Fall Cleanse – Kitchari

You know it’s bad when there is not even pasta and sauce left in the cupboard.  And since I have about .13 cents left in my bank account, a trip to City Market is not in the stars.

One of my assignments from Kripalu is to do a three day cleanse. It’s just suggested, though I think most of us will jump on the opportunity. With the help of my spice basket (a blessing from Jamie’s mom) and the most inexpensive ingredients on the planet (rice and mung beans), I can successfully pull Kitchari out of my ass.

This is not a local recipe, sadly, though I did throw in a few carrots from my garden.

It is important to cleanse in the fall for a couple of reasons.

One, we want to help our immune system out because it’s going to have to deal with the shock of a changing season. Kind of like getting new snow tires for your car, or finally getting the oil changed before temperatures drop below freezing.  It lets are body know that something’s up, and let’s it take a break from digesting steaks so it can save it’s strength for the cold viruses that might come.

Two, when we take a couple of days to eat lighter, we begin to burn some of our stored fat.  In this fat are stored ‘toxins’ like hormones (birth control), pesticides (maybe), or even imprints from old emotions.

This saying, an important part of any cleanse is taking some time to relax.  We actually burn more fat when we’re relaxing, because our body is not receiving emergency signals from stress hormones.  So, instead of stocking up for armageddon, our body starts to use the non-perishables it has tucked away.

Kitchari

Makes 8 or so servings – Crockpot or stove top

1 c. dry white rice

1 c. dry split yellow (or red) mung beans

1 tsp of ghee (or butter = less ‘cleanse kosher’)

any chopped veggies you might like – stay simple, I suggest carrots or zucchini, maybe onion

1 tsp. of each: ground cumin, turmeric, ginger and coriander

Any chopped herbs you like for garnish

Put both the rice and mung beans in your crockpot and cover with about 5 cups of water.  Put the ghee in with them, and turn the crockpot on low. You can also add the veggies now, and they will cook along with the mixture.  You may add the spices at any time. Top with the fresh herbs as you serve.

All of the herbs help to ignite your digestive fire. They also contain antioxidants.  I did add a little salt because I am a fiend.  Mushy lentils and rice are very easy on your digestive system. Eating this for 3 days (or even 1 day), will give your digestive system a break.  You can drink plenty of herbal tea – try perhaps ginger-lemon-honey nectar. 🙂  It’s also a great meal for those who may be feeling sick and want to eat lightly, or those who may have come home recently from the hospital. Indian comfort food.

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