Posted by: Eye Health Northwest in General Eye Health on December 20, 2011
Happy Holidays from EyeHealth Northwest!
Giving the Gift of Eye Health
It is easy to get lost in a blur of fruitcake and eggnog with the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. Bring comfort and joy to your family and friends with these sweet and savory eye healthy recipes.
- Cheer Spreading – Cherry Tomatoes with Mozzarella Cheese and (basil) Pesto
- Make it Merry Make it Bright – Potato, Leek, and Pumpkin Soup
- Merry Little Mischief – Chicken in Red Wine
- Deck-the-Halls – Blueberry Mousse
Cherry Tomatoes with Mozzarella Cheese and (basil) Pesto
Ingredients and amounts for 4 people
- 8 cherry tomatoes
- 1 mozzarella cheese, cut into cubes
- 1 tablespoon (basil) pesto
Preparation:
Dip the cherry tomatoes for approximately 10 seconds in boiling water, cool them under running water, and peel. Top and tail the tomatoes, remove the seeds, and add salt. Fill each tomato with one or more cubes of mozzarella cheese and add some fresh basil pesto.
Valuable content for the eye : Tomatoes are rich in vitamins and oligoelements; they contain caroteniods and are an importance source of lycopene. Mozzarella cheese contains easily digestible protein and calcium. Basil owes its aroma to the numerous essential oils it contains, which can stimulate salivary and gastric secretion. In addition, basil pesto contains olive oil, small amounts of basil, pine-nuts, parmesan cheese, goat’s milk cheese, and garlic.
Potato, Leek and Pumpkin Soup
Ingredients and amounts for 4 people
- 10½ oz (1⅓ cups) diced potatoes
- ¾ cup chopped leeks
- 1¾ cups diced pumpkin pulp
- 2 oz bacon, cut into pieces
- 1 liter (33.8 oz) vegetable broth
- 1 sprig of parsley (chopped)
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove of garlic
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Brown the garlic in oil; remove the garlic and brown the vegetables (potatoes, leeks, pumpkin) in the oil. Add the hot broth, and cook for 30 minutes. Add the bacon; add salt and pepper to taste. Two minutes before serving, add 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley. Serve with toasted bread.
Valuable content for the eye : Potatoes are rich in starch and contain potassium and vitamins C and B5. Pumpkin is an excellent source of carotenoids, vitamin C, and vitamins of the B group. Leeks are low in calories and vitamins but contain carotenoids. Olive oil is an excellent source of unsaturated fatty acids. Vegetable broth contains mineral salts and water-soluble vitamins.
Chicken in Red Wine
ngredients and amounts for 4 people
- 14 oz chicken, cut into small pieces
- 3 onions
- 1¾ oz Parma ham in a single slice
- 1¾ oz grounded beef
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove of garlic (chopped)
- ½ teaspoon rosemary (chopped)
- 2 glasses red wine
- 3½ oz tomato pulp
- Salt to taste
Preparation:
Heat the oil and cook the chicken until browned; reduce the heat and add the ham diced into small pieces, grounded beef, the sliced onion, the garlic, and the rosemary. Add salt, pepper, red wine, and tomato to cover all of the
meat; cook slowly for at least 1 hour over low heat, adding water if necessary.
Valuable contents for the eye: Chicken contains digestible proteins and has a good ratio of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. Red wine contains resveratrol and flavonoids. Tomatoes are rich in vitamins and oligominerals, but particularly they contain carotenoids and are the most important source of lycopene. Onion contains vitamin C and a good quantity of flavonoids (quercetin). Garlic contains selenium, zinc, and alline, which is responsible for the taste and the penetrating, persistent odor of garlic. When alline is transformed into allicine, it has an antibacterial action and it lowers cholesterol and blood pressure levels.
Blueberry Mousse
Ingredients and amounts for 4 people
- 8¾ cups blueberries
- 2 sheets of gelatin
- 2 egg whites
- ¾ cup whipping cream
- 3 tablespoons sugar
Preparation:
Wash and dry the blueberries; liquidize them and pour the liquid into a bowl. Whip the cream and add to the liquidized blueberries. Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt and when stiff, add to the blueberry mixture. Soak the gelatin in cold water; dissolve it by heating in a small saucepan and then add to the blueberry mixture. Mix all the ingredients together and leave in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours. Then serve.
Valuable contents for the eye: Blueberries are rich in vitamin C and anthocyanosides. Eggs are rich in saturated fatty acids but also contain a good quantity of mono-and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Unfortunately, they contain cholesterol but they are also an important source of lutein. Cream has a high fat content but it is also very delicious.
*Recipes courtesy of AMO and Lucio Buratto, MD and Slack Incorporated-The Eye and Nutrition (www.slackbooks.com/eyenutrition)
