Hellene and Prof Minas Coroneo from the Look for Life Foundation

Taking the nutritional health of our eyes seriously in a truly inspiring way, is the Look for Life Foundation’s beautifully put-together Feast Your Eyes cook book.

Look for Life (formerly the Genetic Eye Foundation) is an Australian-based, not-for-profit dedicated to promoting awareness, diagnosis and support for patients with genetic eye conditions. Lifestyle factors are a significant contributor to the severity of genetic eye conditions and in an effort to raise awareness, the foundation has long supported the Mediterranean diet as a leading method of genetic eye condition prevention.

The Foundation’s Feast your Eyes cook book includes contributions from some of Australia's leading chefs to both promote eye health through healthy eating and raise funds to support research into genetic eye conditions. The book was compiled by Foundation directors, Professor Minas Coroneo, chair of the ophthalmology department at the University of New South Wales, and his wife and practice manager Hellene Coroneo. A second edition of the cook book, featuring recipes from international as well as Australian chefs if due out later this year.

As a taster, here is Sydney-based Greekalicious’ chef Maria Bernardis contribution to the Feast Your Eyes cook book.

Baked asparagus with oregano, feta and lemon zest

By Maria Benardis

2 bunches of asparagus

Sea salt and cracked pepper

100g feta, crumbled

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

2 tablespoons lemon zest, grated

1 teaspoon wild oregano, dried

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tablespoon dill, chopped (optional)

Pre-heat the oven to 180°C.

Wash the asparagus and place in a baking dish. Season with salt and pepper, then scatter the crumbled feta over the top.

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan or skillet over a low heat. Add the garlic, lemon zest and oregano and cook, stirring, until the garlic is lightly golden. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the lemon juice and pour over the asparagus and feta. Bake for 15 minutes or until the asparagus is tender.

Garnish with dill (if using) and serve either as a main meal or as an accompaniment to meat or poultry.

To purchase a copy of Feast Your Eyes or to learn more about the Foundation, go to www.lookforlife.com.au.