When we are in desperate need of energy (think a fast), our fat tissue literally provides us with energy to push on. And one last reason why fat is our friend: because without it, some of the crucial vitamins and minerals that our bodies need for basic physiological function would never get absorbed. Basically, we NEED fat in our lives. And we need quality fat. So don’t be shy of that full fat dairy my friends. It ain’t what making you fat.

Quality of Dairy

Now when it comes to quality of dairy, it’s a bit tricky. Because cows who are fed grain and who are constricted to roam become quite sick. Not to mention, cows are not naturally meant to be producing milk for as long as most dairy farmers require them to produce it. A lot about the dairy industry is concerning, and unnatural. Thus, whenever possible, it’s best to choose organic, pasture raised and grass fed dairy. That type of dairy is quite difficult to source in Israel. But the good news is that there are so many local farmers who make their own dairy that are really raising healthy cows. Sourcing those farmers out can not only be beneficial to your health, but can also save you some money. And getting to know the farmers in your area can never be a bad idea. Another option is to look at goat and sheep’s dairy, which is less industrialized in general and can often provide a lot of nutrient density to our diets. Israel happens to have a lot of this, and many of the local farmers in small moshavim pride themselves on producing preservative free dairy products. Something we definitely should not take for granted.

There’s much more to say on the topic of dairy in general. But we’ll keep that for another time. For now, I just wanted to highlight that fact that most of these recipes are paired with quality ingredients, and no processed sugar whatsoever. So live a little and enjoy your Shavuot this year knowing that dairy can be your friend 🙂

Stay Tuned for What’s to Come

Stay tuned for an upcoming post about some of the quality dairy products I have personally sourced and use here in Israel.

Download Your Shavuot Ebook Here

For now, get cooking my fresh sabras! Here’s your downloadable Shavuot Ebook.

Xoxo,

Liat

Shall we delve into some basic definitions first? Organic produce implies that no synthetic fertilizers were used in the planting process and that no pesticides (glyphosate) or other synthetic materials were used on the crops. There haven’t been enough studies on human and soil long term effects, but like most unnatural materials, I am going to bet that these chemicals are not the best for our long term health. My take in general with anything industrialized is that quality and longevity of life is being effected. And there are some studies that have showed a correlation between organic eaters and a smaller risk of cancer (especially menopausal breast cancer) (see PMID: 30422212)

Organic products will take on a new meaning depending on country regulations, but may not necessarily be organic 100%. In the U.S for example, all organic products need to receive a USDA seal. The criteria for this seal is that no synthetic fertilizers or pesticides have been used 70% or more of the ingredients. So this means a significant 30% may have been treated with said chemicals. The thing that makes this all very tricky though is that there are certain produce items that really can’t be penetrated with any form of chemicals. So even if there were synthetic fertilizers or pesticides sprayed on said produce, if the skin has been removed, or if the skin in general is thick enough, none of those bad things have permeated into your food. We’ll get back to this list referred to as the ‘Clean 15’ later. For now, let’s talk about another factor to consider when buying organic products.

Environment Sustainability

Environment. We don’t live in the same world our great great grandparents lived in. The air is so much thicker, the water is heavily polluted, more any more people are being diagnosed with various hormonal imbalances and fatal sicknesses. Human health originates from the soil. Isn’t that what we came from? Isn’t that a piece of our world we should be focusing on and preserving? I won’t point all the blame on pesticides and synthetic fertilizers, but I think we can all agree that agriculture is one of many culprits. Think about how much of the world is covered in crops. I’ll help you out. A simple google revealed that 50% of the world is covered by agriculture, Soak that in for a second.

A big part of life today is making life and the world a sustainable place. I know you and me seem small, but if more and more of us make the shift over to organic eating, to supporting a farm to table type of living (even if its just once a month), or even just supporting a local farmer who may not be “organic certified” officially but is following organic principles, then that can start to make the world a more sustainable place for our kids and our grandkids and so forth.

I’m not going to stand here and pretend like this is a simple thing to do. Organic products are more expensive and not everyone has that in their budgets. But what I will say is that even that one organic shop a month will make a difference on the world. And if everyone undertakes a more organic lifestyle even minutely, the world will start to become a more sustainable place. Not everything needs to be organic, and so another way to make this organic shift a bit more doable is to try to stick to the Dirty Dozen and the Clean 15. I’ll expand.

The Dirty Dozen

The EWG puts out a list each year listing the top 12 crops that are highly penetrable and highly sprayed with pesticides. The list varies from year to year, but remains pretty consistent for the most part. Although the EWG is an American association, the dirty dozen is usually consistent with crops that have thin and penetrable skin, and thus don’t vary too much from year to year. A good rule of thumb for us Israeli’s: skin is thin, organic for the win!

Here’s this year’s dirty dozen:

1. strawberries
2. spinach
3. kale
4. nectarines
5. cherries
6. grapes
7. peaches
8. apples
9. pears
10. potatoes
11. celery
12. tomatoes

Another route would be to plant your own fruit and veggie garden, which will tremendously help the environment even if it’s only one or two of these plants each season.

The Clean Fifteen

This is the list that the EWG names as safe an non penetrable due to their thick skin and growing methods. Try to take off the skin/outer layer of these 15, and then you are good to go.

