20 Healthy Meals for $30
Back when I was a cook in Chicago, I had to figure out the best way to stretch my dollar as far as it would go. In this five part recipe, I show you how I ate like a king on as little money as possible AND with little hassle.
Ingredients
GROCERY LIST:
- 4 bone-in chicken legs
- 2 lb bag of dried black beans, 1kg, sub 4 cans
- dozen eggs
- 2 onions
- 1 avocado
- 12 oz Carrots, 350g
- Head of cabbage
- Kale, 2lb/1kg bag
- Head of garlic
- Poblano pepper
- Button mushrooms
- cilantro
- Cherry tomatoes
- Frozen peas
- Bag rice Feta
- 8 oz can tomato sauce, 220g
- can tomato paste
- Tostada shells
PANTRY:
- Cooking oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- Hot sauce
- Better than bouillon
- Ground cumin
- Chili powder
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Vinegar
- Dried oregano
- Turmeric
- Pickled jalapenos
- Oyster sauce
- Soy sauce
- Sesame oil
- Mayo
- Sriracha
NIGHT 1:
BEANS, GREENS, AND RICE
- 1 lb dry black beans, .5kg
- Olive oil
- 1 T cumin
- 1 T chili powder
- 1 T onion powder
- 1 T garlic powder
- 1 T vinegar or lime
SOFRITO RICE:
- 1 onion
- 1 poblano pepper
- 4 cloves garlic
- Handful of cilantro
- 400 g rice, rinsed, 2c
- Olive oil
- 12 g salt, 2 1/2t
- 5 g cumin, 2t
- 30 g tomato paste, 2T
- 650 g water, 2 3/4c
- 8 oz can tomato sauce, 220g
KALE:
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 lb chopped kale, 1kg (bag)
- Water
- salt
OTHER INGREDIENTS:
- Egg, 1 per portion
- Hot Sauce
NIGHT 2:
CHICKEN DINNER
- 4 chicken legs
NIGHT 3:
CHICKEN SOUP
- 400 g rice, rinsed, 2c
- Water
- Salt
- 1 onion, medium diced
- 2 cloves garlic
- 250 g/8oz ½ bag of carrot sticks
- 350 g sliced cabbage, ½ head
- 1 g dried oregano, 1/2t
- 2 g black pepper, 1t
- 1 g turmeric, 1/4t
- 75 g better than bouillon chicken, 4T, sub 2 bouillon cubes
- 100 g frozen peas, 1c
- Chicken from 2 legs, chopped, from Night 2
NIGHT 4:
TOSTADAS
- 4 Tostada shells
- Cherry tomatoes, quartered
- Avocado, cubed
- Refried beans, night 1
- Pickled jalapenos
- Feta
- Cilantro
- Hot sauce
NIGHT 5:
FRIED RICE
- Oil
- 8 oz mushrooms, 225g , sliced
- ½ head cabbage, chopped
- 4 oz carrots, 110g, chopped
- 4 eggs
- 500 g stale rice, 1lb
- 100 g frozen peas, 1c
- Stir fry sauce, 75g/.25c oyster sauce, 50g/3T soy sauce, 15g/1T sesame oil
- Sriracha mayo, 2 part mayo/1 part sriracha
Instructions
NIGHT 1: BEANS, GREENS, AND RICE
BEANS:
- Soak beans overnight. pressure cook, high 45 min. Add 2-3T oil to a saucepan over med heat. Add cumin, chilli pow, onion pow, garlic pow. Cook 30-45 sec. Add half of cooked beans & 1c of bean cooking liquid. Mash beans as they simmer for 3min. Add remaining beans into pan with pinch of salt & 1T vinegar
SOFRITO RICE:
- Finely chop onion, poblano, garlic, & cilantro together Add a 2-3T oil into a large pot (with lid) over med heat followed by rice. Stir & fry 3-4 min until toasted. Add chopped aromatics & salt. Fry until onions are softened, 5min. Add cumin, tomato paste. Cook until mix turns to a rust color. Add water, bring to simmer, cover, & cook in a 350F/175C oven for 20 min. Remove and allow to sit, covered, for 10 min.
KALE:
- Add oil to large saute pan over med heat. add garlic, saute until fragrant. add kale & splash of water. cover pan & steam 4-5min. Stir. Add large pinch salt & saute another 5min until the stems are tender.
Assembly:
- Add portions of beans, rice, and kale to a low bowl. Top with soft-cooked egg and hot sauce.
NIGHT 2: CHICKEN DINNER
- Season chicken with salt & pepper. Bake 450F/230C, 45 min on parchment lined sheet pan.
- Serve with reheated rice & kale from night 1.
NIGHT 3: CHICKEN SOUP
- Cook rice, 550g water, & 8g salt in rice cooker (or stovetop). Reserve 2c. Store the rest in fridge for night 5.
- Add olive oil to dutch oven over med heat with onion, garlic, carrot, cabbage, & lrg pinch salt. Sweat veg for 10min until softened. Add bouillon & 8c/1600g water. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low, cook til veggies are tender. Add chicken meat & peas. Add half cup cooked rice to bowl, a pinch of the garlic kale, & soup.
- Use remaining cup of rice for the next day's lunch.
NIGHT 4: TOSTADAS
- Toast tostada shells in 350F/175C oven til warm. Add reheated beans, toms, avocado, jalapenos, feta, cilantro, hot sauce
NIGHT 5: FRIED RICE
- Heat large nonstick over med-high, add oil, mushrooms, salt. Cook til browned. Transfer to bowl. Add oil, carrots, cabbage, salt to pan. Stir & cover with lid to steam, 5 min. Transfer to bowl with mushrooms. Add oil & eggs to pan, scramble.
- Transfer to bowl. Add oil & rice to pan. cook 3-4 min until heated. Add peas, stir fry sauce, & cooked veg/eggs. stir to combine. Cook 3 min.
- Serve and top with sriracha mayo.
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