25 Complex Carb Dishes To Eat Before The Fast

What makes complex carbs so special? Why do brown breads have a better rep than white bread, especially before fast days?

Complex carbs are a class of carbohydrates that digest into the blood slower, adding glucose to your bloodstream more gradually. Essentially, this means that eating complex carbs over simple carbs will keep you fuller and more satisfied for longer amounts of time.

As Yom Kippur approaches, we would like to invest all of our energy into our prayers and avoid brain fog. Along with drinking plenty of water throughout the week before Yom Kippur (the night before is not going to cut it, guys), eating a meal that includes complex carbs like whole grains, potatoes, barley, legumes, or quinoa will help you feel your best and so you can connect during the holiest time of the year. With some whole wheat bread, brown rice, or a sample of the any recipes below, we hope we help you have an easy and meaningful fast.

1. Best-Ever Baked Rice with Crispy Crumbs by Esther Ottensoser

Although the ingredients in this recipe are pretty basic, the combination of flavors brings out a delicious savory taste.

2. Celebration Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Dates by Julia Turshen

3. Chicken Curry with Sweet Potatoes + Chickpeas and Easy Oven Rice by Rena Tuchinsky

This chicken curry is made with sweet potatoes and chickpeas and goes perfectly with Rena’s foolproof oven-baked rice.

4. Middle Eastern Quinoa-Stuffed Eggplant Baladi with a Lemony Tahini Drizzle by Sara Slapochnick

5. Quinoa-Cucumber Salad with Chickpeas by Rivki Rabinowitz

Inspired by a quinoa salad that recently took the food world by storm, I put together this meal-in-a-bowl. It has all the components of a good meal-sized salad: protein, smart carbs, healthy fats, veggies, and bright delicious flavor. It also holds up well in the fridge, so you can make this over the weekend and have lunch ready to go for the entire week!

6. Fluffy Oat Challah Rolls by Yael Goldberg

If you have gluten free people in your family, you’ll love this always flavorful challah. We love these rolls warmed up on the blech, served with dips. Each roll is a kzayis, and you can say birkas hamazon on it. Enjoy!

7. Whole Wheat Pasta with Cauliflower and Butternut Squash by Dorit Teichman

The sweet taste of roasted butternut squash adds a layer of delicious flavor to this perfect winter pasta dish.

8. Colorful Moroccan Salmon with Chickpeas by Celeste Hackel

Moroccan Salmon with chickpeas is nourishing, filling, satisfying, and colorful. Perfect for any dinner or Shabbat!

9. Hawaij Chickpea Salad by Sina Mizrahi

This warm chickpea salad is an easy, fresh addition to your Shabbat table. For more flavorful salatim and dips, see Sina’s article HERE.

10. Roasted Colorful Sweet Potato Stacks by Rivka Golombeck

11. Roasted Sweet Potato and Corn Tacos by Ames Russell, Sara Quessenberry

12. Sweet Potato-Farro Salad by Leah Leora

Farro is an ancient grain that is a great source of fiber, iron, protein, and magnesium and is great for your heart and brain health. Add some greens, roasted sweet potatoes, and nuts, and you have a delicious, balanced, healthy, and filling salad.

13. Baked Sweet Potato Tacos by Faigy Murray

There are so many fun ways to serve taco meat! I figured, why not take it up a notch and serve it nestled in a sweet potato? The savory, pungent flavors of the meat paired with the sweet potato are a winner.

14. Sweet Potato and Brown Rice Salad by Elizabeth Kurtz

This salad has a great combination of hearty brown rice, roasted sweet potatoes, savory mustard and spiced chickpeas. You can make this a day or two in advance. Serve at room temperature.

15. Sweet Potato Mushroom Kugel by Brynie Greisman

Not your standard potato or vegetable kugel. Refreshingly different and full of flavor.

16. Rocky Road Oatmeal Cookies by Faigy Grossmann

When Chanie asked me to write about oatmeal cookies this month, I was a bit stumped. Soon after starting this column, I came up with an oatmeal cookie that was really well received… So what could I do different this time? When I mentioned the assignment to my talented photographer Saraizel, her first reaction was “Rocky Road,” and I thought that was genius. The chocolate hides the whole wheat flour and oats, and which kid doesn’t love marshmallows? My requirements for this recipe were that it needed to be a one-bowl, no-mixer, no-margarine recipe. I’m happy to report that these are kid (and adult) approved!

17. Hearty Veggie Bean Soup by Chana Miriam Perel

18. Whole Wheat Muffins by Esther Ottensoser

Delicious! And that’s just the muffin itself. Add to that your choice from these four toppings; you have a perfect healthy snack, or even a full hearty breakfast.

19. Lemon Pesto Lentil Salad with Olives and Sun-Dried Tomatoes by Jackie Akerberg

There is nothing better than fresh pesto: pesto flatbreads, pesto pasta, pesto-roasted veggies, you name it! So I thought, why not turn my favorite sauce into a vibrant, lemony vinaigrette? I’m glad I did, because this pesto is the besto. It combines the garlicky, herby, umami flavor of pesto with the brightness of lemon juice and red wine vinegar for a perfectly balanced vinaigrette to top these tender lentils and veggies.

20. Easy 6-Ingredient Lentil Burgers by Nisha Melvani

Vegan Easy 6-Ingredient Lentil Burgers are the ultimate high-protein, plant-based burgers. Kid-friendly using affordable ingredients. Foolproof recipe. Oil-free option and gluten-free.

21. Portobello Mushrooms with Barley from the Dining In Cookbook

A very elegant side dish, dairy or pareve.

22. Chicken Barley Soup by Elky Friedman

I enjoy this soup all the time as a satisfying one-bowl dinner. It has my protein, veggies, and starch; it’s also simple to put together and is absolutely heavenly.