Fortifying Yoga Food
October 27, 2009
This time of year we hear quite a bit from our yoga students and runners about feeling tired, a bit grumpy, sluggish digestion- yikes what are we to do. Well a good suggestion is to take a mini-break. Hmm can’t take off work and fly to a spa for a few days – how about a 3 day mini Kicharee Cleanse!
Sylvie and I both love Kitcharee – also known as mung beans and rice. It’s a great winter food, it is cleansing and fortifying and can be used as a winter fast, it’s especially recommended for people over forty. Excellent for the kidneys, colon and digestive organs, it is also beneficial in cases of constipation, or when food is not being digested by the intestines. Mung beans are a very easily assimilated form of protein. Combined with rice and cooked until they have a soupy consistency, they are really a “predigested” food.
Elation Centre Mung Beans and Rice (Kitcharee)
Ingredients:
- ½ cup mung beans (soaked overnight covered in water, and 1 tbsp apple cidre vinegar)
- ½ cup brown basmati rice
- 4 cups or more water
- 1 tsp – 2 tbsp grated fresh ginger
- 1 large onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 large ‘thumb’ ginger, minced
- 2-3 cups chopped vegeatables (zucchini, carrots, brocolli, celery)
- ¼ tsp cumin seeds or ground cumin
- ½ – 1 tsp coriander seeds, or ground coriander
Directions:
Rinse the beans and rice. Bring water to a boil add the rice boil for 15 minutes, then add the beans, garlic, onion and ginger. Let it boil over a medium heat for another ten minutes. Add vegetables and spices. Continue to cook over a medium to low heat, stirring to prevent scorching. Add more water if necessary. Loosley cover the pot, total cooking time 45-60 minutes.The consistency should be rich and thick, the ingredients barely discernable. The soupier this is the easier it is to digest.
This dish will provide you with protein, carbohydrate, vitamins, minerals, a bit of fat. Excellent and easy to digest. Its often recommended as a mono fast. Either one day or 28 days, from full moon to full moon. Enjoy!
3-day Mini Cleanse
Here are some suggestions for your 3-day break, listen to our body and contact your doctor if you really are coming down with something and not just feeling ‘dull’.
First thing in the morning have a big mug of digestive cleansing tea: to 5 cups boiled water add 1 tbsp fresh ginger root, 1 tbsp turmeric, 1 tbsp dried licorice. Cover and reduce heat for 10- 15 minutes. Optional add in 1 tbsp raw honey or pure maple syrup
For breakfast enjoy fresh homemade Green Juice – my favourite is:
Green Veggie Juice with Apples and Lemon
½ cucumber
1 stalk celery
4 kale leaves
½ head romaine lettuce
1 large green apple
½ lemon – peeled
Optional – add 1 tbsp flax oil or ground flax see – mix well
Process through a vegetable juicer and add ½ cup pure water to dilute.
For more calories try our Post-Run Green Smoothie
For lunch and dinner have a big bowl of Kicharee. If you are hungry have fruit between meals.
Drink lots of water and herbal tea. Go to bed early, take daily walks or yoga and smile:)
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