Easy Squash & Sage Rice Pasta

Last week my boyfriend's mother sent him back to DC with a BUNCH of different squashes.  I think that squash is good steamed with a little salt & pepper, but I wanted to make one of these beautiful orange guys into a meal.  So I did a little experimenting, using only things I had in my kitchen, and here's the result.  It looks a LOT more complicated than it actually is, trust me, if I can do it, so can you.  Easy, healthy & delicious!

photo via

Ingredients:

1. 1 Acorn, banana, or butternut squash
2. 1 box of rice pasta
3. Fresh or frozen spinach
4. 1 onion, diced
5. 2 garlic cloves, smashed then diced
6. 2 Tablespoons butter (I know...but I couldn't resist)
7. 1 can black beans, drained
8. Grated parmesean/asiago cheese to taste
9. Spices:  Salt, Pepper, dried Sage, Cayanne Pepper, Paprika

Tools:
1 oven-safe dish
1 large frying pan
1 pot

Instructions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350.
2. Fill oven-safe dish with about 1" of water, cut squash in half, place cut-side down in dish.
3. Put squash in the oven for 40-45 minutes depending on how big it is
4. Boil some water for the rice pasta.  Add pasta once water is at a rolling boil
5. While water is boiling and squash is cooking, dice onion & garlic
6. Saute onion & garlic in frying pan with 2 tablespoons of butter
6. Once onion is soft, add spinach & beans.  Cook until spinach has wilted.  Add spices.
7. Turn burner with veggies off, cover.  
8.  When done, drain pasta & add it to the veggie mix
9. Once squash is done, run it under a little cold water, then scoop the squash out of the shell with a spoon.  Coarsely chop big parts of squash, add to pan with veggies.  Turn the oven off.
10. Turn burner back on low for a minute or two to mix & make sure everything is hot.
11. Scoop servings into bowls, top with a little grated cheese to taste, and voila! 

Wednesday Perk - Work It Out!

While we both love running and working out in general, even we have our struggles with motivation.  The beginning of a new month is a great time to face this problem head on and work towards getting back into a good routine by the end of the month.  So on this Wednesday here are some things to help reinvigorate your motivation, and some easy workout suggestions to get you started.

If you're like us you enjoy a great playlist to pump you up for your runs, but frequently we find ourselves just reusing the same playlists over and over again because building a new one is time consuming.  This can cause even the best playlist to get stale.  Have no fear though, Runners World has mulitple playlists used by top runners you can scroll through, and there are Spotify and Lululemon playlists you can access too.  Now your music, or lack thereof, can no longer be an excuse, get out there and run!

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Sometimes our waning motivation comes from nagging sore muscles and various aches and pains that don't seem to go away.  This is when we have to remind ourselves that running alone is not enough, our bodies need a variety of activities.  To be a stronger, better runner it is necessary to add in additional strength workouts to help balance out your muscles.  A strong core is essential to healthy running, so here is a good basic core workout that can be quickly and easily added to your routine.  And don't forget to stretch out your IT Band, which can also be a common cause of runner ailments.

Beginner Core Routine

Sometimes the best pick-me-up for a running rut is to treat yourself to a new piece of clothing.  Bright colors and fun details are our favorite things to look for.  Here are a couple of suggestions to get you excited for the colder runs to come.  

Nike Pro Hyperwarm Crew II, Asics ARD Capri 



And, when all else fails, nothing gets us more pumped to get back out on the road than registering for a new race.  Spring marathons and half marathons are usually accepting registrations this time of year.  If you are in the DC area you can try the DC Rock 'n Roll marathon or half marathon on March 16, 2013.  We have done this race in both the half and the full form (back when it was the National Marathon) and have loved it.  The course will be different this year, but we're sure it will still be a great race.  We recommend you hurry up and register though, the half marathon sold out last year.  So what are you waiting for now?  Get out there and WORK IT OUT!

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Monday Moodlifter

This time of year always finds us feeling a little nostalgic.  There's nothing better than having brunch with some old friends, sifting through thrift and antique stores for good finds, and relaxing with old classic films.  In that vein, here some timeless things that are lifting our Monday mornings, we hope they do the same for you.

A collection of vintage fashion prints to spruce up a room.

A classic, but mature pink mauve nail polish.

A great throwback style cover, and a list of places for that brunch.

 

Vintage lockets to spice up your light turtleneck sweaters.

The lovely Audrey Hepburn in her classic Breakfast at Tiffany's look.