By First week of May and there is that particular light in DeKalb that only happens in early spring — flat and clean, coming from low in the sky at six in the evening, making everything look like a photograph of itself. I walked to the quad after my last seminar and sat on the grass for twenty minutes doing nothing, which felt like an enormous luxury. The trees are actually green now, committed, not just thinking about it.
Priya is in the final stretch of her pre-med requirements. She is going to be a doctor. I have known this since September when she explained to me the exact mechanism by which a particular antibiotic worked and did not stop until I understood it too. She studies the way some people pray — with total attention, total faith that it matters. Watching her has reminded me to treat my own work that way. The kids I am going to teach deserve that kind of attention.
Made rice and beans this week — the kind that is almost a full meal by itself. Brown rice from a big bag (lasts forever, Aldi, under two dollars), a can of black beans (79 cents), half an onion diced, garlic, cumin, a splash of lime juice from the bottle in the fridge door. Cooked the rice, heated the beans with the onion and garlic and cumin in a separate pan, served it all together with shredded cheese on top. Total cost under two dollars.
Jess used to say that rice and beans was "poor people food" like it was a bad thing. She said it laughing — we were both from the South Side, both from families that knew how to stretch things. I think about that now and wish I could tell her that I cook rice and beans three times a week and it is some of the best food I eat. That stretching things is a skill, not a shame. That I am proud of how little I spend and how well I eat on it.
That week in DeKalb — the light on the quad, Priya’s focused studying, the sense that everything was exactly where it needed to be — felt like the right moment to cook something deliberate and grounding. I’ve been making this vegan rice and bean bowl on repeat, and I want to write it down properly, because it deserves that. It’s the meal that taught me stretching things isn’t something to apologize for — it’s something to get good at.
Vegan Bowls
Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 30 min | Total Time: 40 min | Servings: 2
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown rice, rinsed
- 2 cups water
- 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lime juice (fresh or bottled)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Optional toppings: shredded vegan cheese, sliced avocado, chopped cilantro, hot sauce
Instructions
- Cook the rice. Combine brown rice and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 25–30 minutes until water is absorbed and rice is tender. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
- Sauté the aromatics. While the rice cooks, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 4–5 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Season the beans. Add the drained black beans to the skillet with the onion and garlic. Stir in cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beans are heated through and well coated in the spices.
- Finish with lime. Remove the bean mixture from heat and stir in the lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Assemble the bowls. Divide the brown rice between two bowls. Spoon the seasoned black beans over the top. Add any desired toppings — shredded vegan cheese, avocado, cilantro, or a dash of hot sauce all work beautifully.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 420 | Protein: 16g | Fat: 8g | Carbs: 72g | Fiber: 13g | Sodium: 310mg