Restaurant Deals - Jerusalem/Merkaz!

(This post contains affiliate links, and I may be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking a link. Thanks in advance for your support!)  

I have to apologize for being super busy this summer - I barely had time to do anything here on the blog! I'm trying to ease my way back into things, but with the holiday season upon us, and the many other commitments I've made, this blog has been back burnered a bit. Sorry. Please bear with me!

Pre-purchase your vouchers and save up to 50%! This is a GREAT way to save when you want to splurge! Don't miss out on the savings - check below for savings in your area!

Kosherfrugal.com and Janglo have teamed up to bring you some great GROO (formerly Groupon) deals you don't want to miss! Also, Janglo Beteavone has a great selection of restaurant coupons, so you can check http://shop.beteavone.com for additional deals.

This post focuses exclusively on kosher restaurants and take-out food, so if you're going to splurge, you can now afford to splurge a little more, with discount vouchers and savings. I keep checking for new deals, as I know you've been waiting for some, and this week there are some changes, so check carefully! Be sure to check the Facebook group so you don't miss out!

If you're looking for savings on attractions and entertainment, click here for part 1, and here for part 2! ((CHECK BACK SOON FOR ACTIVE LINKS))

If you're looking for restaurant deals in the North or South, click here! ((CHECK BACK SOON FOR ACTIVE LINKS))

The Whole Country:

Pizza Hut -- valid at any Pizza Hut location in Israel! Get a personal pizza with 1 topping, and a can of Fanta soft drink for 24 nis. Not valid for Delivery orders. Valid thru October 8, 2018

Pizza Hut - 19.90 for a personal pizza with a topping. Valid at any Pizza Hut Location, but not valid for Delivery orders. Valid thru Nov. 5, 2018

rebar - 19 nis for a medium smoothie. Voucher valid thru Sept. 30, 2018

Jerusalem and nearby:

Hatch (Machane Yehuda, Jerusalem) (mehadrin) - 10 shekel beers. Redeem your voucher Sun - Wed, noon - 1 am, Thurs. noon - 2 am, Fri 11 am - 2 hrs before Shabbat. Voucher valid until Oct. 30, 2018. Limit one per person

Cafe French Style (Shani Hotel, Jerusalem) - 25 nis for an entree and a drink, or 29 nis for breakfast for 1, or 55 nis for breakfast for 2. Redeem your voucher Sun - Thurs, 7:30 am - 2 pm, Friday 7:30 am - 11 am. Parties of more than 6 people must make advance reservations. Voucher valid thru Oct. 31, 2018

Cafe French Style (Shani Hotel, Jerusalem) - 10 nis for an ice-coffee, or 10 nis for a coffee plus a croissant. Redeem your voucher Sun - Thurs, 7:30 am - 2 pm, Friday 7:30 am - 11 am. Reservations required. Voucher valid thru Oct. 31, 2018

HaKatzavim (Machane Yehuda, Jerusalem) - 29 nis for Chumus Basar (includes salads and a drink) or 65 nis for 2 (the couples' voucher gets you french fries, too!).  Redeem Sun - Wed, noon - 11 pm, Thursday noon - 1 am, and Sat. nights from 1 hr after Shabbat ends until 1 am. Not valid on erev chag, or on chol hamoed. Max 4 people with vouchers at a table. Limit 1 per person. Valid for 60 days from date of purchase. 

Johnito (Mehadrin, Hillel St, Jerusalem) - large milkshake or ice cream (3 scoops plus whipped cream) for 15 nis, or a kilo of ice cream with 5 cones, for 39 nis (38 nis for early birds who buy right now!). Johnito also has a French crepe/Belgian waffle deal - 29 nis for 1, or 55 nis for 2 (includes iced coffee, too)! Limit 1 voucher per person. Voucher valid thru Oct 31, 2018. Redeem Sun - Thurs, 8:30 am - 11 pm, Friday 8:30 am - 2 pm, and Sat. nights from 1 hr after Shabbat ends until midnight. 

Tereza (mehadrin) in Cinema City, Jerusalem - breakfast for two for 69 shekels. Valid Sun-Thurs, 10:00am - 2:00pm, and Fridays 9:00 am - 1:00 pm. During Chol Hamoed Sukkot, from 10 am - noon. Reservations required. Max 2 couples with vouchers per table. Valid thru October 12, 2018.

