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I love to cook, but sometimes answering the question of what’s for dinner can be stressful—especially during the week, when deadlines and other commitments take priority. And when I’m hungry at the end of the day and don’t have a dinner plan in place, that’s when I’ll raid the fridge for random ingredients in hopes of throwing something together quickly, or order takeout.
While I’m not a meal prepper, you will find me batch-cooking big pots of soup or casseroles on Sundays (when I have the time and space to enjoy the process of cooking) and reheating the leftovers on the following days. When we’ve run out of leftovers, my husband and I make quicker, less complex meals, like our go-to Friday night meal: black beans and rice.
Related:Our Favorite Recipes to Make With a Can of Black Beans
Related:What Happens to Your Body When You Eat Beans Daily … or Every Other Day
Then on another burner, I sauté some kale with olive oil and Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning in a frying pan. We really like kale, so I’ll usually sauté two pans worth so there’s enough to enjoy with any leftovers.
To serve, I grab my favorite handmade ceramic pasta bowls and build the dish. I spoon some rice into each bowl, then top it with the warmed black beans and onions. The sauteéd kale and avocado slices are placed around the beans and rice, and I finish with a sprinkle of raw chopped onion and a squeeze of lime juice. And that’s it!
It’s a simple, tasty, budget-friendly dish. There are so many swaps you can make to suit your preferences or use up whatever is in your pantry and fridge. You can swap the white rice with brown rice or a wild rice mix, change the type of beans, veggies and seasonings, or top it with your favorite hot sauce. I like to throw an over-easy egg on top of leftovers the next day. I love that this whole dish comes together in about 45 minutes (less if you use leftover or precooked rice), and the main ingredients are pantry staples we almost always have on hand.
As far as nutrition goes, this black bean and rice bowl is packed with anti-inflammatory ingredients likeavocado and kale. Theblack beans offer filling fiber, and if you substitute the white rice withbrown rice, you can boost the fiber even more. This meal is also good for your gut, thanks to the resistant starch in black beans andprebiotics in onions. As a whole, it’s a well-rounded dish with carbs, healthy fat and protein.
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