A Recipe for Healthy Eyes: Fall Harvest Salad with Maple Vinaigrette

Just in time for Thanksgiving, we have adapted this recipe by Ree Drummond to include lots of delicious ingredients which promote eye health. Add in some sliced leftover turkey (a great source of Vitamin B6) to make it a main dish salad and enjoy these savory fall flavors while building up your stores of eye-healthy minerals and antioxidants!

 

Fall Harvest Salad with Maple Vinaigrette

For the Salad:

5 cups Romaine Lettuce

1 small Butternut Squash (peeled and cubed for roasting)

2 cups Brussels Sprouts (cut in half for roasting)

1 cup Seedless Red Grapes (cut in half)

1/2 cup Chopped Green Onions (scallions)

1 cup sliced Almonds

1/2 cup Pumpkin Seeds

1 1/2 cups crumbled Feta Cheese

Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to season

 

For the Dressing:

2 teaspoons Dijon Mustard

2 tablespoons Real Maple Syrup

1/2 cup Olive Oil

2 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar (preferably with the mother)

 

Preheat oven to 400º F

Begin by roasting the butternut squash and brussels sprouts. Place on a sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss everything together. Roast on center rack for 30 minutes, stirring once to ensure even cooking. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Next, prepare the dressing. Place all ingredients in a large Mason jar with a tight lid and shake well until incorporated. Alternatively, you can whisk the ingredients in a bowl. Set aside while preparing the salad.

In a large bowl, layer the lettuce and other ingredients. Pour the dressing over and toss well.

Serve and enjoy!

You can feel good knowing you have just eaten a meal that contains lots of healthy minerals and antioxidants for your eyes!

The nutrition lowdown:

The eyes are highly metabolically active and have unique nutritional needs, according to Saqndra Young, Optometrist and author of the book Visionary Kitchen. Recent science has identified some of the key nutrients for optimal eye health including:

Lutein+Zeaxanthin (found in Red Grapes, Brussels Sprouts, Scallions and Butternut Squash)

Omega-3 Fatty Acids (found in Almonds and Olive Oil)

Vitamin A- Beta Carotenes (found in Butternut Squash)

Vitamin C (found in Brussels Sprouts)

Vitamin E (found in Almonds, Butternut Squash and Brussels Sprouts)

Zinc (found in Pepitas and Almonds)

 

Consuming plenty of these nutrients will help to ensure that your eyes stay healthy and will decrease risk of eye disease. In fact, the simple addition of a few nutrients to one's diet can help to prevent cataracts, increase tear production and tear quality, slow the progression of Advanced Age Related Macular Degeneration by as much as 25%, and prevent the ill effects of Diabetic Eye Disease.

 

 

 

 

 


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