Lago (Maale Adumim) - dinner for 2 starting at 199 nis. Max 6 people at a table. Valid Sun-Wed, 7-9pm (latest seating 7:30pm). Reservations required. Valid thru September 30, 2018.

Taim Bakerem (Jerusalem) - dinner for one starting at 55 nis, or for 2 for 105 nis. Valid for 60 days from date of purchase. Reservations required. Valid Sun-Wed, 4-9 pm, Thursdays 4-10 pm. Max 4 people per table.

Breakfast Buffet at the Shani Hotel (center of town) - for 49nis (1 person) or 97nis (2 people). Valid for 60 days from date of purchase. Reservations required

Eyal Hotel - Breakfast buffet - 59 shekels for 1, or 115 shekels for 2! Valid Sun-Fri, 7:00am - 10:00am. Reservations required. Valid thru October 31, 2018.

Breakfast Buffet at the Leonardo Jerusalem, for 69nis per person or 129nis for a couple. Max 6 people at a table. Valid Sun-Fri, 6:30-10:00am. Reservations required. Valid thru October 30, 2018.

Montefoire Restaurant, lunch/dinner for 2 (includes wine and dessert), starting at 229 nis Max 3 couples with vouchers at a table. Valid Sun-Thurs, 11:00am - 9:00pm, and Fridays 11:00 am - 2:00 pm. Reservations required. Valid thru September 20, 2018.
Maccabi Cheeses (mehadrin) - French cheese platters: choose a 2 kg platter for 149 nis, or a 3 kg platter for 219 nis (50% off!). Voucher valid thru October 29, 2018. Place your order a day in advance, and pick up in Givat Shaul, Mondays or Thursdays. Blackout dates (Erev Chag, Chol HaMoed, and more) apply.

Niflaot HaTzuna (mehadrin) 15% off catering, with self-pickup. Delivery within J-m is 100 shekels (free for orders of 20 portions or more). Option for delivery to other cities, as well. After you purchase the Groupon, you must call the caterer to finalize your orders. Minimum order is for 10 people (there are options for 10, 15, or 20 people, plus the option to add an additional person). Voucher valid thru March 19, 2019

Shakshuk in Machane Yehuda - 58nis for 2! Groupon valid for 60 days from date of purchase. Can be redeemed Mon - Thurs, 8am - 4:30pm, and Fridays 8am - 1pm

Workshops (meat cooking/butchery) at Ktzizot - including a "Carnivore's meal" and a glass of wine, for 139nis! Groupon valid for 60 days from date of purchase. Reservations required. Workshops take place on Mon, Tues, and Thurs, at 6pm and last for 2 hrs. Plan to arrive 15 min before your workshop begins!

Pescados - (Badatz, Jerusalem) Lunch for two for just 139nis! Or the Dinner deal for 44% off regular price (your choice of party of 2, or party of 4). Vouchers valid for 60 days from date of purchase. Reservations required. Blackout dates apply.

Buffet Dinner at the Crowne Plaza Hotel (Jerusalem). 1 for 99nis / 2 for 195nis. Groupon valid Sun - Thurs 6:30pm - 9pm. Not valid on Fridays, Shabbat, Holiday eves, or Holidays. Valid for 60 days from date of purchase. Max 10 people per group with Groupon vouchers. Reservations required.

Tel Aviv and Nearby:

Shnitzeline (Tel Aviv) - Shnitzel meal for 25 nis (49 nis for two!). Redeem Sun - Thurs, 10 am - 3 pm. Valid on Chol Hamoed Sukkot! Voucher valid thru Nov. 30, 2018. Valid for sit-down or takeaway. Limit one voucher per person.

Halon Layam Chef's Restaurant (Tel Aviv) - (Badatz Chatam Sofer) 199 nis for two. Valid Sun - Thurs, noon - midnight. Reservations required. Limit one voucher per couple. Valid thru Dec. 30, 2018 (not including chagim and holidays)

Hashovach (Tel Aviv) - dinner for 2 for 89 nis, or a premium package for 109 nis! Voucher valid for 90 days from date of purchase. Redeem Sun - Thurs, 11:30 am - 8 pm, and Friday 11:30 am - 3:30 pm. Limit on voucher per person.

