Holiday Cheer!

The holidays are upon us and it’s time to talk about holiday food traditions.

If you are Jewish, and it’s Hanukah, then the question for you is not are you going to make Kugel, but what kind are you going to make?

Maybe it’s because Nana cooked it, but everyone expects it at the holidays.

Known to some as a taste of heaven on earth, Kugel is a type of pudding and is an Eastern European mainstay that you don’t have to be Jewish to enjoy!

It can be savory, made with potatoes or sweet made with egg noodles. My favorite recipe has been passed from generations. It’s for the sweet one … Give it a try and see your guests faces light up as they taste this culinary delight!

Beth’s Kugel Extraordinaire

1 lb wide noodles

1 stick margarine

1 small cream cheese (room temperature)

1 small cottage cheese

1 cup milk

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tbsp vanilla

Topping-

5-6 graham crackers crushed

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 stick margarine (melted)

1 can Comstock pie filling (cherries, blueberries or apples)

Melt margarine-add Graham crackers, sugar and cinnamon

Sprinkle on top of fruit

Boil noodles in salted water - drain, add margarine and cream cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, milk, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla.

Pour in casserole, spoon cherries on top, sprinkle over topping

Bake in 350 degree oven for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

***

Another holiday food tradition that spans both Hanukah and Christmas is the Gingerbread house. Ok, so it’s more Christmas than Hanukah, but as you see it can be adapted!

Here’s a recipe from Allrecipes.com that does not call for black strap molasses!

Ingredients

1/2 cup margarine

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup molasses

1 egg yolk

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions

1. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and sugar until smooth. Stir in molasses and egg yolk. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg; blend into the molasses mixture until smooth. Cover, and chill for at least one hour.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place cookies 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until firm. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks. Frost or decorate when cool.

I use this one for Gingerbread House Plan B, which is to make cookies to enjoy while decorating a pre-fabbed Gingerbread House! (So much easier than constructing one from scratch!)

I’d love to know what special foods you and your family make for the holidays … feel free to share your favorite recipes here!

Also, don’t forget that SimplyFineGourmet.com can provide your family with the BEST QUALITY Turkeys and Hams for a perfect holiday feast! So order now to make sure you get yours!

Hope this season is filled with joy and laughter and most important of all, here’s to your good health!

Best,

Beth

A Perfect Day!

Hello, I am back and I’m married! The event was spectacular! I’ve attached a few photos for you to get a glimpse of the day! A big THANK YOU to Agi Magyari www.agnesmagyari.com for taking such incredible pictures of this amazing day!

It was perfect! I'd worked my butt off literally! My friends joked and said I had a perfectly sculpted IsaButt. It is amazing what some sweat equity (in the form of the Bar Method – oh, btw they have bridal fitness packages, check it out) and proper nutrition (in the form of Isagenix and Horizon Foods) will do for your body!

Anyone who knows me knows I have a passion for good food. So it was really a huge priority for me that the food at my wedding be incredible. Harvey Slater of Feast Catering did just that! He created the MOST AMAZING menu! It was a gastronomical success!

He started with a totally tasty fig and goat cheese appetizer on a bed of crostinni bread and alternated with crab cakes made from fresh crab and a light and upscale version cheese and vegetable pizzas! So delish!

The main course was an elegant and amazing FEAST:

Herb + garlic crusted tenderloin of beef served with caramelized onion + mushroom red wine demi-glace

Pan roasted fresh baramundi preserved lemon, basil + artichoke pesto

Manchego macaroni gratin with smoked tomato summer bush beans with hazelnut vinaigrette

Tuscan vegetable salad with mesculin greens, grilled vegetables, cannellini beans, feta, oregano vinaigrette

He’s kindly shared the recipe, ok so it’s not so much a recipe, he says, as a method … for the goat cheese and fig crostinni appetizers! He says they are simple … we’ll see if he’s right!

Crostinni: slice baguette, brush with olive oil and bake at around 350 until it gets to the desired doneness

Goat cheese: is just plain goat cheese spread on the crostinni

Figs: cut figs in half or quarters and roast with a drizzle of Balsamic vinegar until tender and caramelized. Add figs to the goat cheese crostinni, then drizzle with a balsamic reduction

Balsamic reduction: Balsamic vinegar simmered until it becomes a syrup-BE CAREFUL not to cook too quickly as it may burn.