1. Avocado
2. Corn
3. Cabbage
4. Pineapple
5. Onions
6. papaya
7. peas
8. eggplant
9. cauliflower
10. asparagus
11. mushrooms
12. broccoli
13. honeydew
14. kiwi
15. cantaloupe

Stick to regular super market shopping here with no worry about pesticide seepage.

Do Your Research

In general I’d always tell you to do your research. Science is forever evolving. There is not enough research to even tell us what the effects of pesticides will have on us years down the line. Maybe even none. But, before the research can help us, it’s always good to research how crops are grown, how the farmers operate their land, if there is some sort of monetary reason a product hasn’t been certified organic, and what ingredients are being put into products certified as organic.

I’ll give you all one quick example. The spelt grain has a really thick layer on the outside of the crop. It’s almost impossible for pesticides to penetrate. So even if you aren’t using the whole grain version, the white spelt 100% trumps white wheat flour, which is highly sprayed with pesticides and is highly penetrable. This is why you may have noticed all my baking is done with spelt. This is a small shift I have made in my kitchen that exposes way less chemicals to my family. And to me, it’s a worthwhile shift.

How to Make Organic Eating More Affordable

Here are some tips:

• Do your research. As noted above, not everything certified organic is 100% organic. And some uncertified organic products and produce can in fact have been very adhering to organic principles.
• Source out your local small owned farm. They most likely have free range chicken and eggs, milk, and very unsprayed produce. You’ll be getting better deals and helping the farmer out, and you’ll be helping out the world.
• prioritize. Don’t buy everything organic. But also be honest with yourself. Do you need that huge pack of potato chips and bamba? Or can you swap out some of those snacks this week with some organic produce?
• Use everything in its entirety. You’ve just done a huge organic shop. repurpose! The tomatoes are going bad? Roast em and make sun-dried tomatoes to have in your fridge. Make a huge pot of chicken or veggie soup. Get every last ounce of goodness out of those produce and stretch it thin. You’ll be surprised how much you can actually save in groceries when you buy some more pricey produce because you will feel the need to use every last crumb!

I’ll leave you with one more thought. If there exists studies that point to a decreased risk in chronic and fatal diseases when going organic, wouldn’t you want to find ways to ensure that decreased risk for your family? And if you could lower that risk by adapting even just one of the tips mentioned above, would you?

I feel like this recipe book has brought me full circle. When I started this blog, we were just starting these crazy Corona times. I had less commuting to do since school was now remote, and had a bunch of hungry mouths to feed. I used the first lockdown to really develop my brand. With the help of some amazingly talented women entrepreneurs who helped with everything from branding, style design, web development, and photography. You know who you are. I used the time to pursue this blog dream I’ve had for a really long time. To share my passion of food and healthy eating, fueling eating and living. This has always been my passion, and took me a few kids and degrees later to truly take the plunge and make the career switch. It has been the most rewarding, fulfilling, passion boosting decision I have made. I love this community of healthy eating seekers. I love this community of other fellow ‘fresh sabras’ who are just looking for the best health food products out there. And I have experienced a tremendous amount of positive feedback worldwide that has truly warmed my heart. This was simply a passion I have always loved, and Covid times has turned this passion into a reality. I feel so lucky to have come this far.

On a more personal level, this blog has been my savior. Because I am with the kids by day, in school by night. Finals and labs, and figuring out how to feed and entertain my kids each day. And many days traveling long hours to be with my father for his cancer treatments (which was diagnosed amidst this whole Corona debacle). In between the lines this blog has been my escape. Because this is my true passion. Healthy eating, healthy living, helping others see the beauty in the fuel G-d has given us; all of these make me smile from ear to ear. They say a career that you are passionate about doesn’t feel like a job. This cannot be more true for me.

And now we are on the merge of another lockdown. Another chag in isolation. Another chag where we are forced to be away from our extended families, or the friends that have become family. And we are forced to stay home and try to connect with G-d on the most important and daunting times of the Jewish calendar. But if I learned anything from the first lockdown, it’s that with every challenge comes a tremendous opportunity to shine. This Rosh Hashanah, we can spend in close quarters with our immediate families. We can get to know ourselves even deeper. We have the chance for true, uninterrupted introspection. The first lockdown was a blessing for me and my family. I started the blog, excelled at school, connected with a handful of professionals in the health and fitness industry. But most importantly, I had a healthy kitchen, a healthy movement routine in place (for my family as well), I bonded with my kids better than I ever have, and my relationship with my husband has soared higher than I even knew existed. My body and soul benefitted so much.

I know there are the ugly sides of Corona, and lockdown. But if I can bring some happy food creativity to even one home this lockdown, I will feel fulfilled.

We are blessed to have access to the best of the best fruits and vegetables. After all, Rosh Hashanah is centered around the produce that G-d has given us. These simanim are so much more than just food, they have nutrients, and microbiomes and fueling properties that our bodies crave, that our bodies need. And G-d is telling us to eat them! Think about this for a second: we start the year being told to eat nutrient dense produce and to find the beauty in them. G-d is literally starting our year off on a healthy, natural foot! Let’s use that to find the inner beauty in the things He has given us, and to use his fruits (literally though) to fuel us forward, to reach new heights.

My hope and prayer is that each and everyone of you uses this time for true growth, introspection, family bonding, and truly develop a healthy mind body and soul for the upcoming year. Here’s to a Corona free 5781 with all the special gems we have gained through it all.