Shipudei Tzipora (Kfar Saba) - steak dinner for 2 for 149 nis. Voucher valid thru Oct. 1, 2018. Redeem Sun - Thurs, 5 pm - 11 pm, Fridays 11 am - 3:30 pm, and Sat nights until 10:30. Reservations required. Limit one voucher per couple. Max 3 vouchers per table.

Chumus Mori (Netanya) - chumus plate for 1 for 25 nis, or for 2 for 49 nis. Voucher valid for 90 days from date of purchase. Limit one voucher per purchase. Redeem Sun - Thurs, 10 am - 7 pm, and Fridays 10 am - 3:30 pm. Valid only for eating in the establishment.

Pizza Time (Netanya) - personal pie for 15 / family pie for 25 / family pie + large bottle of drink for 33. Voucher valid for 60 days from date of purchase. Redeem Sun - Thurs, 2 pm - 8 pm, and Sat. nights from the end of Shabbat - midnight. Friday orders MUST be placed in advance. Toppings and delivery will incur additional fees.

Fresh Kitchen (Bilu Center) - Breakfast for 2 for 69 nis. Voucher valid thru Oct. 31, 2018. Not valid on erev chag, chag, or chol hamoed. For sit-down service only (extra fee for take-out). No change will be given if the voucher's full value is not used. Redeem Sun - Thurs, 8 am - 11:30 am. Reservations required. Limit one voucher per person.

Fresh Kitchen (Bilu Center) - Pay 10 nis for a voucher you can redeem for a second item from the menu when you purchase one. Choose which menu - salads, main dishes, or Italian dishes. Voucher valid thru Oct. 31, 2018. Not valid on erev chag, chag, or chol hamoed. For sit-down service only (extra fee for take-out). Redeem Sun - Thurs, 8 am - 10:30 pm, Fridays 8 am - 3 pm, and Sat. nights from 1/2 hr after Shabbat until the last customer. Reservations required. Limit one voucher per person.

Mike Burger (Yehud) - Dinner for 2 for 139 nis. Voucher valid for 30 days from date of purchase. Redeem you voucher Sun - Thursday noon - midnight. Limit one voucher per couple.

Mifgash Chloe (Beerot Yitzchak) - meals starting at 25 nis! Voucher valid thru Oct. 31, 2018. Sit-down or take-out. Redeem Sun, Mon, Tues, Thurs and limited Wednesdays (in August only on Aug 29 (perhaps also the 22, there seems to be a typo in the listing) from noon - 5pm.

Nusha (Petach Tikvah) - Italian meal for 2, starting at 99 nis. Voucher valid for 60 days from date of purchase. Redeem Sun - Thurs, 8 am - 6 pm, and Fridays 11:30 am - 2 pm. Reservations required.

Nusha (Petach Tikvah) - "Toast" or personal pizza with a drink, for 25 nis (48 nis for 2). Voucher valid for 60 days from date of purchase. Redeem Sun - Thurs, 8 am - last customer, or Fridays 8 am - 1:30 pm.

Cafe Itamar (Givat Shmuel) - breakfast for 2 for 89 nis. Breakfast is served all day. Voucher is valid for 60 days from date of purchase. Redeem Sun - Thurs, 7:30 am - 11 pm and Sat nights from one hour after Shabbat ends until 11 pm. Limit one voucher per person.

Sakura Sushi Bar (Tel Aviv) - 59 nis for 1 or 99 nis for 2!  Voucher valid for 90 days from date of purchase. Menu exclusions apply. Redeem your voucher Sun - Thurs, 11 am - 11 pm, Fridays 11 am - 4 pm, and Sat. nights till midnight. Limit one voucher per person. OR order a party platter for over 40% off!

Nagisa - Sushi platters starting at 149 nis. Or buy a 50 nis voucher for just 25 nis! Voucher valid thru Sept. 30, 2018. Redeem your voucher Sun - Thurs, noon - 6 pm, Fridays noon - 5 pm, and Sat. nights till midnight. Call in your order for a platter at least 2 hrs in advance. Reservations required for restaurant vouchers. The 50 nis voucher deal is for one person. Order enough vouchers for your whole party! Delivery not included.

