Made by Brian Lagerstrom

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Eating healthy on a tight budget is possible when every ingredient has a job. Brian’s five-night meal plan turns dried beans, rice, cabbage, kale, chicken legs, eggs, and a few fresh vegetables into 20 satisfying meals for about $30. The secret is cooking once, using leftovers smartly, and building flavor from affordable pantry staples.

Beans, Greens & Rice

This first meal does the heavy lifting for the week. Refried black beans, sofrito rice, garlicky kale, and a soft egg create a filling plate that is affordable, fresh, and packed with protein, fiber, and greens.

Ingredients

• 1 lb dry black beans, soaked overnight
• Cooking oil
• Cumin
• Chili powder
• Onion powder
• Garlic powder
• Vinegar or lime
• 1 onion
• 1 poblano pepper
• Garlic
• Cilantro
• 2 cups rice
• Tomato paste
• Tomato sauce
• 2 lb chopped kale
• Eggs
• Hot sauce
• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Soak the black beans overnight, then pressure cook until tender.
2. Toast cumin, chili powder, onion powder, and garlic powder in oil, then add half the cooked beans with some bean liquid.
3. Mash the beans as they simmer, then stir in the remaining beans, salt, and vinegar.
4. For the rice, finely chop onion, poblano, garlic, and cilantro.
5. Toast the rice in oil, then add the aromatics, salt, cumin, tomato paste, water, and tomato sauce.
6. Cover and bake until the rice is tender.
7. Sauté garlic in oil, add kale and a splash of water, then steam and sauté until tender.
8. Serve beans, rice, and kale with a soft-cooked egg and hot sauce.

Roast Chicken Dinner

Bone-in chicken legs are one of the best-value proteins in the grocery store. Brian roasts them simply with salt and pepper, then serves them with leftover sofrito rice and garlicky kale for a meal that feels complete without extra work.

Ingredients

• 4 bone-in chicken legs
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Leftover sofrito rice
• Leftover garlicky kale

Directions

1. Place the chicken legs on a parchment-lined sheet pan.
2. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
3. Roast at 450°F until the skin is rendered and the meat is juicy.
4. Reheat leftover rice and kale.
5. Serve the chicken with rice and greens.

Chicken & Rice Soup

This soup turns leftover roast chicken into a comforting, vegetable-heavy dinner. Cabbage, carrots, onion, garlic, peas, rice, and bouillon create a deeply satisfying soup without needing expensive boxed stock.

Ingredients

• 2 cups rice
• Water
• Salt
• 1 onion, diced
• Garlic
• Carrots, chopped
• ½ head cabbage, sliced
• Dried oregano
• Black pepper
• Turmeric
• Better Than Bouillon or bouillon cubes
• Frozen peas
• Chicken from 2 roasted chicken legs
• Leftover garlicky kale, optional

Directions

1. Cook the rice with water and salt, then reserve some for the soup and save the rest for fried rice.
2. Sauté onion, garlic, carrots, and cabbage in oil with salt.
3. Add oregano, black pepper, turmeric, bouillon, and water.
4. Simmer until the vegetables are tender.
5. Pull the meat from the leftover chicken legs and chop it into bite-sized pieces.
6. Add chicken and frozen peas to the soup.
7. Serve with cooked rice and a little leftover kale if desired.

Black Bean Tostadas

These tostadas are crunchy, colorful, and nearly no-cook because they reuse the refried beans from night one. Cherry tomatoes, avocado, pickled jalapeños, feta, cilantro, and hot sauce make each tostada taste fresh and exciting.

Ingredients

• Tostada shells
• Leftover refried black beans
• Cherry tomatoes, quartered
• Avocado, cubed
• Pickled jalapeños
• Feta
• Cilantro
• Hot sauce

Directions

1. Warm the tostada shells in the oven until crisp.
2. Reheat the refried beans with a splash of water to loosen them.
3. Spread beans over each tostada shell.
4. Top with cherry tomatoes, avocado, pickled jalapeños, feta, cilantro, and hot sauce.
5. Serve immediately while crisp.

Vegetable Fried Rice

Fried rice is the perfect end-of-week meal because it makes use of stale rice and leftover vegetables. Mushrooms, cabbage, carrots, peas, eggs, and a simple stir-fry sauce turn budget ingredients into a savory, satisfying dinner.

Ingredients

• Oil
• Button mushrooms, sliced
• ½ head cabbage, chopped
• Carrots, chopped
• 4 eggs
• Stale cooked rice
• Frozen peas
• Oyster sauce
• Soy sauce
• Sesame oil
• Mayo
• Sriracha
• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Sauté mushrooms in oil with salt until browned, then transfer to a bowl.
2. Stir-fry cabbage and carrots, then cover briefly to steam until tender.
3. Scramble the eggs and add them to the cooked vegetables.
4. Fry the stale rice in oil until hot and slightly toasted.
5. Add frozen peas, oyster sauce, soy sauce, and sesame oil.
6. Fold in the cooked vegetables and eggs.
7. Top with sriracha mayo made from two parts mayo and one part sriracha.

Complete Shopping List

Ingredients:

0.5x

1x

2x

4x

 

•   2 lb bag dried black beans
•   1 dozen eggs
•   2 onions
•   1 avocado
•   12 oz carrots
•   1 head cabbage
•   2 lb bag kale
•   1 head garlic
•   poblano
•   button mushrooms
•   cilantro
•   cherry tomatoes
•   fresh peas
•   1 bag rice
•   feta
•   8 oz can tomato sauce
•   tomato paste
•   tostada shells
•   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

Ingredients are subject to availability at local stores. Unavailable items will be automatically substituted at best-effort.