To Download your Free PDF

Click here: Fresh Sabra Ultimate Rosh Hashanah Recipe Collection

This may be the most useful list I put out for you, my fellow fresh sabras. As much as the health and food industry has grown here in our tiny country, there’s just so much comfort in finding the products we are used to from back home. Certain things that I really have not seen here, and are just necessary to buy abroad.

iHerb has made things so simple recently. I order essentials under $75 (to avoid being taxed) and pay a small shipping fee (I think it’s about $10-$15 depending on the package) and get my order within 3-5 days usually. It’s pretty amazing if you think about it. Everything used to be such a headache. But recently convenience has been making its way into our world here in Israel.

Enough chit-chat, let’s dive right into the essentials:

Food

1. Hemp seeds: I honestly don’t think Israelis even know what this wonder seed is. Hemp seeds are little seeds, similar to chia seeds that load in a crazy amount of nutrients including high amounts of essential fatty acids, (even more than chia or flaxseeds), a great source of iron, potassium and magnesium, all great things to be getting into the body post workout by the way! And the best part is that 3 tbsp of these bad boys pack in 10 grams of protein. YES I SAID TEN! it’s really an amazing addition to yogurts, smoothies salads, and gives you that extra plant based protein boost that we are all generally lacking. I get Manitoba Harvest. It has a hechsher, lasts me a good few months, and really not too pricey.
2. Lara Bars: These are one of my favorite snacks, and have’t found a worthy equivalent here in Israel. What I like about Lara bars is that they are usually only 3-4 ingredients, no crap, and just pure energy. I like the peanut butter chocolate chip flavor the best, and as an added perk so do my kids! it’s just a nice snack to have on hand when you are busy and running out the door. I like to have them around so I don’t resort to eating the wrong food and entering into a cycle of snacking on non-fueling food the rest of the day. Actually plan to share my own recipe recreation one of these days, so be sure to sign up for my newsletter so that you get an update when the recipe is live.
3. Dried Blueberries: I think us anglos just have a minor obsession with blueberries that Israeli’s will never get. The blueberry availability has been rising over the years, but having some non-sugar added dried blueberries on hand to add to yogurts, baked goods or even just to snack on, is a real treat. Thanks iherb! Here’s the brand I like: nothing but freeze dried blueberries. Yum.
4. Tea: I know we have a nice amount to choose from here, but nothing beats pukka tea. Wholesome and real ingredients. These people really know how to make tea. And while you can find pukka around stores in Israel, iherb sells in bulk and at a more decent price. Some of my favorite flavors include cinnamon licorice, vanilla chai, three cinnamon and gorgeous earl grey. In addition to pukka, Celestial Seasonings is another great brand. I particularly love getting their cold brew teas in the summer. Here’s a great one that is actually used in my Tropical Iced Tea Lemonade recipe. I’ve also been told that for Brits, Barry’s Tea is a must for plain black tea 🙂
5. Vanilla extract: this can obviously be purchased in Israel, but the real deal is pretty hard to come across in regular grocery stores, and the ones sold in health food stores can get a bit pricey. I like to wait for sales on iherb and often stock up on this brand.
6. Spices: don’t you all miss onion powder and Italian seasoning for your cooking?! Well now you don’t have to! Simply Organic sells an array of spices that are not readily available here in Israel.
7. Smoothie boosters: This really deserves its own article, but here are a few of my favorite boosters that I like to have on hand to add some extra nourishment to my smoothies and yogurts:

• Camu camu, comes in a powder form and loads in a massive amount of vitamin C, antioxidants, known to help with inflammation and to regulate blood sugar levels as well as metabolism. Really a true smoothie booster through and through. Definitely give this one a try.
• Matcha: this is one of those superfoods that I feel is super trending in America but somehow hasn’t made itself known in Israel. I’ve seen a few brands here and there around Israel, but all pretty expensive. Matcha is known to have superfood powers: tons of antioxidants, a natural caffeine booster, but with a special compound known as L-Theanine, which is a non-essential amino acid that does wonders for our central nervous system and the BDNF (Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor). Another perk of the L-theanine is actually its energy effect. While caffeine found in coffee usually wears out mid-day and leaves us feeling quite sluggish, the L-theanine in matcha provides a more steady release of caffeine to allow for a gradual release of energy over the course of the day. Matcha has been said to improve quality of life and longevity when used daily. Here’s one I like.
• Seeds: any of your basic seeds like flaxseed and chia seeds are sold in bulk over iherb, so sometimes worth looking out for sales to see if you can save a bit. Just a little fresh sabra tip for you all 🙂

