Mung Bean Stew with Sweet Potatoes and Coconut Milk

Fall is here! This is my favorite time of the year to make new soups and stews. This new spicy stew I created has a variety of ingredients which keeps your taste buds stimulated! It also has a great anti-inflammatory profile from the turmeric, curry and ginger. Enjoy!

Mung Bean Stew with Sweet Potatoes and Coconut Milk

Serves 6-8
Ingredients:

* 1 cup split and hulled mung beans
* 1 tablespoon organic coconut oil
* 1 onion, peeled and diced
* 3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
* 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
* 1 Serrano or other hot chile pepper (seeded for a less spicy stew)
* 6 cups homemade vegetable stock or water
* 2 cups cubed sweet potato
* 1-2 large carrot, chopped
* 2 cups Swiss chard or collard greens, tough stems removed, and then chopped
* 1/4 cup of raisins
* 2-3 teaspoons curry
* 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
* 2 cups of unsweetened coconut milk
* 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste (the amount of salt needed will depend on how salty your stock is)
* 1/2 teaspon of course black pepper (to taste)
Directions:

1. Run cold water over mung beans in a colander. Drain and set aside.

2. Warm coconut oil in a large frying pan. Add onion, garlic, ginger and chile pepper and saute until fragrant. Add stock or water and bring to a boil.

3. Add the mung beans,sweet potatoes and the rest of the vegetables and the spices to a crock pot. Then add in the liquid stock from the frying pan to the crock pot.

4. Bring the stew back to a boil in the crock pot and then bring back down to low and cook 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

5. Add optional coconut milk if desired. Add salt, taste, and adjust seasonings before serving.