I came across Brian Lagerstrom’s video on cheap and healthy meals and this one in particular stood out to me the most. I find this recipe is a great example of showing off how vegetarian style dishes can still be super flavorful, filling and fascinating. This savory spiced dish combines fragrant sofrito rice, refried black beans, and tender garlic kale greens into a wholesome, flavor-packed breakfast. Basmati rice is toasted and simmered with Spanish inspired ingredients like cumin, Cajun spices and tomato sauce for a rich, aromatic base. Refried black beans, cooked with chili powder, cumin, and a splash of lime juice, add creamy texture and zesty depth. Along with a side of garlic kale greens that are sautéed with red pepper flakes and lemon juice, delivering a bright, slightly spicy finish. Served with a freshly pan fried egg for a boost of extra protein.

Rice, Beans, and Greens with some Protein
Equipment
- 1 Medium pot For cooking the rice and the beans
- 1 Potato masher For mashing the beans
- 1 Large Pan For cooking the kale
Ingredients
For Sofrito Rice
- 1 cup Basmati Rice
- ½ cup Pasta Sauce
- 1 ¾ Water
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 medium Onion diced
- 1 large Bell Pepper diced
- 2 cloves Garlic minced
- ¼ cup Cilantro chopped
- 2 tsp Cumin
- 2 tsp Cajun Seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
For Refried Beans
- 14 oz can Black Beans
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 tbsp Lime Juice
- 1 tbsp Cumin
- 1 tbsp Chili Powder
- 1 tbsp Onion Powder
- 1 tbsp Garlic Powder
- Salt and Pepper to taste
For Garlic Kale Greens
- 300 g Chopped Kale
- 1 tsp Red Pepper Flake
- 4 cloves Garlic minced
- ½ tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 tsp Lemon Juice
- ¼ cup Water
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- For Sofrito Rice
- Finely chop onion, bell pepper, garlic, and cilantro.
- Add olive oil to a medium pot (with a lid) over medium heat. Once heated, and the basmati rice. Toast the rice for 3 – 4minutes, until translucent.
- Add the diced veggies, cilantro, salt and pepper. Fry until veggies are softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the cumin and Cajun seasoning, stir and cook to toast the spices. Add water and pasta sauce, cover, set heat to high until simmering, then drop the heat to low, and cook for 10 minutes.
- For Refried Beans
- Add the olive oil to a medium pot over medium heat. Add cumin, chili powder, onion powder, and garlic powder. Cook for 30 seconds to bloom the spices.
- Add half of the canned beans and their liquid to the pot. Mash the beans as they simmer for 3 mins. Add remaining beans into the pot with salt, pepper and lime juice. Stir to combine, taste for seasoning, then set aside.
- For Garlic Kale Greens
- Add olive oil to a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flake, sauté until fragrant. Add kale, water, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Cover the pan with a lid and steam for 10 mins or until the kale stems are tender, then set aside.