Coconut and Lime Mung Beans and Rice

After a very long month of packing up my home in Montreal and getting ready to move to Bulgaria for the summer, I found myself eating out and drinking more alcohol than I normally do. When I arrived in Bulgaria, my stomach was an absolute mess from the stress and unhealthy eating. As I have previously mentioned, Ayurvedic Kitchari Cleanses are a great way to balance digestive issues, and a mono cleanse does not have to consist of the same spices and vegetables every single time you make it. The concept is to eat a simple diet that is easily digestible for at least 5 days to help bring your body back into balance. I have reimagined a traditional kitchari consisting of mung beans and basmati rice with some of my favorite flavors of coconut milk and lime in this super awesome meal that works really well for meal prepping. I ate this every day for five days last week, and let me tell you, I did not get bored and my stomach and anxiety feel so much better as a result! This is how we made it:

Coconut and Lime Mung Beans and Rice

Ingredients:

1 cup mung beans, rinsed

1 cup basmati rice, rinsed

1 can lite coconut milk or 2 cups any plant based milk

1 cup water

1 sweet potato, cut into small cubes

½ onion, diced

2 jalapeños, diced

½ package mushrooms, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup packed greens of your choice

1 tbsp hemp seeds (or flax seeds- lightly ground)

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp coriander

1 tsp salt (or to taste)

½ tsp paprika

Pepper to taste

Juice of 1 lime

Cilantro to top

Directions:

In a large pot, heat a little water (couple tbsp) over medium-high heat. Add the onions, jalapeños, and cook for a few minutes or until they begin to soften. Add the mushrooms and cook for a few minutes more. Then add the mung beans, coconut milk, 1 cup water, hemp seeds, sweet potato, garlic, cumin, coriander, salt, and paprika. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer partially covered. Cook for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, In a small pan, prepare the basmati rice according to package instructions, and set aside.

Check the tenderness of the mung beans. If they are still a bit firm, cook for another 10 minutes. When they are cooked all the way through, remove from heat, add the lime juice and greens. Then stir in the rice. Top with cilantro and serve!