House and Self-Care Products

1. Mrs. Meyers products: I just love this brand because everything is environmentally safe, dye and chemical free, but also smells so darn good. Also super gentle on the skin. I love their soaps, both hand and dish soaps, multi-purpose sprays, and even their scented candles. They often have sales, and products can be bought in bulk.I bought a large box of their hand soap 2 years back when we moved into our house, and still have a cupboard fully stocked of ’em. Worth a look!
2. Vitamins: Great stuff here for the whole family. Solgar makes all and everything, so worth taking a look at their products.
3. Essential oils: this is a great one for anyone working in the various therapies, and for the yogis and yoga teachers amongst us.They can get quite pricey in our local health food stores. Here’s my fave brand.
4. Skin Care: I’m not expert in this field, so can’t hurt to do some more research and browse around. But I have been educated by a few friends who are experts and have been told that there are two important ingredients to look out for in face wash/toners: 1) Hyaluronic Acid: helps reduce the visibility of wrinkles and activates increased skin cell production. Aids in retaining moisture to the skin to create plumper and smoother looking skin. 2) AHA and BHA exfoliants: these usually come in the form of leave on exfoliants and majorly contribute to healthy looking skin. Besides having acne-fighting properties, AHAs and BHAs also minimize the appearance of wrinkles, unclog pores, smooth rough and bumpy skin, even out skin tone and increase skin hydration. Some products that have these components that are available on iherb include Some by Mi’s Miracle Toner, and their Cleansing Bar. Other toners I like is this Cosrx AHA/BHA toner, and Derma E’s Hyaluronic Acid toner.
5. Kids: the two main things I like to get are a) zinc sunscreen because it is said to create a really effective skin barrier for even the most sensitive of skins. I like Badger’s unscented sunscreen for my kids and Blue Lizard Australian Sunscreen for my babies, which fun fact is actually the #1 pediatrician recommended sunscreen. b) Tom’s toothpaste because it is all natural and they have toothpastes suitable for babies younger than a year. Just feel like kids love to eat their toothpaste so this should be one of those things that ingredients should matter for! They also have a lot of dye and chemical free products that I love, so worth taking a look around!

I can probably keep going with this list. The options are really endless. It’s definitely worth getting the iherb app and staying up to date on sales. iherb has really made navigating healthy eating and living in Israel a pleasure for me, and hope it can do the same for all of you 🙂

As always, here to answer any questions, so don’t hesitates to reach out! Happy shopping fresh sabras!

xoxo

Before we dive into the different types of grains and their benefits, let’s first define WHY our bodies need grains. Well first because whole grains are one of the best sources of carbohydrates out there. Carbohydrates are crucial components necessary for energy production and energy distribution to some of the most vital organs in our bodies. Most notably, the brain. Glucose (a carb) is the brain’s most efficient source of energy. To understand any additional benefits of grains, we must first understand the difference between whole grains vs. processed grains.

Whole Grains vs. Processed Grains

Whole grains: the natural form of the plant. When the grain is unaltered and includes all of the plant’s original layers. Every whole grain has three layers: 1) the germ 2) the bran 3) the endosperm. Processed grains remove the germ and bran layer and only consist of the endosperm (inner most) layer in order to increase shelf life and appeal to taste.

The bran layer is the most outer layer of the grain, and also the fibrous layer of the grain. Fiber is crucial in regulating blood sugar levels, lowering cholesterol, and aiding in digestive health. When you remove this bran/fibrous layer from the grain, you are also ridding the body from using the grain as a gradual release of energy. This is why processed grains such as white flour and white sugar will eventually lead to a sugar crash.

The Sugar Crash Cycle

When you consume a processed grain, you’ll feel a nice burst of energy to begin with, but then after this initial feeling, you’ll feel a wave of sluggishness and crave more sugary carbs. This is because the body has not efficiently used the grain as energy overtime, and instead, all those carbs have entered the blood stream and have in turn upped your blood sugar levels. When your blood sugar levels are peaked, your essential organs and muscles have not received the energy they required, and so your body will feel a natural pull to be fueled. Think of it as an unbreakable cycle. You eat sugary, processed carbs, you fall into a sugar crash, your body craves energy, and so you eat more sugary processed carbs. This will continue and continue, and what results overtime, is a mass amount of fat storage. Why? Because with the feeling of “no fuel” the body will want to hang on to every piece of food you provide it with out of sheer deprivation. This “clinging” is done through storing carbs as fat. This is why carbs are known to be tummy bloaters. But this is actually ONLY true when referring to processed carbs. You can avoid this terrible cycle of sugar crashing and craving by simply swapping your grains from processed to whole. Interestingly, people who have a diet rich in whole grains have been shown to have less belly fat.

The Benefits of Whole Grains

Aside from being a blood sugar stabilizer, whole grains have a mass amount of nutrients that the body requires. With the 2 outer layers of the grain in tact, you are providing the body with vitamins, iron, copper, zinc, magnesium, fiber, phytochemicals and much more. All of these have actually been linked to lowering the risk of many diseases and illnesses such as heart disease and cancer. And just think about all the supplements you don’t have to be taking because whole grains are providing these crucial nutrients! Whole grains can actually be even more beneficial in sprouted form. If you’re interested to know more about this, go check out my article on The Benefits of Sprouted Everything.

Enriched Grains

Another important term to get acquainted with before moving onto a list of whole grains: enriched grains. This is one of the most deceiving terms in the food industry, because you would think that “enrichment” was a completely positive thing. In some twisted way it is better than un-enriched grains, but it also means that the grains HAVE BEEN PROCESSED and have therefore lost some of their essential nutrients. The enrichment process aims to restore some of those lost nutrients. But why fix something that should have never been broken?! The actual plant, the way God grew it is perfect. This is what our bodies need and recognize. Enriched grains mean a) they have been stripped of their natural wonders and then b) are being pumped with things. Granted these things could be beneficial components like vitamins and minerals, and if fiber is added back in, this can also help with blood sugar regulation. So it’s not all bad, and enriched grains are definitely better than purely refined grains. But always best to just stick with the whole grain if you can. If I had to say a word about enriched grains, however, I’d say that specific types have to be assessed depending on how they have been enriched and how that enrichment can be specifically beneficial for your needs.

