Mung Bean, Sweet Potato, and Squash Stew

Please don't be upset with me, dear readers. It's bad enough I've been absent from the blog for over two weeks (that never happens), but I'm here to share with you yet another soup recipe. I know, I know. Enough with the soup already. But the thing about this soup is special. See, I've made it at work now a bunch of times and every single time I do, it's gone within hours. And I've gotten loads of requests for the recipe, so it's finally here to share with the world!

I absolutely love the mung beans used in this soup because they have a similar texture to lentils (which I love), but with a bit more structure. They cook quickly, due to their small size, and they are the coolest shade of green. For thousands of years, mung beans have been used for a variety of purposes. They originated in India and were cultivated throughout Asia. The ancient Chinese used mung beans for culinary and medicinal purposes, such as dispelling heat and detoxifying the body. Today, the beans are currently being used for culinary and health purposes due to the beans' high nutritional content and value.

Mung Bean, Sweet Potato, and Squash Stew

1 cup mung beans
1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil, ghee, or olive oil
1 onion, peeled and diced
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
 6 cups vegetable stock or water
1 cup peeled, seeded and cubed winter squash (butternut, kabocha, pumpkin)
1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed (or leave out the sweet potato and just use squash)
1 or 2 large carrots, chopped
2 cups collard greens, tough stems removed, and then chopped
2-3 teaspoons pure maple syrup
3 teaspoons garam masala
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 can of organic unsweetened whole coconut milk (totally optional, I like the soup with or without it)
1 teaspoon sea salt, or more to taste (the amount of salt needed will depend on how salty your stock is)

1. In a large bowl, soak mung beans overnight (or for at least 8 hours) in plenty of water. Drain and set aside. Soaking is entirely optional here, just know that the beans will be a bit more digestible if you soak them. I've made the soup with unsoaked mung beans before, and I didn't have a problem, but again, totally up to you!
2. Warm coconut oil or ghee in a large pot. Add onion, garlic, and ginger and saute until fragrant. Add stock or water.
3. Add the mung beans, squash, sweet potatoes, and carrots. Then add the spices. Stir well to combine all the ingredients and bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally, and adding more liquid if it becomes too thick. Remove from heat when everything is soft and cooked through. Add the chopped collard greens and allow them to wilt into the soup.
5. Add optional coconut milk and stir well to combine and heat through. Taste, add salt, and adjust for seasoning. Serve with chopped cilantro and even some diced avocado on top.

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