Matsuya (Ramat Gan) - meal for 2 for 119 nis. Voucher valid for 90 days from date of purchase. Redeem Sun - Thurs, 3:30 pm - closing. Reservations required. Limit one voucher per person. There's also another Matsuya deal here - up to 48% off your meal for 2! Voucher good for 90 days from date of purchase. Redeem Sun - Thurs from 4pm - closing time.

Chloely's (Tel Aviv Hilton) - Chef's dinner for 239 nis. Voucher valid thru Oct. 31, 2018, Sun - Thurs 7 pm - 10:30 pm. Reservations required. Max 8 people with vouchers per table (each person must show his/her own voucher). 2 hrs of parking at the hotel is included 

Lechem Erez (Reut)-  Meal for 2 starting at 79 nis - voucher valid thru September 30, 2018, but not on chagim. Redeem Sun - Thurs, noon - 8 pm. Reservations required. Max 6 per table. And check out their picnic basket for 2 for 79nis! The picnic basket deal is valid thru September 30, 2018. Redeem Sun - Thurs, 8 am - 9 pm, and Friday 8 am - 2 pm. For Friday pickup you MUST order your basket by phone no later than 8 pm Thursday.

Lechem Basar, Netanya (mehadrin) - Dinner for 2 for 299 nis. Valid Sun-Thurs, 12:30 pm -11:00 pm. Reservations required. Valid thru October 31, 2018. Blackout Dates May apply.

Lunch at Tzanani in Bnei Brak (Machpud) - 65 nis for 1, 129 for 2! Valid Sun-Thurs, 11:00 am -6:00 pm. Valid for 60 days from date of purchase. Some blackout dates apply.

Dinner for 2 at Hilulim (mehadrin) restaurant in Tel Aviv at the border of Holon, for 169nis. Reservations required. Max 5 Groupons per table. Voucher can be used Sun - Thurs, noon - 11pm. Voucher valid for 90 days from date of purchase, but not on Rosh Chodesh or on chagim. 

Paradiso Cafe in Sarona Market - buy one get one free breakfast deal (79 shekels for breakfast for 2!). Redeem Sun - Thurs, 9am - noon. Voucher valid thru October 29, 2018

Punchline - the restaurant with singing waiters (yes it's kosher!)! Save over 50% with the Groupon. Limit 4 couples with Groupon vouchers per table. Redeem Sun - Wed and Sat. nights, from 8pm - last customer. Reservations required. Groupon valid for 90 days from date of purchase (not on holidays or New Years' Eve)

Shabbat Takeout from Viki in Netanya - half price vouchers! Limit one per person. Valid for 90 days from date of purchase, on Fridays only

Breakfast at the David Tower in Netanya, and then use the spa facilities for the rest of the day! Reservations required. Voucher valid for 60 days from date of purchase. Must be 16+ to use the spa facilities.

Fruit Platters from Ba-Li Pri in Ramat Gan, starting at 99nis. Limit 3 deals per person. Valid for 60 days from date of purchase. Order your platter in advance! Note they have blackout dates.

La Place in Netanya - Breakfast for 2, for just 59nis. Limit 2 Groupons per table. Show your Groupon before ordering. Use your voucher Sun - Fri, 8:00 am - noon. Valid thru October 30, 2018.

Breakfast Buffet at the Rimonim Tower in Ramat Gan - 59nis for 1, or 115nis for 2. Valid for 30 days from date of purchase, but not on erev chag, or during Sukkot. Reservations required. Breakfast buffet is open from 7am - 10am, Sun- Fri 

Herod's Hotel (Tel Aviv) Breakfast Buffet - 5 star breakfast buffet for 1, for 79 nis, or for 2 for 155 nis! Voucher valid thru September 30, 2018. Redeem your voucher Sun - Thurs 6:30 am - 10:30 am. Not available for Fridays. Reservations required. Limit one voucher per person or couple.

Have you joined Groupon Israel's Best Deals on Facebook? Join us there and you'll find out about awesome deals every day! 

Essential Oils on Sale right now at iHerb! SAVE BIG!

