HOLISTIC CHEF EDDIE'S TIP OF THE DAY #49

Today I'm featuring a dish I grew up with, KUGEL.  There are many variations of this delicious baked pudding or casserole.  It has had its presence at many of my holiday tables as a young boy and can vary from Potato Kugel, to Noodle Kugel, Matzoh Kugel, Cabbage Kugel etc. etc. etc.  There are so many.  My family has always made a sweet Noodle Kugel with wide egg noodles as a side dish for the Jewish holidays.  Today I'm going a bit further.  I live in Florida and am exposed to so many tropical fruits that I didn't know about growing up .  How about TROPICAL COLD FRUIT KUGEL.  Instead of serving this with the entree as a sweet or savory side dish, which it often is, I serve this as a sweet dessert.  So delicious.  My favorite fruit in the whole wide world are figs.  Can't get enough.  As you notice I changed this recipe into healthy one.  Actually this can be made Vegan also by substituting all dairy products and replacing the eggs with a new product called Just Eggs.  You can purchase Just Eggs and the substitutions at Whole Foods Market and sometimes at the regular Supermarket.  I  am so grateful to have been exposed to these delicacies by folks like my Eastern European Grandmother who brought this and other wonderful recipes with her from Lithuania.  

      TROPICAL COLD FRUIT KUGEL

1/2 pound fine Egg Noodles, cooked al dente
8 ounces Cream Cheese, at room temperature
1/4 pound unsalted Butter, room temperature
8 ounces Sour Cream
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla
1/2 cup granulated Monkfruit Sweetener
4 free range large Eggs
2 ripe Mangoes, large dice, some reserved for the top of the Kugel
2 cups Pineapple, chopped
2 cups Fresh Figs, roughly chopped
Cinnamon and Monkfruit for topping

1)  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Combine the Cream Cheese, Butter, Sour Cream, Monkfruit Sweetener, Vanilla and Eggs in a blender and blend until well combined.
2)  Pour the blended mixture into a bowl and add the Mangoes, Pineapple, Figs and Noodles.  Stir.
3)  Pour the mixture into a 9"x13" baking pan.  Sprinkle the top of the Kugel with Monkfruit and Cinnamon.  Arrange some of the Mango over the top of the Kugel in rows.  
4)  Bake for 45 minutes until golden brown and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.  So yummy!!!!