The Grain Bible

So without further ado, here are some whole grains, and their benefits:

Rice: theres is a crazy amount of rice out there on the shelves. First let’s cover white vs. brown. The white rice is a refined grain ie, not whole. Therefore it is obviously better to choose a brown rice if you can. Some of the benefits lacking in white rice, that is present in brown rice include:

• Manganese: used as an antioxidant and also as a source of energy
• Selenium: a great source of thyroid hormone production (TSH)
• Magnesium: responsible for bone development, muscle contraction, and cell function

However, it is important to note that a lot of white rice is actually enriched with folate, a vital nutrient for DNA and genetic material synthesis, and an extremely important nutrient for females in their reproductive years (even when not pregnant or breastfeeding). Folate is naturally missing from the whole grain version of rice. Thus, if you are in need of folic acid, white rice, and other folate enriched grains can actually be quite beneficial. Another important note is that white rice is a lower-“ish” glycemic index grain, meaning the body will not process it as quickly as say white flour. So it will not cause as great of a rise in blood sugar, and is definitely a better choice than white bread or pasta.

Red or wild rice, is also considered a whole grain. The key is to look at the ingredient list and make sure it says “whole wild rice.” Often times wild rice is combined in a mix of white and brown rice, in which case it would not be considered a whole grain. However, some of these mixes can be beneficial due to the range of minerals coming from each type of rice individually. Some benefits of wild/red rice include

• significantly more amounts of protein than brown rice
• high amounts of fiber
• more zinc and potassium than brown rice

The only benefit that wild rice is lacking is magnesium, which is found in high levels in brown rice. Magnesium is essential for bone synthesis and vital for metabolic function. Thus it’s a good idea to always include a variety of rice types into your diet to ensure you are benefiting from all the nutrients.

Wheat: No better way to say this. If you are choosing between whole wheat and white flour, whole wheat is always the way to go. This day and age has made whole wheat flour so readily available and affordable. Really no need to be buying white flour. Now if your concern is the density of the flour in baking and such, I have a great solution for you. SPELT…read on.

Spelt: spelt is a grain similar to wheat. The body actually metabolizes spelt better than wheat, and it has a naturally lower glycemic index (GI) than wheat, meaning that even in its white and processed form, the body will not spike blood sugar levels as high as it would with white wheat flour. Whole spelt flour will obviously be the best choice, but if you need white flour for taste/recipe purposes, then always choose white spelt flour over regular white flour. It can be interchanged 1:1 and i guarantee you will not notice a difference. I have not had regular flour in my home in over 10 years and no has ever known the difference.

Some noteworthy benefits of spelt include:

• high in vitamins E and B
• an excellent source of plant based protein. Yes, you heard correctly, PROTEIN! Spelt contains 8 out of 9 essential amino acids! And because spelt is rich in vitamin B2, the body can use the amino acids extremely optimally
• contains a bunch of essential fatty acids, which aid in brain function (think ketone bodies, but if you have no idea what I’m saying, just take my word for it 😉
• high fiber ie helps in blood sugar regulation (which is why its low GI) and aids in digestive health

Basically if you were to ask me my favorite grain, I’d say spelt hands down. Just an FYI spelt comes in groat form, not just in flour form. Makes a great addition to salad, and you can even make your Shabbat chulent out of it! Give it a try!

Buckwheat: is actually not officially a grain, but because of its benefits, it is treated as a grain. The nice thing about buckwheat is that it’s gluten free, and makes a great sub for flour. A nice option to use in granola along with oats. Same thing goes with quinoa. Not a grain officially, but considered a pseudo-grain due to its similar benefits. Both are a nice source of plant based protein, if you are looking for more ways to incorporate protein. And both have nice amounts of iron. So definitely have these two wonder seeds on hand to change things up.

Oats: there are a few types floating around on the shelves, so let’s define them all.

• The healthiest, whole grain version are referred to as steel cut oats. This is the version that has has zero manipulation performed and contains all of the grain layers. Thus, this is the version of oats with all of the benefits intact, including a mass amount of heart healthy fiber and soluble iron. They also have a nice amount of protein for a grain. That’s why oatmeal is known to be a wonderful breakfast: complex, whole grain carb that gradually releases energy throughout the day, while also packing in some protein and iron.
• Next we have rolled oats, also known as old fashioned oats. As long as the label here says “whole” old fashioned/rolled oats, you should be good to go here too. The only difference here is that these oats have been pre-rolled and steamed to allow for faster cooking time. The grain itself should still be in tact and contain all the same benefits as the steel cute version.
• Quick oats are the “refined” process of oats, which has the outer layers removed ie the nutritious layers have been removed. These are the oats you’ll generally find in the packet of oatmeal or sold in bulk at the supermarket. Less ideal, and probably not the greatest way to start your day. Definitely try to find one of the other two types mentioned above.

Well folks, we covered loads here. And yes, there are loads and loads more grains to speak about. Perhaps a Grain Guidebook Part II should be in the works? As always, I am here to answer any questions. Hope this was helpful. Happy whole eating fresh sabras 🙂

There are going to be a lot of opinions out there about how to break a fast, but there are two main goals we are meant to achieve with a post fast meal. Firstly, we want to replenish the body with the nutrients it is lacking, and secondly we want to avoid a blood sugar spike and crash at any cost.