This post contains my iHerb referral link. You'll save money using it (even existing customers), and I may be compensated by iHerb. It won't cost you extra - but it WILL save you money!  I've promised to share iHerb deals whenever I hear about them, so none of you will miss out on the extra savings! So here's the current big news: Any iHerb shopper (new or not) can get 5% off if you shop using this link or any of my links in this post, for that matter (or enter code QEJ101 at checkout)! And right now, aside from Weekly Specials, there's a HUGE Essential Oils sale going on right now!! Just click this link and be sure to use code 22OILS to get 22% off your choice of essential oils!  It's definitely stock up time for those items that rarely, if ever, are on sale! This code is only available for a very limited time - so hurry! If you use Shipping Savers, you can get really affordable shipping, even if you choose DHL Express shipping (I highly recommend this shipping method, as you can make a much larger order - I often order 10 lbs of stuff, it arrives really quickly, and I can choose for it to be delivered to my door! Last time I used the free shipping option, my package got lost in transit. It was annoying, to say the least...)! You can sort for Shipping Savers on iHerb by clicking the Shipping Saver checkbox on the left-hand side of the page. Check out my Shipping Saver suggestions, too! Not sure if shopping at iHerb makes sense? I shop there pretty often, as you may already know. I find it makes life easier for me - not only do they make it easy to find some "hard to find" products my family needs (like fragrance free shower products), but I save a significant amount of money on things like vitamins and probiotics. So many products are definitely less expensive at iHerb than at my local stores, and shipping is VERY affordable as I mentioned above. Here are some of the things I like to buy at iHerb: Palm Oil (this eco-friendly version is not available in Israel at all, and is perfect for making frosting or fudge) Magnesium Tablets (these and many other supplements are quite pricey in Israel and iHerb is a great way to save!) Stash Teas (I buy these when they are on sale, as the sale price comes out to less than the lowest price I can find herbal teas for locally, and these are just SO MUCH HIGHER quality than teas I can find for an affordable price!) Vitamin D (so many people are deficient, it turns out! And my doctor prescribed a rather high dose, and what's sold here is very low dose and more expensive) Probiotics are far less expensive from iHerb than any I've found in Israel, and they don't weigh much! Many of these are "shipping savers" - so they'll lower your shipping costs for the whole order if you add them in! EO shower gel (we like this kid friendly all-in-one shower product that doesn't irritate our skin!) Ricola throat drops (these work out to be only slightly less expensive than the local price, so I use them as a "filler" product, never as my "reason for buying") Witch Hazel (it's really difficult to find witch hazel products locally, and if you love witch hazel, you'll be thrilled with iherb's price. This one is a toner with alcohol in it - some people like the alcohol in it, but if you don't, they also have plenty of no-alcohol witch hazel products) Coffee Filters (unbleached) - I can find the #4 size locally, but I use the #2 size, and can't always find unbleached, and it's so easy to order it, rather than running around town! Brown Rice Pasta (I only buy these when they're on sale though. Great for people who don't eat wheat! The local equivalent is more expensive unless there's an amazing sale going on) Grapefruit Seed Extract (similar product, 1/4 of the size, cost more than twice as much at my health food store, and many people are convinced this keeps colds away,!) Essential Oils (I use them in homemade cleaners) - for a fraction of the price here in Israel! Yes, they are real and natural (and very importantly, not an MLM)! Soy-free Teriyaki Sauce (for my soy allergic child) - I've never seen this in Israel! Calendula Cream (so soothing and wonderful for eczema!) Aquaphor Ointment - impossible to buy locally! When it's not available, you might find CeraVe to be a good alternative. I also regularly check the Specials Page to see if products I use are on sale and work out to a better deal thru iHerb during a sale, and I also occasionally will order a hard-to-find spice. Let me know what your favorite deals are! Don't get surprised by import taxes! If you are ordering items from overseas, be sure to familiarize yourself with the most recent personal import regulations!

iHerb deals! Hurry!

