Mung Bean Soup - Vegan

I started a photo album on Facebook, Eat Good Food, after reading about the Chick-Fil-a controversy and how people were waiting in line for fast-food to support the comments made by chief operating officer Dan Cathy opposing same-sex marriage.

Since starting Eat Good Food, I've had several people ask if I could forward the recipes to the many dishes photographed in this album. Here is one I posted last week, Nov. 2012, for an Ayurvedic Detox Diet. Mung bean is Ayurvedic - good for clearing chronic, troublesome digestive issues and helps balance all 3 doshas. Read about Mung Bean Nutrition at Livestrong. This dish is vegan.



What is MUNG bean? Mung bean is a seed of Vigna radiata. Yeah, whatever. Most people know it as a bean sprout use in pho soups or just plain ol' sprouts. I purchased my mung bean in Chinatown, but I've heard that Rainbow Grocery carries it as well.



Mung Bean Sprouts - Now do you recognize them?



Ingredients:
- 1 cup whole, green mung bean
- 1 cup quinoa
- 6 fresh sprigs thyme
- 2 Tbsp fresh chopped Basil
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 celery sticks
- 1/2 head cauliflower (white or purple)
- 4 large carrots or 1 small butternut squash
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1 bunch kale
- 1 handful of spinach
- 1/2 head of purple cabbage
- salt / pepper (as you wish)
- 3 or 4 cups of veggie broth or homemade chicken broth

Tools:
- Stub Dutch Oven or soup pot
- chopping board
- knife



Directions:
- Wash mung beans and soak them in water over night (8 hours). Toss water out the next morning.
- Add broth (veggie or chicken) to the pot and bring to a boil.
- Add mung bean and turn heat to medium. Cook for 30 minutes with lid off pot
- While mung beans are cooking, chop veggies into bite-size pieces, take stem off kale and chop leafy green (toss the stems).
- Add carrot or squash, cauliflower, cabbage, and celery
- Cook for another 25 to 30 minutes on medium heat. If the pot is boiling, turn down temp. You don't want to burn the bottom of the pot. Stir often.
- Now add all spices and stir the pot
- On low heat, add the kale and spinach (use one or both)
- Add water if needed and let cook for another 30 minutes to an hour on low heat with cover on pot (put lid on pot). Occasionally stirring.

If needed, add protein:
- Cook 1 cup of quinoa in 2 cups water.
Add small amount of cooked quinoa to individual cup of soup or eat as a side-dish for a cholesterol-free and low-fat source of protein. One cup of cooked quinoa provides 222 calories.

Secrets to Firing Up Your Metabolism

Aim for 25 g to 30 g of fiber per day. To get the most benefit for your calories, load up your plate with these 10 foods, which, in addition to having fiber, Norwegian researchers have found are high scorers when it comes to antioxidant capacity: walnuts, pecans, sunflower seeds, dark chocolate, blackberries, cranberries, boiled artichokes, dried apricots, curly kale and red cabbage.

Chicken Frittata with Spinach, Potatoes and Carrots

After roasting a chicken in my Staub oven, I had more chicken leftovers than I knew what to do with...leftovers for days. What to do? What would my mom do? Yep...Baked Chicken Frittata with spinach, carrots, and potatoes. Problem solved.




The frittata is good right out of the oven, room temperature or cold. You can add a side dish such as cooked barley or a side salad. It's very healthy and a 'one pan' dish which makes for easy clean up.




What you will need:
-- Eggs (about 4 to 6)
-- Cooked Chicken
-- Cooked Potatoes
-- Carrots (cooked or raw)
-- Grated parmigiano cheese (about two handfuls)
-- Raw spinach
-- Salt and pepper


Tools:
-- Cast Iron Skillet with cover


Beat the eggs and start to add each ingredient one at a time.



I add one ingredient and mix. If the mix looks a little dry, break another egg and keep mixing. It's better to have too many eggs than not enough. It will be too dry with too little egg.



Add spinach! This mix is too dry. I need to add two more eggs at this point. Break eggs into the dish and mix well


This is perfect! Eggs, chicken, potatoes, spinach, cheese, carrots and salt and pepper all ready to go!


Before dumping the frittata mix in the iron skillet, heat the skillet up a little and melt butter. Turn off heat once butter starts to melt. Use paper towel to butter the side of the skillet.



Dump it!



Cover it and throw it in the oven (remember to pre-heat to 350)



What to do while you are waiting the next 40 minutes... clean up and start your barley or side salad.



Don't over cook! Don't under cook! Side should be lightly brown and middle firm.



Enjoy this dish for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner. I've added some Sriracha sauce to this chicken frittata! It adds a perfect amount of heat to a dish without overwhelming amounts of flavors.