Goal #1: I like to tell people to view their post fast meal as breakfast in the morning. When we go to sleep, there are a good 8-12 hours that our bodies are going un-nourished. The first thing we feel when we wake up in the morning is lightheadedness. This is because the glucose that supplies our brains with energy is really low, and it is in dire need of more for proper function throughout the day. This is why carbs are very needed in the morning. Think about a typical healthy breakfast, I’ll help you out a little: a bowl of Cheerios and milk, a fruit plate with some yogurt and granola, bread and eggs, oatmeal. All of these are common breakfasts found around the world, and all of them have a large carbohydrate component.

But in each of these common breakfasts, there is more than just carbohydrates, and this brings me to our second goal.

Goal #2: Keeping blood sugar stable after a fast will ensure that you don’t reach a sugar crash later on in the evening. Like all things that rise, it must come down. When blood sugar spikes, the decrease is usually extreme and actually causes the body to crave more sugars and carbs. This is why the carbs we choose to eat should generally be complex carbs, and should be accompanied by some natural blood sugar stabilizers like protein and fat. A complex carb is better because it has a fibrous layer that allows the body to digest the sugar overtime instead of quickly digest and crash. And in the same way that the fiber in complex carbs allow a slower digestion time, so do protein and healthy fats. This is why a typical morning breakfast includes eggs with the bread, or milk with the Cheerios, or yogurt with the fruit. See the pattern? A “break” fast both in the morning after a night of not eating, and post fast, should be a balanced meal.

Often post fast meals are loaded with all the yummy indulgent carbs that we dream about while we are fasting. Do you know why these are the foods you crave? Because fasting naturally puts our bodies at low blood sugar levels, at the bottom of a sugar crash of sorts, and thats when our body craves more sugar! But to exit this cycle of craving sugary foods, we just need to nourish the body with food that will satisfy the body instead of leaving it in need of more energy.

I’m not telling you to skip out on your cinnamon bun, but I am telling you to FIRST have a balanced meal and only then have your cinnamon bun! This way your body is satisfied and nourished with the food you break the fast with, and may not even WANT to finish the entire cinnamon bun. But even more importantly, the balanced meal that you get in beforehand will allow the digestion process to be slow and regulate the blood sugar levels properly when you do have that cinnamon bun.

So here’s a few ideas of how to get in a balanced post fast meal. Then afterwards, have whatever yummy treat you chose to make during the fast. You just made it through the fast, so you deserve it!

1. spelt pasta, or another whole grain variation with some sautéed broccoli, mushrooms topped with cheese of your choice
2. omelets/scrambles eggs or even shakshuka with a hearty whole grain bread (even better, make it sourdough!)
3. split pea or mushroom soup topped with high protein plain yogurt and whole grain bread
4. salmon or tuna patties with a side of brown rice and some roasted cauliflower

These are just a few ideas of balanced, healthy and hearty meals, but the options are really endless! Healthy and balanced definitely still leaves room for delicious!

Happy eating peeps

xoxo

Me

The Ninth of Av is one of the harder fasts here in Israel. Aside from it ending super late, we are also usually in middle of a heat wave at this time of the year. So properly preparing is key to getting through the fast. Let’s jump right in.

What to eat BEFORE a fast:

• This goes without saying, but water is the main contributor that will get your body through a fast. A healthy human can go almost 3 weeks without eating, but we can only survive for 3 days without water. Our cells, blood, the body’s building blocks are made up of mostly water. You get the point right? Water is necessary.

Bottom line: drink your body weight in pounds divided by two and that is the amount in ounces your body is meant to have regularly. For before a fast, add a few extra ounces, but really no need to surpass this number exponentially if you are remaining hydrated regularly in the days leading up to the fast. Other ways to get in extra hydration is through produce. So think foods like watermelon, cucumbers, celery, peppers, peaches, oranges, and berries. These fruits and veggies are made up of almost 90% water content, so be sure to keep these available as snacks in the days leading up to a fast.

• Potassium is a natural electrolyte found in our bodies. Electrolytes provide us with lasting energy, so obviously a great thing to have before a fast. This is why marathon runners have sports drinks like Gatorade or PowerAde, and those gel packs. If you remember anything from your high school cell biology class, you’ll probably remember that the flow of potassium and sodium are pretty crucial for muscle contraction and for proper cell function/energy conservation. Potassium is also a great regulator of blood sugar levels, which is something we really want to be watching during fasts.

Bottom line: try to add in some potassium rich foods such as bananas, cantaloupe, dates, broccoli and sweet potatoes, to name a few.  This will be especially beneficial if you include these foods in your pre-fast meal.

• Protein: this is the food that will help you feeling full longer. The thing with protein, however, is that we digest it within the first few hours of the fast, so it won’t have super long effects, but it will be a crucial factor in getting in a balanced meal before the fast. This is important in order to keep blood sugar levels stable and not spiking throughout the fast.

Bottom line: pre fast be sure to include a protein of choice. It can be animal protein such as fish, meat or chicken, or some plant based protein including beans, nuts, seeds, and legumes. For the vegetarians amongst us: non-GMO soy products as well as pea protein are an excellent high plant based protein option. Have you seen this brand of fake meat? It’s available at Shufersal and in most health food chains throughout the country. It’s delicious and Fresh Sabra approved 🙂 Seitan (wheat protein) and Tempeh (fermented wheat) are also lovely choices.