This post contains my iHerb referral link. You'll save money using it (even existing customers), and I may be compensated by iHerb. It won't cost you extra - but it WILL save you money!  I've promised to share iHerb deals whenever I hear about them, so none of you will miss out on the extra savings! So here's the current big news: Any iHerb shopper (new or not) can get 5% off if you shop using this link or any of my links in this post, for that matter (or enter code QEJ101 at checkout)! And right now, aside from Weekly Specials, there's a HUGE herb and homeopathy sale! Just click this link and be sure to use code 22HERBS to get 22% off the herb and homeopathy line!  It's definitely stock up time for those items that rarely, if ever, are on sale! This code is only available for a very limited time - so hurry! If you use Shipping Savers, you can get really affordable shipping, even if you choose DHL Express shipping (I highly recommend this shipping method, as you can make a much larger order - I often order 10 lbs of stuff, it arrives really quickly, and I can choose for it to be delivered to my door! Last time I used the free shipping option, my package got lost in transit. It was annoying, to say the least...)! You can sort for Shipping Savers on iHerb by clicking the Shipping Saver checkbox on the left-hand side of the page. Check out my Shipping Saver suggestions, too! Not sure if shopping at iHerb makes sense? I shop there pretty often, as you may already know. I find it makes life easier for me - not only do they make it easy to find some "hard to find" products my family needs (like fragrance free shower products), but I save a significant amount of money on things like vitamins and probiotics. So many products are definitely less expensive at iHerb than at my local stores, and shipping is VERY affordable as I mentioned above. Here are some of the things I like to buy at iHerb: Palm Oil (this eco-friendly version is not available in Israel at all, and is perfect for making frosting or fudge) Magnesium Tablets (these and many other supplements are quite pricey in Israel and iHerb is a great way to save!) Stash Teas (I buy these when they are on sale, as the sale price comes out to less than the lowest price I can find herbal teas for locally, and these are just SO MUCH HIGHER quality than teas I can find for an affordable price!) Vitamin D (so many people are deficient, it turns out! And my doctor prescribed a rather high dose, and what's sold here is very low dose and more expensive) Probiotics are far less expensive from iHerb than any I've found in Israel, and they don't weigh much! Many of these are "shipping savers" - so they'll lower your shipping costs for the whole order if you add them in! EO shower gel (we like this kid friendly all-in-one shower product that doesn't irritate our skin!) Ricola throat drops (these work out to be only slightly less expensive than the local price, so I use them as a "filler" product, never as my "reason for buying") Witch Hazel (it's really difficult to find witch hazel products locally, and if you love witch hazel, you'll be thrilled with iherb's price. This one is a toner with alcohol in it - some people like the alcohol in it, but if you don't, they also have plenty of no-alcohol witch hazel products) Coffee Filters (unbleached) - I can find the #4 size locally, but I use the #2 size, and can't always find unbleached, and it's so easy to order it, rather than running around town! Brown Rice Pasta (I only buy these when they're on sale though. Great for people who don't eat wheat! The local equivalent is more expensive unless there's an amazing sale going on) Grapefruit Seed Extract (similar product, 1/4 of the size, cost more than twice as much at my health food store, and many people are convinced this keeps colds away,!) Essential Oils (I use them in homemade cleaners) - for a fraction of the price here in Israel! Yes, they are real and natural (and very importantly, not an MLM)! Soy-free Teriyaki Sauce (for my soy allergic child) - I've never seen this in Israel! Calendula Cream (so soothing and wonderful for eczema!) Aquaphor Ointment - impossible to buy locally! When it's not available, you might find CeraVe to be a good alternative. I also regularly check the Specials Page to see if products I use are on sale and work out to a better deal thru iHerb during a sale, and I also occasionally will order a hard-to-find spice. Let me know what your favorite deals are! Don't get surprised by import taxes! If you are ordering items from overseas, be sure to familiarize yourself with the most recent personal import regulations!

Summer Craziness... Shabbat is almost here AGAIN!

This summer has flown!! I cannot tell you how crazy it's been for us this summer. Just trust me, it's been crazy, and I feel like every week just gets to its end before I even had time to get started!
I've been working 'round the clock on some new projects and some old projects, hanging out with friends and family, and in the process, totally neglecting this blog. I'm so sorry!
I still love you all, I'm just truly in over my head... Please bear with me, ok? 

So it's Thursday, and normally I would post a new recipe or something, but I just have barely been able to keep my family fed, let alone clean my kitchen. So... no new pictures today! 

But since some of you asked about my "crock-pot" roast a couple of weeks ago, I'll just write out what I did. Feel free to make it and take pictures - mine was only finished cooking on Shabbat, and then it got eaten up, so there were no pictures:

Pot Roast in the Slow Cooker:

Cheapest beef I found was #8 (on sale) so I used that, this last time it was a 2+ kg piece.
4 onions, sliced
10 garlic cloves, sliced
crushed black pepper
Silan (pure date honey) (I used about 1/8 cup, as that's all that was left in my jar)

Place some onions and garlic in the bottom of the crock. Put the beef on top of that. It was a large piece, so I piled more onions and garlic on it and then sort of folded the beef over that. Top with more garlic and onions. Top with as much black pepper as you like, and then pour silan over it all. Cover the crock pot. Cook on low till Shabbat lunch.
Everyone who ate it loved it (I don't eat beef, so I can't personally tell you how it was, though it definitely smelled delicious!)!
Enjoy!