Summary: the Balsamic reduction probably takes the longest and requires the most patience of all the components. Time to reduce to syrup varies depending on your stove, altitude, and flame size.

If you are hosting a party and want your guests to have a FEAST give Harvey a call at 310-568-8600 or check out his company website at www.feastcatering.com.

On a completely separate note, Simple Fine Gourmet, my Horizon Foods Home Party division is taking off! We’ve just re-done our website. (Thank you to the folks at www.thecollectivela.com) Check out www.simplyfinegourmet.com to see what having a home party can do for you!

Here’s to your good health!

Beth

Lady Of Leisure - My Wedding Prep

The big day is fast approaching and I’m so excited. Now I know what it feels like to be a ‘lady of leisure.’ It’s a lotta work!

Between the manicures, pedicures, sunless tanning, and workouts, who’s got time for anything else? Seriously, it my pre-wedding schedule has been super-busy, but I’ve been having the time of my life!

I’ve been stretching myself in new directions and discovered a couple of really fun ways to boost your health and vitality. (In addition to using Isagenix!)

First was the Bar Method! It’s the most targeted body-sculpting method I’ve ever found and it’s changed the shape of my body. Check it out for yourself at www.barmethod.com/

Here’s a list of results from the website and I can attest each and every one of them is true:

• Firm elongated muscles
• Reduced body fat
• High muscle definition in chest upper arms and upper legs
• Improved posture
• Long narrow thighs
• A lifted seat and defined hamstrings
• Strong, flat abdominals

Now what would a longer leaner body be without the need to show it off? Hey I work really hard to be in great shape, so this summer I’ve been wearing my skirts just a little shorter (I’m feeling kinda flirty) and showing my bare toned arms a whole lot more!

Showing more skin requires a golden brown tan, but I didn’t want to risk premature aging and skin cancer, so I was elated when I discovered Airbrush tanning! In particular I discovered Simone’s Airbrush Tanning.

Simone is an artist who mixes custom blends to match each person’s skin tone. No orangy fake Donald Trump tans here! I couldn’t believe how SEXY I felt after my tan! Does anyone remember Malibu Barbie and her beautiful brown skin?

Who wouldn’t want to look like that? Airbrush tanning is something you’ve gotta try! Simone is located in Tarzana at the Gym Spot. Go to her website simonesairbrushtanning.com or call her to get more info 818674.9621.

So that’s it for now … next time I write it’ll be as a married woman! In the mean time, as always, here’s to your good health!

Beth

Host a Party and Earn Free Food!

Want free Horizon Foods? Then ‘Simply’ host a gourmet get-together!

Simply Fine Gourmet, Horizon Foods’ new home party division, is offering you a chance to EARN FREE FOOD just by inviting a group of people over, sampling some great meat and seafood, and drinking some wine with your friends. Sound like fun? You’re right.

Just host a Simply Fine Gourmet food party and you can have the opportunity to receive up to $300 in FREE Horizon Foods antibiotic free, hormone free meats and seafood.* Check out the details at our new website. www.simplyfinegourmet.com

Or, if you want even easier access to Horizon Foods, you can NOW ORDER DIRECT ONLINE! With just the click of a mouse, SAVE TIME AND MONEY by placing your meat and seafood order from the convenience of your home or office! We’ll deliver your purchase right to your door!

At Horizon Foods, we’re always thinking of new ways to make gourmet dining ‘Simply’ better! What could be finer than FREE FOOD delivered straight to your door? Call or click now to book a party or place an order!

Coming in September … if you are curious about how much fun a food party can be, come and meet me at my home in Marina Del Rey for a Simply Fine Gourmet tasting. Details to follow! You’re all invited, the more the merrier!

As always, HERE’S TO YOUR GOOD HEALTH!

www.simplyfinegourmet.com

· Hormone free, antibiotic free meat, fish and chicken

· Delivered to your door

· Thaws in less than 10 minutes

· Individually wrapped, so no waste

· Flash Frozen for optimum freshness

* $300 in food credit based on 15 people each purchasing $125 worth of food.

Check this out ....

Hi - Have been busy lately, working on a new video for the Isagenix portion of my business ... hooked up with two incredible people Deb and Bill at http://www.shockandawesales.com/ I've created this ... Enjoy!

Eat Good Food, Drink Fine Wine and Make Some Money

Horizon Foods and Wildtree Herbs are looking for Mom’s who want to make some extra money simply by hanging out with their friends.

