Anything 20 minute is going to be key over the next little bit. This one is a staple in our house. It’s quick and easy, and forgiving. And even though it only takes 15 + minutes of active cooking time, the flavor is NOT lacking in the slightest. Also it gets in protein, veg, and you can basically serve it a top any grain. Can’t get better than that, especially as we are heading into the third full lockdown here in Israel.

A few notes before I get to the actual recipe. Going to keep this post short and sweet because that’s all anyone has time for these days, am I right?

1. any veggie combo goes here. You have picky kids that only eat a certain veg? add it in! If they can’t handle any veg, totally fine too! leave it out! As I mentioned, this is a really forgiving recipe.
2. I use coconut sugar for my sweetener but I realize this can get pricey. Feel free to swap with whatever sugar you have on hand: honey, maple syrup, even regular sugar will do (but shh I never said that 😉 Just swap with the same amount.
3. I happen to really like serving this with rice noodles. Really been happy with the consistency of these ones from Kerem recently. And my kids enjoy it much more this way. If you need more “sauce” action, feel free to make extra glaze in a sauce pan and serve at the side for everyone to add freely. You can also just have some soy sauce and top the noodles that way.

Think that’s it guys. Hope this one saves your last minute family dinner prep as much as it has saved me!

xoxo

That fall season is slowly creeping in here. Nights are getting chillier (and make for great running weather!), my morning coffees are slowly switching over to predominantly hot coffees, and I’ve been eying my sweater shelf now for a few weeks. Can’t wait till I get to live in my big comfy sweaters all winter long. Who’s with me?!

Before the cold months come in, I like to boost up my cooking with some immune boosting ingredients to ensure that my family enters flu season nice and healthy. So even though the weather is still hot most days, my cooking shifts over to big warm and comforting bowls loaded with warming spices and flavors. Curries. Yum.

I actually used to be so scared of all those orange and yellow spices. Never loved ginger or turmeric. Hated curry powder. But over the years as I’ve learned about how beneficial they can be I’ve learned to incorporate them to my liking and now I’m obsessed. The key is to marry the flavors perfectly so that no one spice is too overpowering, and so that all the other ingredients still have a space to shine through. Sounds a bit philosophical lol. But curries are so impressive. They have so many components with so many wonderful flavors and such a huge micronutrient profile. You can basically get all the antioxidants there are out there in a bowl of curry.

Health Benefits

Let’s talk spice profile here:

Ginger:

• It’s claim to fame is a nausea inhibitor. So all those with morning sickness, this one’s a keeper (even though anecdotally it always made me feel more nauseous in the early days of my pregnancies). The same properties in ginger that subside nausea can also help in digestive regulation. This is why are often told to drink ginger-ale when we have stomach bugs. Ditch the sugary carbonated beverage and infuse some water with some fresh ginger and lemon. Should really help settle the tummy.
• But Ginger can do so much more than that! It has a compound inside that literally deters germs bacteria. Such a super power of a spice for the winter months when all the kids are bringing home all the germs and sickness.
• It’s anti-inflammatory powers can actually help in the gum health arena because it deters a build up of bacteria or other inflammatory causing conditions. Another great thing to be getting in during pregnancy since the body is often prone to poor dental health during this time. These anti-inflammatory powers are the same reason ginger can help muscle soreness and arthritis flare ups. Even IBS. he ginger can actually help subside any of these common forms of inflammation.

These are just some benefits to name a few. I can probably write an entire page worth of ginger super powers. But let’s spotlight turmeric too so he doesn’t feel too left out. This one’s a gem.

Turmeric:

• It’s actually the cousin of ginger. Both contain compounds called beta carotene that gives each spice its orange color. The same compound found in carrots and sweet potatoes and squash. This compound is known to fight infection, ward off destructive diseases (cancer, heart disease, brain and lung complications), and is even linked to regulating eye site, memory function and even mood. Because it has been shown to help brain function so effectively, turmeric has even been linked to fighting off headaches. A good idea to get in during cold and flu season for sure!

So much more I can say about these literal superfoods. And let’s not forget the sweet potatoes are actually known to be natures’s superfood! So this bowl of curry will not disappoint. And if you add it in regularly to your family meals, you may up your chances of getting through the winter months unscathed.