Other Shabbat recipes you may want to use:

Our favorite challah is Whole Spelt and Oat Bran Challah (can be made with Whole Wheat, as well)

We always like Split Pea Soup (though it's a bit hot for that now!) or Vegetable Soup - but I think I've only made soup once this entire summer! Soup season will be back before you know it, though!

Favorite Chicken Recipe: Oven Fried Chicken

Favorite Kugels: Potato Kugel and Broccoli (or other vegetable) Kugel

Unfortunately, I can't post "Favorite Salads" because my kids are so picky and really only eat plain cut vegetables... Though lately it's gotten better. Some of them eat a few salads now, so I hope to post our favorites at some point (when life is calmer).

But most of us really like Vegetarian Liver, served on a bed of lettuce and garnished with tomatoes, pickles and olives (for some).

Most weeks we also have Black Bean Cholent for lunch.

And for dessert, brownies and cinnamon cake are always winners!

Let me know if you try out any of my recipes! I'd love to hear from you!

What's on your family's favorite list?

Be sure to follow my Facebook Page, I post updates there even when I don't post a whole blog post. I'd love to stay in touch with you!

Orlah Update: Elul 5778

This post is a follow up to the Kashrut for New Olim post. If you haven't seen it yet, please check it out -- there's important information there! 

FRUITS AND VEGETABLES in Israel - Specific Kashrut Issues

Unlike in other parts of the world, in Israel, fruits and vegetables are NOT automatically "kosher" - here we need to make sure that they are not "orlah" fruits (harvested during a tree's first 3 yrs, with other rules applying to year 4) and that trumot and ma'asrot have been taken (from both fruits and vegetables). Without these basics, these fruits and vegetables are NOT acceptable in a kosher kitchen!

If you shop at a market that doesn't have an ishur kashrut (kosher certification) on their produce, you'll need to investigate these issues further, if you are interested in adhering to the halachot of the Land of Israel OR if you regularly host people who assume the food in your home is kosher! I must say that it's important to familiarize yourself with these special halachot, as they are part of keeping kosher in Israel! (If you say you keep Kosher in Israel, everyone assumes that you have taken care of these issues; and if you don't, then you may be unwittingly putting someone in a situation they don't want to be in!) 

It's definitely possible to take trumot and maasrot on your own (I do it often), so vegetables are easiest to buy without a teudah, as that is all you need to do (and very often, it would be without a bracha). Some of the fruits on the market may be ok to purchase even from a non-certified establishment and just take trumot and maasrot, because of the extremely low percentage of orlah fruits being sold, but those lists change frequently, so you'll constantly need to stay up-to-date.

Other fruits can be a problem, because of orlah (from the first 3 years after the tree was planted). I try very hard to post a monthly update here on my site with a list of the fruits where the percentage of orlah fruits on the open market is greater than 0.5%. These fruits should only be bought from a reputable source that does not sell orlah fruits (i.e. a place with a teudah). This orlah issue is a serious issue for kosher consumers:

ORLAH Update for Elul 5778

Fruits to AVOID buying without a teudah:

• Avocado - Day, Galil varieties
• Pears - Brown, Nashi
• Blueberries
• Annona
• Peach - variety 1881, large white, very large yellow
• Guava
• Strawberry Guava
• Olives
• Lemon
• Apricot - large
• Nectarine - large yellow, large & medium size white
• Seedless grapes: many or most varieties
• Seeded grapes: Muscat
• Papaya
• Pitaya (Dragon Fruit)
• Prickly Pear (Sabra Fruit)
• Kiwi
• Starfruit
• Passionfruit
• Plum - Wickson, Miriam varieties
• Almonds
• Figs
• Apples - Grand, Granny Smith, and Brookfield

Please be sure to speak with your personal Halachic Authority about purchasing fruit in Israel without a teudah. Not everyone holds by the 0.5% threshold, and there are differences of opinion about certain fruits and whether they are subject to Orlah. This information is just for informational purposes and is not a halachic psak! Even if you follow a psak that relies on the 0.5% threshold, you still must take trumot and maasrot on all produce grown in Israel (or be sure it has been taken), in order to fulfill your halachic obligations.

