Looking for ways to help maintain healthy eyesight? These recipes from eye health experts Essilor.co.uk are eye wateringly tasty and have all of the essential nutrients to promote good eye health.
Sweet potato and spinach quesadilla
Sweet potatoes and spinach are both essential sources of vitamins and minerals that promote eye health. Packed with beta carotene, the body converts beta carotene in sweet potatoes into vitamin A, a nutrient that helps prevent dry eyes and night blindness. Beta carotene and vitamin A also may help reduce the risk eye infections.
Serves 2
Ingredients
1 sweet potato
2 tortillas
100g spinach
1⁄2 jalepeno chilli – chopped
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
1 garlic clove – crushed
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
Salt and pepper for seasoning
Method
Pierce the sweet potatoes and cook in an oven at 200 degrees for 50 minutes, or until soft.
Let the potatoes cool and scoop out the inners.
Heat some of the oil in a large skillet and add the garlic, heat for 1-2 minutes until brown, add the sweet potato flesh, spinach, jalapeno and cumin.
Cook for 10 minutes stirring occasionally, season accordingly.
Spread the filling on one half of each of the tortillas and fold shut
Brush with oil on each side and cook on a hot griddle pan for 3 minutes or until brown.
Tantilisingly tasty turkey chilli
Turkey is rich in zinc. Zinc is concentrated in our retinas and helps enzymes that promote eye health. Niacin, also found in turkey meat, can help protect your eyes from cataract development.
Serves 2
Ingredients
100g turkey mince
1⁄2 white onion – thinly chopped
500g pasatta
Half a can of kidney beans, drained
1 garlic clove – crushed
1 chilli chopped
1 cube of vegetable stock
Splash of water
1⁄2 teaspoon paprika
1⁄2 teaspoon oregano
1⁄2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1⁄2 teaspoon cumin
Method
Cook the turkey mince in a pan until brown, then drain any excess fat.
Add the onion and cook until tender.
Mix in all the ingredients except the water – add water according to desired thickness of sauce.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with rice or potato wedges and add cheese if you wish!
Greek salad with tomatoes
Tomatoes are packed with carotenoids, including lycopene. Research shows that lycopene present in ocular tissues help prevent light-induced damage to the retina and other areas of the eye. Tomatoes are also an excellent source of vitamin C, another vision protector.
Serves 2
Ingredients
1 tomato
1⁄4 cucumber
1⁄4 green bell pepper
1⁄4 red onion
Handful of olives
1-2 tablespoons of olive oil
4-6 cubes of Feta cheese
Sprinkle of oregano
Method
Chop the tomatos into wedges. Thinly slice the bell pepper into rings. Slice the red onion and cucumber and half the slices. Add to a salad bowl along with the olives and lightly toss with the olive oil. Top with the Feta followed by the oregano.