It’s really so yum. A big bowl of comfort. Give it a try and let me know how you like it!

Wishing us all a healthy and strong winter season ahead!

Xoxo,

Liat

This is a favorite in my house. Everyone loves it because of the versatility involved in these “bowls.” All the toppings ensure that every person has option to put together their taco bowl all while ensuring my family is getting in a punch of nutrients into their meal. I’ve been speaking about eating the rainbow a lot lately. Dinner is the perfect time to make up for all the colors you haven’t gotten into your diet that day. And dinner bowls and bars are the perfect vehicle to accomplish this.

This recipe is actually part of a series of dinner prepping I hope to be putting out soon. It’s 5 dinners that can be prepped in one hour at the start of the week. Then each night you need to dedicate an additional 20-30 minutes to assemble and put on the finishing touches. Every one of these dinners is versatile, allows for option, delicious and nutritious. I even tested it on my large extended family over lock down. We had ages ranging from 2 (thanks yaya) to 72 (thanks parents) and every teenage and kid age in between (thanks family). So you can rest assured that even your most pickiest of eaters will have some sort of option each night.

For now, I’ll leave you with this gem of a recipe. It punches in the red phytonutrient we recently covered together, holding anthocyanidine and lycopene compounds which gives produce like raspberries, beets and tomatoes their deep red pigment. These compounds provide the body with iron and antioxidant rich nutrients which fight fatal diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. They are also immune boosting and promote healthy brain and heart function.

I particularly love this dish because I was never a tomato lover, and unfortunately that preference got passed down to my children. The hubby is also not the biggest tomato fan. So tomato sauce on pasta won’t cut it here. But for some reason this dish is the perfect marriage of flavors that don’t overload the tomato flavor. And their are actually fresh tomatoes hidden in! So I’d say win!

All the topping and side recommendations are jus that: recommendations. The thing about bowls and bars in general is that you can dictate what to include. No one in your family likes red cabbage? No problem! leave it out or swap with some carrot slaw instead. Some kids don’t despise rice?! Fine! Swap out the rice for some tortillas or tacos! Hate beans? No worries, you can totally leave it out!

Vegetarian Options

I love this topic. We aren’t vegetarians, but we do tend to live a pretty plant based life with occasional animal protein splurges during the week. Otherwise, we really save animal protein for the weekends. So when we aren’t feeling the meat vibe, we often turn this into an awesome veggie taco bowl. You can just tripe the bean quantity by adding in a variety of beans in addition to the black beans. I’ve done pinto beans and kidney beans, both yum! But if you want a vegetarian option here are two of my favorite meat alternatives:

1. Teva Deli makes a “ground meat.” They have two versions: one that’s intended for bolognese and one that’s meant to make “burgers.” I like the bolognese option in general but have to admit that I have not tried it in this recipe. I’ve made the bean version of this recipe and been quite happy, but it’s definitely worth trying out this product if you want a more “meaty” option. Here’s the link to the product. I’ve seen it at most health food chains as well as in Shufersal and Tiv Ta’am.
2. Vega makes a great fake ground meat alternative. Really quality ingredients and no chemicals at all. There are 2 disadvantages though: a) they come in really small packets, so you’d need a lot to feed a large family and it can get pricey. But if making for 2-4 diners, 2 packs should do. b) they come pre-spiced so definitely do change the flavors of the dish a bit.

Hope your family enjoys this just as much as mine did

Happy Rainbow Eating my fellow Sabras

xoxo,

Liat

Always looking for a good quinoa salad. In this summer heat, I just find myself wanting salads over heavy meals, and quinoa is such an elevating addition to any salad. Also happens to be one of the more beneficial grains out there to be adding to your salads.

Quinoa’s Benefits

This pseudo-grain, which is actually a seed has made its way into all supermarkets worldwide over the years, and for good reason. This little seed is a nice source of plant based protein, packing in 8 grams of protein per cup. The distinguishing factor that makes quinoa a “superfood” plant based protein is that it contains all 9 essential amino acids. These are the 9 amino acids (out of 20) that our bodies do not know how to produce on their own but desperately need to proper hormone function, enzymatic activity, structural function and a lot more crucial metabolic functions. So when we examine a protein, we are always looking to get a complete protein, i.e a protein containing all 9 essential amino acids. Animal protein is one of the best ways to get these complete proteins into our bodies, but it is very difficult to find a plant based source of complete protein. Brown rice for example is not a complete protein, and often is paired with lentils to complete the missing amino acids. Most other grains are missing one or more of these 9 essentials, so quinoa is really a superstar player in comparison.

