Black beans and rice make a great meal that's filling, delicious, and cheap! Great as a side dish or in a burrito bowl.  Top this dirt-cheap meal off with a bit of soy sauce to give it some flavor and you could literally feed a family of four a meal for less than $2.50.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ¾ cup uncooked white rice
• 1 ½ cups low sodium, low fat vegetable or chicken broth
• 3 ½ cups canned black beans, drained (28oz can)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir until onion has softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in rice to coat; cook and stir for 2 minutes.
2. Add vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce to a simmer, and cook until liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
3. Stir in beans, cumin, and cayenne; cook until beans are warmed through.