That’s right, just by hanging out. Invite five or more of your friends to come and drink some wine and taste some of the most amazing and convenient meat, fish and chicken on the planet.

Learn simple, quick and healthy ways to prepare restaurant quality food for your family in under 30 minutes. Then you’ll earn a percentage of the meats your friends buy. No selling, just sampling.

Horizon Foods makes shopping and cooking easy.

• Hormone free, antibiotic free meat, fish and chicken delivered to your door.
• Thaws in less than 10 minutes
• Individually wrapped, so no waste
• Flash frozen for optimum freshness

Contact Beth for more information @ beth.kandell@me.com

Also, check out Wildtree Herbs. MSG free, sodium free spices and herbs. Feed your family with only the best. Learn more at http://wildtreerobin.blogspot.com/

Break Out the Grill!

Memorial Day is around the corner and that signals the start of summer! Traditionally one of the busiest times of the year, with holidays and vacations and all sorts of fun in the sun, it’s time to create delicious meals that sizzle without heating up your kitchen!

That means it’s time to break out the HORIZON FOODS anti-biotic free, hormone free, all natural meats and start grillin’!!

But what can you fix with your Bar-b-que that’s fast and healthy? I get many of my ideas from one of my favorite authors, Ellie Krieger. Her cookbook, The Food You Crave, has been a staple in my kitchen for years. One of my favorite simple and nutritious recipes from her book is the Chopped Salad with Lemon and Dill (pg 126). I paired it with a grilled Horizon filet mignon and in less than 30 minutes had a feast of restaurant faire!

Chopped Salad with Lemon and Dill

1 head romaine lettuce, shredded

½ head radicchio, shredded

2 scallions, finely chopped

3tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, strained

1 tbsp chopped fresh dill

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

In large bowl toss romaine, radicchio and scallions. In a small bowl whisk together oil, lemon juice, dill, salt and pepper. Toss lightly to coat and serve immediately.

Grilled Filet Mignon

Wildtree Herbs Ranchers Steak Rub

2 small filets

Grill at low-medium for approx. 7 minutes each side and serve

So simple, so easy, so delicious!

I don’t know about you, but I really don’t like to waste food. Since I always find myself with leftover lemon, dill and scallions, here’s a few more recipes I use during the week to use them up! TIP: Chop all your dill and scallions at once to save time. Squeeze lemon and store in freezer in ice cube trays.

5-Minute Breakfast:

Egg White Frittata w/ stir-fried scallions

Stir fry scallions in Wildtree Foods Grapeseed Oil until bright green, then add egg whites and cook until not runny and firm.

10-minute Vegetable Suggestion:

Lemon and Dill Green Beans (adapted from myrecipes.com)

2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed

2 tbps Wildtree Herbs Garlic Grapeseed Oil

1 tsp minced garlic

2 tbsps chopped fresh dill

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup roasted whole almonds, chopped

Sea Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cook beans in boiling water to cover 8 minutes or until crisp- tender; drain. Plunge into ice water to stop the cooking process; drain.

Heat oil over medium-high heat in skillet or wok; add garlic, and sauté 1 to 2 minutes. Add green beans, dill, lemon, salt and pepper; sauté 1 to 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat; sprinkle evenly with almonds. Enjoy!

Alternate Grilled Protein:

Grilled Horizon Foods Salmon with Lemon and

Dill (adapted from Diane Rattray of About.com)

4 Horizon Foods Salmon fillets

Marinade:

Juice of 1 large lemon or 2 small lemons

1 tsp lemon zest

2 tbsps vegetable oil

1 tsp fresh dill

1 clove garlic, minced

Preparation:

Place salmon in a shallow, non-reactive dish. Combine marinade ingredients; pour over salmon. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Grill salmon directly over medium coals, basting with marinade, for about 4 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily. Serves 4.

If you’d like more tips for summer grilling, please sign up for my newsletter! (It’s coming soon)

Until then, here’s to your good health!

Beth

Success: True Stories

Isagenix has given me to tools for weight release success. With a little effort, I’ve managed to loose 25 pounds and maintain it for more than 6 months and counting. Sure, I have to be mindful of what I eat. There is no ‘magic’ pill or potion in the sustainable weight loss game. But being conscious, doesn’t mean living like a rabbit. I eat really tasty, truly filling delicious healthy meals.