Other benefits of quinoa include its high fiber profile, its rich source of vitamins and minerals including iron, zinc, magnesium, potassium and folate to name a few. Another great perk of quinoa is its low glycemic index, making it an excellent source of complex carbs to keep blood sugar levels stable and provide the body with sustainable energy.

For Your Picky Eaters…

This salad has a lot of layers and components to it, which makes it a lovely summer afternoon lunch, and makes a great Shabbat afternoon side (just drop the cheese). But the other great thing about this salad is that the quinoa itself is bursting with flavor. I make a huge pot of this “yellow” quinoa each week and keep it in my fridge to add to salads, or as a side to any dinner or lunch. My picky eater loves it a) because its majorly flavorful from all the spices and b) because she loves that we change it to “yellow” quinoa. Little changes to food really get kids excited. Ask them if they want to help you turn your quinoa yellow next time you make it. You’ll be so surprised to see how excited they’ll be to try it! You can totally use the same spices to morph your rice or any other grain for that matter. It’s really one of the best tools to get your picky eaters more interested in trying. And added perk is that turmeric in general has great nutritional benefits (a really great anti-inflammatory! mood booster and immunity fighting little gem!)

Notable Products

Nothing too out of the ordinary in this salad. Every ingredient can be found in your local supermarket, but there is one ingredient that I personally like to buy on iHerb and really elevates this dish. Truth be told you can make your own Italian seasoning blend, but I love Simple Organic’s Italian Seasoning blend, and I find this spice super useful whenever I am making Italian dressing, marinating chicken, making a pasta salad or even just topping a fresh Caprese salad. So find this a worthy ingredient to have around.

If you end up making this salad, I’d love to hear how it went over with your family! Feel free to send Fresh Sabara an email, IG DM or FB message.

I don’t know about you, but I’m all about quick and easy. And in my kitchen, this translates into one-pot wonders. The challenge is finding one pot wonders that my picky 3 year old, uninterested 20 month old, and my spicy seeking husband will all agree to eat.

This one is great because you can add the spice in at the very beginning or at the end, and the flavor profile in both bowls is still so complex that you’d never expect this to be cooked in less than 20 minutes.

The key to this meal is the veggie prep. You can definitely just choose some of your favorite veggies and chop however you’d like, but I love buying the prepped veggies straight from shufersal. There are a few different to choose from, and all work so nicely in this dish.

In America, I was used to walking into my local supermarket, or trader Joes and having aisles of pre chopped veg medleys to choose from. Not so since I’ve moved to Israel. But these new pre-cut, pre washed mixes that shuferal has been putting out have saved me on many occasions when there was no dinner prep in site. Literally throw it in the wok while I make a marinade, dump the tofu into the marinade to coat, and then pour the whole thing into the veggies for another few minutes. I’m telling you, the flavor is a crowd pleaser to all.

In terms of tofu, I find the meshek wyler  firm texture to work beautifully. When it comes to tofu, it’s actually pretty important that you buy organic and non GMO, because soy products can get pretty unhealthy otherwise. Side note, meshek wyler has a bunch of different types of tofu. Some already come spiced  and marinated and are an easy way to add some plant based protein to a salad or quinoa bowl or something of the sorts. Here’s one I really like.

You definitely don’t have to use tofu. The beauty of this recipe is that the flavors just go and develop in whatever form of protein you feel like having. Tofu is quick so I like to just cube it up and dump it in, but chicken actually works wonderfully here. Only thing I’d change though, is the marinating time. Chicken really needs a bit more time for the flavors to seep in. So if you have the time (and have prepped accordingly) I’d marinade for at least a half hour before dumping it all in the wok with the veg. But, truthfully, the flavors are so developed on their own, that you can probably get away with doing it on the spot. If you do end up whipping together the chicken version in the 15-minute time frame, leave a comment and let me know how it turns out!