Cooking (healthy) on the cheap

So, my husband and I are hoping to buy a house soon (and I'm still looking for a job) so we have been trying to cut down our expenses and food seems to be our biggest one!  It is so hard to eat healthy and not spend a fortune!!  So, I've really been racking my brain to come up with things to cook that are healthy and cheap.  Luckily, we don't mind eating leftovers!  Well, here is one recipe that was pretty cheap, made a ton of food, was tasty and healthy!  The prices I've included are approximate and based on what I pay so they may vary.

Cuban Red Beans and Rice (Adapted from here)
Makes 8-10 good sized servings
1 Bag Dry Red Beans $1.58 (I soak mine for at least 24 hours, drain then cook them in fresh water for an hour or so, then drain them again before I start)
1/2 Package Bacon $2.24 (I use nitrate free-costs a little more, but worth it for me)
1 teaspoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil $.30
1/2 Onion, Chopped $.20
1 Bell Pepper, Chopped (I use which ever one is on sale) $.77
2 teaspoons Minced Garlic (I use the minced kind in the jar since I'm too lazy to mince my own) $.25
1 Tablespoon Tomato Paste $.15
2 Cups Rice, Uncooked $.30 (we get the giant bags at Sams)
1 1/2 teaspoons Dried Oregano $.06
1 1/2 teaspoons Ground Cumin $.08
1 teaspoon Sea Salt $.01
1/2 teaspoon Fresh Ground Black Pepper $.08
1 Bay Leaf $.05
5-6 Cups Water $Free from the tap! (or could use some homemade chicken broth if you have it on hand)

May not be the prettiest dish, but it's tasty!

Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving  1 Tablespoon drippings in pan; crumble bacon, and set aside. Add oil to pan. Add onion and bell pepper; sauté over medium-high heat 4 minutes or until onion is tender. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute or just until garlic begins to brown. Add tomato paste; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add rice, oregano, cumin, salt, and black pepper; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Place reserved bacon and bay leaf in pan; stir in 4 cups water. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until rice is tender. Remove from heat; discard bay leaf. Stir in remaining water and beans. Cook 5 minutes over low heat or until heated through, stirring frequently.  

I like to serve it with some hot sauce.  Easy, delicious and only costs less than $6 total!!  Plus, it's about 300 calories, or less per serving!