Of course there are times when I indulge more than others, but then I do a cleanse day or stick to the basic shake/food/shake plan and all is well. But don’t take my word for it, the pictures tell the story!

Recently I had the chance to speak with Dave about his achievement … here’s what he had to say:And I’m not the only one with a story to share.

Check out my Horizon Foods client Dave … He’s done so well on Isagenix, I wanted to shine the spotlight on his success. He began using the product three months ago and has already lost 50 POUNDS!!! Way to go Dave!!

BK: How has your life changed since using Isagenix?

DC: There are a lot of things that have changed in my life. The most important was medically. When my doctor did my most recent blood tests she told me I no longer needed to take the 2 different types of blood pressure medication I’d been taking anymore. That was huge!

BK: Aside from weight loss, are there any other differences you feel in your body?

DC: I’d been struggling with pinched nerves in my neck and shoulders for years, which were causing numbness and carpel-tunnel type pain. My arms and fingers would go numb very regularly. After losing my first 20 pounds my neck and arm pain went away. I thought I was imagining things, but I wasn’t!

BK: How about mentally, how has that changed in the past 3 months?

DC: The products even me out or maybe I should say mellow out my mood. After cleanse days I feel really good. Maybe it’s just because I got through two cleanse days and I feel an accomplishment. Or…maybe it’s the products. I think it’s both. All I know is that I feel good. I am thinking clearer and making better decisions.

BK: How is Isagenix different from other weight loss programs you’ve done before?

DC: You know, I haven’t really ever dieted. I was a vegan for a year and a half but that’s it. What I’m finding is that these products are a life changing approach to long sustained health. This should be in a Human Beings Manual for Life. ‘How to treat your Earthly Vessel.’ I will be on these products for life.

BK: What are your favorite products?

DC: Aside from the shakes, I believe the 3 very key products in maintaining my health and weight are the Ionix Supreme, Cleanse for Life and the Accelerators capsules. These supplements give your system what it’s not getting from the food you’re eating. All of these products promote longevity. They have trained me to eat the right foods and given me a platform to create good health.

Here’s one of Dave’s favorite Healthy Living dinners:

6oz Horizon Foods Salmon 240 cal

1 tsp lemon juice 8 cal

4 Fingers Asparagus 20 cal

1 tsp Olive oil rub 33 cal

¾ cup brown rice 150 cal

total cal 431 cal

Tips: 6oz salmon is about the size of the palm of your hand

¾ cup rice is about the size of tennis ball.

Here’s to your good healthy!

Hiking in Runyon Canyon

The other day my brother Dan, his wife Lisa, my niece Molly and I (and dogs Cody and Emma) went hiking in Runyon Canyon. Both Dan and Lisa are doing PHENOMINAL on Isagenix … (Dan’s released 33 pounds and Lisa’s at 26) so hiking is a completely fun new addition to their healthy lifestyle.

It had just rained so the skies were crystal clear! Los Angeles is just beautiful in spring. Plus, it’s filled with so many hiking trails, you’ll never get bored with exercise if you make it a point to explore them all.

Everything was so gorgeous that day, time sort of got away from us. And by the time we got back to my place in the Marina, we were all tired and happy, but hungry. Being the consummate cook, I offered them a snack to tide them over … Molly opted for a celery stalk with a heaping teaspoon of almond butter (70 cals total) and Dan and Lisa chose a medium apple at 80 calories each. I went for 2 Isagenix chocolate wafers and 4 almonds (70 calories) …

Each snack was perfect to take the edge off hunger while I prepped our dinner. I made BBQ Chicken, baked sweet potatoes and a salad. All for about 400 calories. Here’s the basic menu with calorie content:

1- 5oz piece of chicken 200 cal

1 tbsp BBQ Sauce 30 cal

2 oz Sweet Potato 60 cal

Salad –

Lettuce free

1 sml tomato 30 cal

½ cup carrots 25 cal

3 tbsp Galea Dressing 42 cal

TOTAL CAL = 387

Here’s a few tips regarding portion size:

For meats 5oz is about the size of the palm of your hand

Sweet Potato serving is the size of a 2-shot shot glass

¾ cup rice (not included in this meal) is about the size of a tennis ball

For seasonings I use Wildtree because it’s all natural and msg free … for more info check out my friend Robin’s Wildtree Site www.robincurtis.mywildtree.com