"One of the best ways to stay inspired is by continuously asking this question: What do I feel inspired by today or even this week? It's always changing. Right now I feel inspired by women all over the world standing up for one another and the collective 'we'."

We’re excited to continue our She’s Empowered series and introduce you to Clare Stager, the owner and founder of Ground Breaking Bread. We’ve had the privilege of getting to know Clare well over our time at our current kitchen space; she uses our commissary kitchen space most early mornings before we do! You’re going to love learning more about her + her amazing… dare we say ground breaking, bread.

Plus - Claire shared her recipe for Almond Butter Seedy Protein Bites with us!

Tell us a little bit about you!

I'm a Portland native and am so grateful and aware of the privilege to be from such a beautiful place with access to the outdoors and clean, fresh air and water. I love to get outside, and have tons of summer trips planned in my trusted 1978 Dodge Minibus (whose name is Bruno). I feel most like myself when I'm moving around and having fun outside... or with two hands in a big bowl of bread dough.

What's the story behind your business, Ground Breaking Bread?

I started GBB in the last few days of 2017 with no clue that a business had just been created. I was eagerly searching for food I wanted to fuel my body with, and had just moved back from years living overseas. I threw all of my favorite ingredients in a bowl thinking this could work or this could turn out terribly - to my surprise it worked and friends actually wanted to buy it off me. Now I get to share an organic, nourishing bread with many people that need it for various reasons (allergies, chronic illness, etc.) GBB has been the greatest connector for me; connecting back to farmers and the land where ingredients come from, to other business owners in Portland, and to all of the people in this community. It has been the greatest gift!

When you're not making delicious bread, what are your favorite ways to spend your time?

I'm drawn to the ocean and the mountains. I really love to surf (not well) and ski, hike, etc in the mountains. Road trips, planting and growing plants and veggies, cooking, so many activities. Funnily enough, I truly dislike baking all things except bread. and brownies.

What ingredient is your kitchen NEVER without?

I know the jury is out on this one but I love nutritional yeast. I put it on everything... everything.

Ok, we have to ask. What's your favorite way(s) to eat your Ground Up PDX?

Is it cliché to say on a huge chunky slice of Ground Breaking Bread? Every morning I either slice a huge chunk of bread, toast it in a pan with coconut oil and top with your Chunky Almond, Cashew and Coconut Butter OR I make a big bowl of GF organic oatmeal and top it with frozen marionberries, hemp seeds and your Honey Lavender Almond and Cashew Butter. Both are so filling and incredibly tasty ways to start my day.

How do you stay inspired?

One of the best ways to stay inspired is by continuously asking this question: What do I feel inspired by today or even this week? It's always changing. Right now I feel inspired by women all over the world standing up for one another and the collective "we". For mother's day I spent the evening gardening with my mom and watching the movie on Ruth Bader Ginsberg which inspired me to wake up this morning and keep. on. hustling.

What are your favorite ways to #spreadgood in your community?

My other "job" (more of a passion really) is guiding yoga classes. I love being a part of the yoga "teaching" community because it creates an opportunity to guide others through a very personal practice where they are setting themselves up for success, to be the best version of themselves they can be in that moment and throughout the day or week. Guiding yoga is a powerful way to spread the light, the love and the joy that we all have within us, and to help others see it too.