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!