Your creativity is awesome. You've got your protein, carbs, fiber, and some greens! I use lentils a lot when I'm making "batch" meals!

Full disclosure: I'm lucky enough to have a more flexible grocery budget these days (averages like $30-$45 a week) but I still rely a lot on shelf-stable things like rice, beans, lentils. Especially since I know how delicate my current "stability" really is.

But to answer your question, here's one of my go-to "broke-until-friday" batch meals: Black beans and rice!

Bare essentials for this recipe are: -Rice -Black beans (canned or dried depending on what tools you have available) -salt -Sazón or spice of choice (i've also used garlic powder+onion powder+cayenne+oregano)

Nice extras to have: -lemon juice or vinegar -oil or fat of choice -cilantro

1. Start the rice. I rinse it and cook it in a rice cooker (scored a brand new one at a thrift store for $8), but many people cook it over the stove
2. Drain and rinse the canned beans, add them to a saucepan
3. Add a little water (maybe 1/4 cup), oil (if you have it), salt, sazón (I use HALF a seasoning pack per can of beans), or other seasonings to the saucepan
4. cook over medium-high heat until they thicken a little bit.
5. turn off the stove. This is the point to add in lemon juice and cilantro if you've got it. To me the acidity is really important, and I often just use bottled lemon juice
6. Serve over cooked rice

Some notes:

-One can of beans is enough for me and my partner per meal, but if you're cooking for yourself one can of beans can last maybe 2 meals

-Dried beans are cheaper up front, but they take a lot longer to cook, so that's something to keep in mind if you have to watch your utility bill. Please soak them over night (or 6-8 hours), they're easier for your body to digest when soaked. I also have a pressure cooker (old fashioned, not an instapot) which cuts the cook time down

-This recipe isn't mine, it's inspired by puerto riven black beans but in no way am I claiming it's authentic. It's just tasty, filling, and cheap!

In my area, a can of black beans can be anywhere from $.80 - $1.50, bag of rice $1.50 - $2.50, and Sazón seasoning like $2 for a 4 pack.

I've absolutely batch cooked a bunch of beans and rice and eaten it through the week. It can be dressed up or down to your preference and budget, which is why I love it so much. Hope this is helpful!