• Fat: Same goes with fat. Healthy fats not only provide us with a full feeling for longer, but they are known to be the best source of energy storage, which is something our bodies desperately need during fasts. When we give our body fat to store, as we enter a state of hypoglycemia (essentially when the brain feels it is getting no energy), the liver knows how to easily and efficiently break down those fatty acids and convert them into large amounts of ATP (energy) to distribute throughout the body. Fat is also a wonderful blood sugar stabilizer, which is why diabetics are often told to supply their diets with a lot of healthy fats.

Bottom line: be sure to include some healthy fats in your pre-fast meals. Examples of healthy fats include olive oil, coconut oil, nuts and nut butters, chickpeas, avocado (my Avocado Pesto is pictured above, a great option to add to chicken or even some whole grain pasta pre-fast!) and beans. High fat dairy works too.

• This is going to be the most important point I make, and I’m very passionate about it, so I apologize for the rant ahead. Carbohydrates. Ya’ll know how preachy I can get when it comes to carbs. But before you take this as an opportunity to grab a bowl of pasta before the fast, let me first say, quality is going to trump everything here. So we are looking at complex carbs. Why? I’ll explain…

Firstly because carbohydrates are the ONLY source of energy our brains can use. In fasting mode, our bodies are literally pulling energy sources from every last resort, and if we do not have enough glycogen (chains of glucose i.e. carbs) built up, our brain will simply stop functioning. This is why we feel light headed during a fast; our brains are slowly stopping to function. And complex carbs are the types of carbs our bodies know how to break down most efficiently. Therefore, they provide our brains with the best source of energy.

Complex carbs have many layers to them. These layers will allow the carbs to be used as energy sources overtime (i.e. throughout the fast). Think of it as it sounds: layers upon layers of energy. Our bodies slowly digest each layer and distribute the energy to the necessary locations. Then when it needs more, there’s more layers to go around. This also helps regulate blood sugar levels because we are not flooding our bodies with an influx of sugar, but rather allowing the body to slowly incorporate these sugars (carbs) overtime. This is why processed carbs like white sugar and white flour are not great because they do not have these “layers” of energy. Instead they provide a burst of energy to begin with, but then the layers run out, our blood sugar is spiked, and we are left with no more energy to be utilized overtime (but more on that in my guide to Quality Food Over Calories…coming soon!)

So PLEASEEEEEE drop the low carb diet at least for before the fast. Load up on some of the following things.

Bottom line: whole grains such as rice, faro, barley, oats, quinoa, and starchy/complex veggies like sweet potatoes and squash. Veggies are also great, just make sure they are cooked so you don’t deal with digestive issues while you are mid fast! Make sure you have these included in the day before the fast as well as a main components of your pre-fast meal.

One last note: The food that we eat is going to be digested pretty quickly, the idea is that we are eating food that will be utilized as energy and blood sugar stabilizers over time. So that actually means that quantity is not so important. You don’t need to stuff your face with loads and loads of food. In fact, that may actually make you hungrier because your blood sugar levels can rapidly rise this way, and this will just leave you with a mid fast sugar crash. So choose quality foods and eat a regular portion size, or maybe a tad bit more than usual if you need that mentally.

So to sum for you guys, it really comes down to a nice balanced meal that incorporates hydrating foods as well as potassium rich produce. I’ll add a few menu options as examples below for you all.

1)*For fasts NOT during the 9 days when you can have meat:

• A whole roasted chicken (can stuff with dates or use date syrup as a glaze for that potassium!) accompanied by brown rice and a lentils, with a side of steamed broccoli or acorn squash.
• My Silan Glazed Turkey Balls is actually a great option that incorporates a lean protein with date syrup for that potassium punch. Serve it over brown rice and you’ve got yourself a perfect pre-fast meal! Check it out here. For dessert, have some cantaloupe or watermelon!

2) Salmon and herbed quinoa with steamed broccoli or cauliflower, and baked sweet potatoes. For dessert, nut butter stuffed dates and berries with coconut cream (yum!)

3) Lentil and bean soup (add in a can of coconut cream for some healthy fats, or top with some avocado if you want more of a Mexican spiced soup) loaded with veggies with a side of steamed rice. Check out my 15-Minute Curried Lentil and Butternut Squash Soup for a quick and easy option! For dessert have some fresh berries, or a frozen banana peanut butter “mock” ice-cream.

Always here for suggestions and recs 🙂

Wishing you all an easy and meaningful fast. Now go drink some water!

Xoxo

Me

I generally don’t like to tell people to eliminate things in their diets. My approach is really to allow anything as long as the “bad” stuff is kept to moderation. But when it comes to canola oil, please, I beg you, throw it out ASAP. It is absolutely astonishing to me that this product exists and is legal to be sold.

Here’s why: Canola oil was developed in the 70s by genetically modifying the rapeseed through plant breeding manipulation. The main incentive was to create oil that is less costly. The result however was refined, highly hydrogenated oil.

Hydrogenated oils literally mean they are saturated in hydrogen bonds to increase the stability of the product, but this does not help us health wise. Hydrogenated oil is known to be one of the main culprits for increasing LDL cholesterol, the bad cholesterol responsible for artery blockage and such.

Additionally, canola oil is by nature genetically modified, and GM products are most often accompanied by an overuse of pesticides.

Finally, the “refined” nature of the oil literally means A LOT of unnatural processes are done to extract the oil from these seed including:

• heating the seeds to high temperatures
• mixing the seed pulp extracted with a chemical solution know as hexane (which is a derivative of petroleum oil!!!!! Literally poisonous!!!)
• using phosphorylation and centrifugation to separate the seeds from its residue
• and bleaching the product to remove all the colors of the chemicals used in the process.

