RSU Expert: Healthy Dinner With Cheese, Beans and Squash

There are so many delicious foods that are easy to cook that can be made from the healthy autumn berries - pumpkins and squashes! Contrary to popular belief, it is actually a berry, and not a vegetable. Ilze Lutere, a lecturer and nutritionist at Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU) shows us how to make a quick dinner of cheese, legumes and pumpkin. 'This dinner is made up of simple products that everyone can vary according to their preferences,' says the nutritionist who has chosen a smoked cheese for dinner because of its low fat content, green edamame beans, which are high in protein and vitamin C, as well as a baking squash or pumpkin, which must be baked with its peel still on to preserve all the nutrition.

Ingredients (1 serving)

• Smoke-dried cheese "tējas siers" – 100 g;
• Frozen or fresh edamame beans, or any kind of peas or beans – 50 g;
• Red kuri squash – 150 g;
• Olive oil – for drizzling;
• A pinch of fish seasoning.
• Dressing: olive oil, ginger (dry or fresh), honey, lemon juice, garlic (dry or fresh).
• To serve: toasted black sesame seeds.

Instructions

Cut the cheese into thick slices and place them on baking paper. 'I have chosen this cheese because it only contains 10% fat,' says Ilze Lutere. Place the beans and the small squash slices next to the cheese on the tray. 'Edamame beans contain a lot of nutritious substances: whole protein, omega 3 fatty acids, phytoestrogens, which are especially healthy for women, etc.' If these beans are not available, any other beans, peas or lentils can be used. 'Darker lentils are better for this dish because they will not disintegrate as much,' advises the nutritionist. 'There is no need to peel the squash because it contains a lot of nutrition. After heating, the skin becomes very thin - like paper!'

Drizzle some olive oil over the squash and the beans and add some fish seasoning. Prepare the sauce and cover the slices of cheese. To make the sauce use a small jar in which you can shake everything together. You can also use a bowl. 'If you choose to use ginger powder remember that it is much stronger than fresh ginger root.' Bake everything at 180 degrees for about 15 minutes. When ready, sprinkle black sesame seeds over everything. Toast them to release their essential oils making them more fragrant.