Mung Bean Soup II

Mung beans are revered in Ayurveda. They are easy to digest and help to cleanse the blood.

This mung bean soup is easy to digest and offers many amazing nutrients such as folate, manganese, magnesium, vitamin B1, phosphorus, iron, copper, potassium, zinc and vitamins B2, B3, B5, B6 and selenium. [1]

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tsps ghee (or olive oil)

• 1 tsp cumin powder

• 1 tsp coriander powder

• ¼ tsp turmeric powder

• Pinch of hing or asafoetida (optional)

• 1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped

• 1 thai chili or jalapeno, seeded and diced

• 1 cup whole mung beans, rinsed and soaked for 4 - 8 hours or overnight (soaking reduces cook time and is not mandatory, but helps with digestibility)

• 4 cups purified water (add more if necessary when cooking)

• 1 cup fresh and chopped seasonal vegetables (optional)

• Salt and pepper to taste

  Garnish:

• Lime slices

• Chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

DIRECTIONS

1. Sauté oil and spices together until fragrant for about 1 – 2 minutes.

2. Add soaked beans and mix to coat. Add water and cook for 45 minutes or until beans are well-cooked.

3. In the meantime, chop vegetables and add to beans with 15 minutes left on the timer.

4. Once cooked, add salt and pepper to taste. Top with lemon/lime and freshly chopped herbs as necessary. Add additional ghee to the soup if you wish.

5. Enjoy!

Please note, if you wish to make in the InstantPot, you can add all ingredients from ghee to water and cook for 20 minutes. Then salt and pepper to taste and add garnishes.

Sprouted Mung Bean Saute

We use mung beans Ayurvedic cooking and healing because they are so easy to digestion and packed with protein! I use them frequently when the blood is in need of cleansing, the gut to be healed and doshas to be restored. Mung beans are a real gem!

The mung bean offers many amazing nutrients such as folate, manganese, magnesium, vitamin B1, phosphorus, iron, copper, potassium, zinc and vitamins B2, B3, B5, B6 and selenium. [1]

Sprouted mung provide a different texture and are packed full of prana of life-giving energy. They are best eaten in the spring, but can be easily sautéed and eaten any time of year for maximum digestibility. The spices add wonderful healing properties and support ease of digestion.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup whole mung bean sprouts

• 1 tsp ghee, sesame oil or olive oil

• 1 tsp black sesame seeds

• 1 tbsp finely minced fresh ginger root

• 1 tbsp finely minced fresh ginger turmeric root

• ¾ tsp salt

• 1/8 tsp hing

• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice, or to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. In medium sauté pan, heat oil over medium-low heat. Add the black sesame seeds, ginger, turmeric and toast for 10 seconds, then add the salt, hing, black pepper and mung sprouts. Sauté for 5 to 10 minutes, until the sprouts absorb the spiced oil and soften.

2. Turn off the heat and let the mung sprouts cool slightly then add lime juice. Serve immediately.

Mung Bean Soup

Mung beans are revered in Ayurveda. They are easy to digest and help to cleanse the blood.

This mung bean soup is easy to digest and offers many amazing nutrients such as folate, manganese, magnesium, vitamin B1, phosphorus, iron, copper, potassium, zinc and vitamins B2, B3, B5, B6 and selenium. [1]

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup whole mung beans, rinsed and soaked for 4 - 8 hours or overnight (soaking reduces cook time and is not mandatory, but helps with digestibility)

• 4 cups purified water (add more if necessary when cooking)

• 1/8 tsp turmeric powder

• 1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped

• 1 cup fresh and chopped seasonal vegetables (optional)

• 1/2 tsp black mustard seeds

• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds

• Pinch of hing or asafoetida (optional)

• 2 tsps ghee

• Lemon/lime and salt/pepper to taste

• Fresh herbs, finely chopped for topping (cilantro or parsley add color and flavor)

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook beans, water, turmeric and ginger in large pot on medium low heat until soft - about 45 minutes. With about 15 minutes left on the timer, add in the chopped vegetables if you are using.

2. While beans are nearing 45 minutes of cook times, in separate pan on medium low heat, add 1 tsp ghee. Then add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Turn down heat to low and add hing and black pepper. Cook until the spices release aroma then add to the beans mixture.

3. Cook everything together for a few more minutes. Taste test and add salt, pepper, lemon/lime and freshly chopped herbs (cilantro or parsley) as necessary. Add additional ghee to the soup.

4. Enjoy!

PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU CAN ALSO PUT EVERYTHING IN A SLOW COOKER OR INSTANT POT AND COOK AT ONE TIME. :) THIS IS MY USUAL GO-TO.

Mung Broth Soup

Mung beans are revered in Ayurveda. They are easy to digest and help to cleanse the blood.

This mung broth soup is even easier to digest while still soaking up the amazing nutrients such as folate, manganese, magnesium, vitamin B1, phosphorus, iron, copper, potassium, zinc and vitamins B2, B3, B5, B6 and selenium. [1]

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup whole mung beans, rinsed and soaked for 4 - 8 hours or overnight (soaking reduces cook time and is not mandatory, but helps with digestibility)

• 8 cups purified water (add more if necessary when cooking)

• 1/8 tsp turmeric powder

• 1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped

• 1/2 tsp black mustard seeds

• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds

• Pinch of hing or asafoetida (optional)

• 2 tsps ghee

• Lemon/lime and salt/pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook beans, water, turmeric and ginger in large pot on medium low heat until soft - about 45 minutes.

2. While beans are nearing 45 minutes of cook times, in separate pan on medium low heat, add 1 tsp ghee. Then add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Turn down heat to low and add hing and black pepper. Cook until the spices release aroma then add to the beans mixture.

3. Cook everything together for a few more minutes. Taste test and add salt, pepper, lemon/lime as necessary. Add additional ghee to the soup.

4. Scoop the broth to enjoy and leave the beans behind!

Your Solution To Eating A Nourishing Mid-day Meal

When I started my Ayurveda journey in 2014, I realized that eating fresh, pranic filled (life-giving energy filled) foods in the middle of the day was a real challenge. I was at work during the week, so my options were either leftovers, salad or eating out. At this point in time, I was eating leftovers like nobody's business. I would purposely save my food to eat later. 

Having studied more about Ayurveda - the knowledge of life - I learned and experienced how leftovers affect the body. Food loses its prana or life energy within 2 - 12 hours (depending on the food). This means that the food literally becomes dead, and dead food translates to dead energy. We are left feeling lifeless with cravings. 

If we eat frozen and/or microwaved food we have killed the life energy even more! Fresh raw, salads aren't a great option either because the cold, rough quality of salad is hard on digestion - especially in the colder months. Digestion is a cornerstone of health and vitality in Ayurveda. If you can't digest what you eat then it becomes toxic in the body. 

I was left feeling discouraged. How can we, as a modern society, get real, high quality food in the middle of the day?

Alas! I discovered a way to only spend 10 minutes cooking in the morning and then reap a freshly cooked, delicious and nourishing lunch later in the day -- the thermos jar! I knew that I had struck gold. I had to share this revolutionary cooking method with others! 

In the past year and a half, I created a thermos jar cookbook and the Veda Jar to share with you. The cookbook contains various seasonal recipes and the Veda Jar is a reminder to be grateful for the nourishment we receive. 

I am ecstatic about the Veda Jar and cookbook because skipping lunch, eating leftovers, eating fast food or not eating lunch are not preferable options to increase our inner vitality and vibrancy. 

Order your Veda Jar and Ayurvedic cookbook here!

May You Be Well,
Madison