This is just to name a FEW of the processes applied to extract the oil. It’s astonishing how many chemicals, methods, and denaturing techniques are used on a seed. Literally scary to think we are ingesting products which have undergone all this manipulation. 

So on a basic level, there is just nothing good about this oil whatsoever. This, in my eyes, is seriously on the same level as being told told not to smoke. Both have MAJOR health implications. Why on earth would you want to put this poison into your body just because it’s a tad bit cheaper?! You can be saving long-term health complications by just spending the extra few bucks (NIS, I mean!! I’m the fresh sabra after-all 😉 ) to get a better quality, and HEALTHY oil.

Other vegetable oils that I’d avoid for the same reasons noted above include: safflower oil, soybean oil, and corn oil.

So what oils are ok to use?

There are two guidelines I like to use when choosing oil:

1) Always ensure the oil has been cold pressed

As opposed to refined oil, which is an unnatural process of extracting oil, cold pressing oil is the most natural way to extract the oil from the seed/plant. These seeds have oils that are readily available to be used and therefore don’t require any manipulation. The cold pressing process is essentially like using a mortal and pestle to extract the oil from the plant. As simple as that.

The cold pressing process also ensures the health benefits of the seed remain in the oil and aren’t denatured or chemically altered.

2) Smoke point

Every oil at a certain point, will reach a temperature known as its smoke point, where the oil will begin to denature and release free radicals. Free radicals are a leading cause of many diseases and health complications i.e. extremely harmful to the body.

Every oil has a smoke point specific to it, and so depending on your intended use, oil selection can vary.

Some high smoke point oils include:

1) Avocado oil

2) Extra virgin olive oil

3) Coconut oil

4) Butter and ghee

It is important to note that any refined oil (ie, oils that have NOT been cold pressed) will naturally have a higher smoking point, but this is at the expense of many other health factors as noted above. So olive oil that has not been cold pressed, for example, may have a higher smoke point, however may have been extracted using many unnatural processes. 

I like to use avocado oil in virtually everything because most have a very neutral taste and can be used in high temperatures without a problem. Sesame oil is also a really high smoke point oil, but the flavor is very potent so may not work in every dish.

It gets a bit tricky when it comes to some oils that have been cold pressed and that belong to the polyunsaturated fat family. That is because when these fats are exposed to light and heat, they too can go rancid. That’s why cooking with these oils may not be the best idea. So like hempseed oil and flaxseed oil for example, which are super healthy omega 3 sources, are best in their raw forms.

Saturated fats are a great cooking oil because they have a really high smoke point and do not go rancid when heated! that’s why I’d always suggest cooking with butter or ghee if you can do dairy. People NEED to unlearn the “butter is evil” idea. Butter makes everything better. And saturated fat is just another important fat that builds hormones, gives us energy, lines our organs and cells, and provides satiety! Two ghees I like to get are available on iherb: 4th & Heart and Organic Valley. Both are grassfed and organic and usually in stock.

If you need an excellent non dairy option for cooking, coconut oil is another saturated fat that has a high smoke point and can be used for cooking, frying and baking without any rancidity problems. Just be sure you find a cold pressed coconut oil, which Israel has available at most health food stores.

Here’s a list of more oil brands I like to use:

Avocado oil it is REALLY pricey for a small bottle here, so this is one thing I like to buy on iherb for a much cheaper alternative.

Olive oil is one of those things in this country that we are not lacking! There are so many amazing brands that sell cold pressed, and often farmers markets sell the big 2 liter bottles as well. So keep an eye out for sales!

Happy oil hunting my fellow fresh sabras!

Let’s first define what sprouted means. It’s actually just as it sounds. Sprouts are grains, beans, or seeds that have small sprouts coming out of them. This is usually done through soaking and then allowing the “sprouts” to grow in the wet environment. In scientific terms, this process is referred to as germinating.

Why do this? Because sprouting beans, seeds, and grains actually returns a lot more nutrients to these foods. It takes it back to its “growing form,” and as I tell all my clients, food that is as close as possible to its ground grown form, is the most nourishing form we can give our bodies. 

Which nutrients are increased with sprouting?

Just about everything, but most notably, protein, vitamins and minerals (specific to each food group), and antioxidants.

In fact, sprouted food usually has a nice amount of protein that can be considered an adequate source of plant based protein.

Sprouted foods are also known to aid in weight loss, help regulate blood sugar levels (for all those diabetics/IR amongst us), and our bodies are much more willing to process them. When we mimic the “ground/growing” form of foods, our bodies identify them and accept them as energy sources and building blocks. The body then goes on to process them for their intended roles, and distributes them to the organs/tissues/body parts that need them.

So what can you sprout? Here are a few ideas you can try on your own:

Mung beans, adzuki beans, soybeans. All dry beans I’ve had success in sprouting on my own.

Other sprouts you can find in most health food stores around Israel:

Sprouted wheat and spelt, sprouted peas, sprouted lentils, sprouted brown rice and oats. I tend to look for sprouted bread because if I can get bread that has a significant amount of plant-based protein, I feel victorious. I was an Ezekiel bread lover in the States, and have yet to find a brand that I love here. But, I have found a frozen brand that is decent with some doctoring and love. I’ll try to post a recipe soon, so stay up to date!