Cheap Healthy Recipes:
Spicy Beans and Rice
Beans and rice are staples in many cheap healthy recipes because they provide the basis for so many nutritious budget meals. A can of black beans costs less than a dollar and contains three servings. Even less expensive are dried beans, which just take a little more advanced planning to cook up, but are excellent if you are on a really tight budget.
Rice is also inexpensive and easy to buy in bulk. It stores well and you can cook a large batch of it at one time, then divide it into smaller containers to put in the freezer for when you need it quickly. Just steam it for a few minutes and it's ready to serve.
Beans are full of protein, fiber, vitamins and antioxidants. And when beans and rice eaten together they form a complete protein, containing all the amino acids necessary for the body to function. Try to use brown rice as much as possible, as it contains the most nutrients. Most of the nutrition is contained in the brown husk that gets removed in the process of making white rice.
Spicy Beans and Rice
| Yield | 6 |
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| Prep Time | 5 minutes |
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| Cook Time | 40 minutes |
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Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 cup uncooked brown rice
- 2 cans undrained black beans
- 2 seeded and chopped jalapeño peppers
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- black pepper to taste
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 chopped fresh green onions
- 1/2 can drained sliced black olives
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F or 175 degrees C.
- Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan. Add rice, stirring. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 40 minutes.
- Place beans in a 2 quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with cumin, jalapeños, chili powder and black pepper.
- Bake for 30 minutes. Top with cheese, olives, and green onions.
- Bake for 5 to 10 more minutes.
- Serve beans over cooked rice.
