These healthy turkey burgers will turn your July 4th weekend barbeque into an eye- healthy feast! Turkey is high in zinc, and the orange peppers and green onion will provide your eyes with lutein and zeaxanthin. For a lighter version, omit the whole-wheat buns and enjoy your turkey burger wrapped in lettuce leaves.

Turkey Burgers with Roasted Orange Peppers
(serves 4)

• 1 lb ground turkey (extra-lean)
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup green onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs or oat bran
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• salt and pepper

Toppings:

• 2 orange peppers
• 3 Tbsp Dijon mustard (grainy)
• leaf lettuce
• 4 whole-wheat burger buns
• Caramelized Onions (optional):
  • 2 yellow onions
  • olive oil

Mix all ingredients for the burgers. Shape into four patties. Place each patty on a square of parchment paper, and set aside in the refrigerator. Preheat the grill to high. Put the peppers on the grill, turning until charred on all sides. Remove them from the grill and place in a paper bag. Close the bag tightly and let cool for about 10 minutes. The steam will help separate the skin from the peppers so they are easier to peel.

Once the peppers are cool enough to handle, and working over a bowl to collect the juices, peel the peppers. Cut in wedges and remove the stems, seeds and white membranes. Set aside roasted pepper wedges. Mix 1 tablespoon pepper juice (that you collected while peeling the peppers) with 3 tablespoons grainy Dijon mustard. Holding onto the parchment paper, flip turkey patties on the grill and cook on each side, until they reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees (as recommended by the FDA). When patties are almost ready, toast outside of burger buns on the grill.

To assemble burger, spread the mustard mix on both sides of the buns. Add roasted pepper wedges. Layer the patty next. Top with leaf lettuce. Optional: Prepare caramelized onions ahead of time: Cook thinly sliced yellow onions over low heat in olive oil for about 20 minutes, or until very tender. Season with salt and pepper.
Enjoy with coleslaw enriched with kale.

Source: www.eyefoods.com
Photo credit: https://www.allaboutvision.com

This month’s healthy eye recipe is fresh and bright with a super-boost of eye-friendly nutrients such as Vitamin A, Lutein, Zeaxanthin, and Lycopene from the tomatoes, plus rich flavor from one of the healthiest fats for overall health – especially eyesight. Salmon, a well-known natural source of vitamin D, also happens to be one of the best sources for omega-3 fatty acids which have been shown to have tremendous eye-related health benefits.

These power-packed little good-for-you fats can help reduce the risk of Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), help treat dry eye disease, and they are a core building block in both cholesterol and hormone synthesis. What’s more, salmon is especially heart-healthy for women! Because the risk of heart disease increases as women’s estrogen levels drop beginning around age 40, it is wise for aging women to seek natural ways of protecting their tickers; adding a fatty fish such as salmon to your diet can help reduce inflammation of blood vessels that may lead to heart disease and strokes.

Lemon-Pepper Salmon

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 (4 ounce) salmon steaks
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon lemon pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
• 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 cups boiling water
• 1 cup uncooked couscous

Directions

Heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place salmon in the skillet, and season with garlic, lemon pepper and salt. Pour 1/4 cup water around salmon. Place tomatoes and cilantro in the skillet. Cover, and cook 15 minutes, or until fish is easily flaked with a fork. 

Bring 2 cups water to boil in a pot. Remove from heat and mix in couscous. Cover, and let sit 5 minutes. Serve the cooked salmon over couscous, and drizzle with sauce from skillet.

Recipe courtesy of 

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February is Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and Low Vision Awareness Month. AMD is a leading cause of vision loss, affecting more than 2 million Americans age 50 and older. But, you can take action to fight AMD with healthy food and beverage choices. This month’s healthy eye recipe is both healthful and delicious. With just three simple ingredients, it’s a tasty juice loaded with the super-duo power of vitamin A and antioxidants which are known to decrease the risk of AMD.

Recipe:

Carrot-Orange-Grapefruit Juice (with or without a fancy juicer)

There’s just something extra satisfying about freshly-made juice. Sure, you could buy any number of pre-packaged juices at your local grocer, but they often include added sugars or preservatives. Even if you find juice that doesn’t contain such additives, store-bought juice never tastes quite as refreshing as juice made right before your eyes. And guess what? You don’t need a fancy juicing machine to create healthful, delicious juices in your kitchen!