Also, be aware that this list does NOT apply to fruit grown by an individual. If your friend has a fruit tree, you'll need to find out how old it is! 

I hope you find this helpful! Please follow or like my Facebook page and don't miss out on updates and other posts!

iHerb savings and TIPS for iHerb shoppers!

This post contains my iHerb referral link. You'll save money using it (even existing customers), and I may be compensated by iHerb. It won't cost you extra - but it WILL save you money!  I've promised to share iHerb deals whenever I hear about them, so none of you will miss out on the extra savings! So here's the current big news: Any iHerb shopper (new or not) can get 5% off if you shop using this link or any of my links in this post, for that matter (or enter code QEJ101 at checkout)! And right now, aside from Weekly Specials, there's a HUGE selection of skincare products on sale! It's definitely stock up time for those items that rarely, if ever, are on sale! If you use Shipping Savers, you can get really affordable shipping, even if you choose DHL Express shipping (I highly recommend this shipping method, as you can make a much larger order - I often order 10 lbs of stuff, it arrives really quickly, and I can choose for it to be delivered to my door! Last time I used the free shipping option, my package got lost in transit. It was annoying, to say the least...)! You can sort for Shipping Savers on iHerb by clicking the Shipping Saver checkbox on the left-hand side of the page. Check out my Shipping Saver suggestions, too! Not sure if shopping at iHerb makes sense? I shop there pretty often, as you may already know. I find it makes life easier for me - not only do they make it easy to find some "hard to find" products my family needs (like fragrance free shower products), but I save a significant amount of money on things like vitamins and probiotics. So many products are definitely less expensive at iHerb than at my local stores, and shipping is VERY affordable as I mentioned above. Here are some of the things I like to buy at iHerb: Palm Oil (this eco-friendly version is not available in Israel at all, and is perfect for making frosting or fudge) Magnesium Tablets (these and many other supplements are quite pricey in Israel and iHerb is a great way to save!) Stash Teas (I buy these when they are on sale, as the sale price comes out to less than the lowest price I can find herbal teas for locally, and these are just SO MUCH HIGHER quality than teas I can find for an affordable price!) Vitamin D (so many people are deficient, it turns out! And my doctor prescribed a rather high dose, and what's sold here is very low dose and more expensive) Probiotics are far less expensive from iHerb than any I've found in Israel, and they don't weigh much! Many of these are "shipping savers" - so they'll lower your shipping costs for the whole order if you add them in! EO shower gel (we like this kid friendly all-in-one shower product that doesn't irritate our skin!) Ricola throat drops (these work out to be only slightly less expensive than the local price, so I use them as a "filler" product, never as my "reason for buying") Witch Hazel (it's really difficult to find witch hazel products locally, and if you love witch hazel, you'll be thrilled with iherb's price. This one is a toner with alcohol in it - some people like the alcohol in it, but if you don't, they also have plenty of no-alcohol witch hazel products) Coffee Filters (unbleached) - I can find the #4 size locally, but I use the #2 size, and can't always find unbleached, and it's so easy to order it, rather than running around town! Brown Rice Pasta (I only buy these when they're on sale though. Great for people who don't eat wheat! The local equivalent is more expensive unless there's an amazing sale going on) Grapefruit Seed Extract (similar product, 1/4 of the size, cost more than twice as much at my health food store, and many people are convinced this keeps colds away,!) Essential Oils (I use them in homemade cleaners) - for a fraction of the price here in Israel! Yes, they are real and natural (and very importantly, not an MLM)! Soy-free Teriyaki Sauce (for my soy allergic child) - I've never seen this in Israel! Calendula Cream (so soothing and wonderful for eczema!) Aquaphor Ointment - impossible to buy locally! When it's not available, you might find CeraVe to be a good alternative. I also regularly check the Specials Page to see if products I use are on sale and work out to a better deal thru iHerb during a sale, and I also occasionally will order a hard-to-find spice. Let me know what your favorite deals are! Don't get surprised by import taxes! If you are ordering items from overseas, be sure to familiarize yourself with the most recent personal import regulations!