Mung beans are a true superfood for a plant based diet. Over the years of exploring nutrient dense diets that favor a high vegetable intake it's been interesting to discover how two ancient food philosophies: Macrobiotic and Ayurveda, have both featured the mung bean as an essential nutrient in their diet.
The main reason for this is due to the mung bean's high protein content which makes it a good staple for vegetarian or vegan lifestyle. They also contain vitamin C, vitamin B complex and essential minerals like potassium, magnesium and calcium. Many people want to enjoy the benefits of mung beans, but have a hard time incorporating them in their diet for two common reasons: they find them time-consuming to make or they don't know about recipes that make them enjoyable.
There are many good mung bean recipes where you do not have to pre-soak them. Mung beans can be boiled directly depending on there use. If you want to make Indian dal or Kitchari, it is a good idea to soak them over night so they get soft enough to absorb the spices in these recipes. Always come through mung beans from stones or anything odd before boiling.
Let's take a look at three creative ways to enjoy a variety in eating mung beans:
Kitchari is a recipe that is used to cleanse and nourish the body in ayurveda. The Spring and Fall Equinox is a good time of year to align your body to the rhythm of the earth and recharge. I suggest the recipe by Hale Pule.
Mung beans can be sprouted very easily and enjoyed on salads earning the maximum benefits of their nutritious potential since sprouts are literally "the life force" of the seed. At Swasthi's Recipes you can find the traditional method of sprouting. It is also much more cost efficient to sprout your own.
Mung Bean hummus: To add variety to your hummus recipe, substitute chickpeas mung beans and lemon with lime. Simply Vegan has a good recipe to follow.
If you have mung beans in your pantry and aren't inspired, I hope these recipes open up new possibilities to prepare, serve and enjoy them. Remember always to use quality ingredients to maximize the taste and benefits.
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