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Eating for Your Eyesight

Island Epicure

We spend so much time staring at brightly lit computer screens and TV that we need to put some conscious thought into how to take care of our vision. Good food can be a big part of that care.

Now is the time to enjoy the colorful winter vegetables carrots, beets, and kale and collards. The more color our veggies and fruits have, the more they give us of the nutrients that benefit our eyes. Among the fruits, apricots, cherries and cranberries come to mind, frozen or dried at this season. We’re eating the rainbow. Three apricots treat your eyes and your skin with 2,769 IU of Vitamin A. It comes to you as beta-carotene, which turns into Vitamin A when eaten.
Cranberries, like blueberries and strawberries, boost your brain power by protecting you from free radicals.

Valentine’s Day weekend seven of the sixteen people in our far-flung family gathered for a feast and a good afternoon visit. Even son Steven, on winter break from the Chinese University where he teaches, was able to be here. Everybody contributed something to our well-laden table. We enjoyed roast leg of lamb from son-in-law Rich Osborne, the olive oil guy. The menu also included peas, green salad, potatoes, gluten-free rolls and several beverage choices. We finished off the meal with apple pie in a gluten-free crust with vanilla ice cream. Son John M., proprietor of Twice Sold Tales bookstore in Ballard, pulled in about 9:00 p.m. We’d managed to save him a piece of pie; besides that, he thought he fared well on a hearty home-made soup, rewarmed from the fridge, and leftover salad.