Note: depending on the size of the ingredients, this recipe should yield about four 8-oz. cups, or one quart*

INGREDIENTS

• 6-8 Medium-sized Raw Carrots
• 3 Raw Oranges of Any Variety
• 1 Raw Grapefruit, Red or White

DIRECTIONS FOR THOSE WITH NO JUICER:

• Peel the grapefruit and oranges; get rid of as much pith (the white part left after peeling) as you desire. Divide into sections and don’t worry about the seeds.
• Wash, peel and chop carrots into small chunks.
• Combine all three prepared ingredients in either a blender or a food processor and puree until the mixture becomes a liquid pulp.
• Over a large bowl, pour the entire mixture into a fine-mesh strainer until only pulp solids remain in the strainer, and there’s as much juice as possible is in the bowl. (About 15-20 minutes.)
• Discard pulp (or add it to a compost pile if you wish)
• Using a kitchen funnel, transfer the juice to a pitcher. Chill in refrigerator or serve in glasses over ice.

IF YOU HAVE A JUICER:

Great! Proceed as usual for citrus and carrots according to your juicer’s manufacturer.

*Hint: double this recipe to make a half-gallon and enjoy a healthy glass of fresh, eye-healthy, homemade juice every day, or as long as it lasts.

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Get your new year off to a fresh start with this beautifully-colored, eye-nutrient-rich smoothie recipe! Smoothies are a wonderful “feelgood” nutrient source that can help boost our sense of wellbeing, while also providing a treat-like sensation to satisfy a desire for sweet flavors. What better way to start a fresh year than a fresh fruit smoothie? We say, add a little extra eye-friendly nutrient like flax seed…

The flaxseeds in this recipe provide a superb source of omega 3 fatty acids which are great for regulating fluid retention and normalizing eye pressure which can help prevent dry eye and even help fend off glaucoma.

Plus, the powerful antioxidants Vitamins C and E, courtesy of peaches and blueberries, are helpful for protecting against eye damage that can lead to Age-related Macular Degeneration.

INGREDIENTS

• 3/4 Cup Driscoll’s Blueberries
• 1/2 Cup almond milk or favorite juice
• 1/2 Cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt
• 1 Tbsp. ground flaxseeds
• 2 Tablespoons honey
• 3 Ounces ice cubes (not needed if using frozen peaches)
• 1 small peach, roughly chopped or 1/2 cup frozen peaches

DIRECTIONS

Blend blueberries, peach, almond milk, yogurt, flaxseeds, honey and ice in a blender until pureed and smooth, stirring several times. Serve immediately.

Recipe courtesy of  

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Most of us are aware that spinach and other dark, leafy greens are known to be healthy for our bodies, but many of us are not quite sure why. One reason is that they are rich in two antioxidants called lutein and zeaxanthin — both of which are important for the proper functionality of our macula: the small area at the center of the retina responsible for what we see at the center of our field of vision.

What many people don’t know is that egg yolks are also an excellent source of lutein and zeaxanthin. In one study, researchers found that lutein levels increased by 26%, while zeaxanthin levels increased by 38% when subjects ate one egg per day. This simple recipe is rich in lutein and zeaxanthin with both egg and leafy greens.

Because they’re baked in muffin tins, these little frittatas are as cute as they are nutritious. Plus, you can make a whole slew of them at once to please a small crowd!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Cup chopped onion, adjust to taste
• 1 Cup chopped bell pepper, adjust to taste (hint: mix dark red and green for holiday flair)
• 10 oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained of all liquid
• One dozen medium eggs
• 2 ounces grated sharp white cheddar cheese (Feta works well too)
• Cooking Spray
• Salt and Pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Lightly coat a skillet with cooking spray, then sauté onions and bell peppers over medium heat for 4-5 minutes or until soft.
3. Beat eggs in a medium bowl; salt and pepper to taste.
4. Add onion, bell peppers, spinach and cheese to beaten eggs, mixing well to distribute the spinach throughout.
5. Spray muffin tins with cooking spray.
6. Fill each muffin cup approximately ⅔ of the way full of egg mixture.
7. Bake for about 20 minutes — just until eggs are “set” or begin to get golden on top.

(Makes 12 frittatas, serving six people at two frittatas per person.)