This week, I had an annual check-up with my opthamologist, the dynamic Dr. Dunn of Beach Eye Care in VA Beach, VA.

In the exam room, he popped my retinal scan image up on his computer alongside an image of the unhealthy eye of a diabetes patient about my age who refuses to eat “anything green.” After pointing out the differences,  he said, “You can tell everyone that your vegan diet is responsible for your healthy eyes.”

According to him, though “leafy greens” were discounted by his professors in medical school a number of years ago, they are now credited with being a key “ingredient” in eye health.

So, to keep your peepers in the “pink” of good health, I am pleased to offer you this tantalizingly tangy and ravishing red chard dish from my new cookbook, The Blooming Platter Cookbook: A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes:

red chard with toasted hazelnuts
Yield: 4 servings

Maple syrup and raspberry vinegar lend a delicate flavor to fresh Spring chard. This dish is beautiful as an accompaniment to sauteed tempeh or tofu.

1 bunch red chard, rinsed and well dried
2 tablespoons walnut oil or olive oil, divided
2 large cloves garlic, minced
Sea salt
2 tablespoons raspberry vinegar or
apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons chopped toasted hazlenuts

1. Remove and discard the tough stem ends of the chard. Cut off the remaining stems and coarsely chop. Set aside. Roll up each chard leaf lengthwise, jellyroll style, and cut through the resulting cylinder into 1/2-inch slices.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the walnut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir continuously until it begins to turn golden. Add the sliced chard stems and a pinch of salt and increase heat to medium-high. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and stir well.

3. Add the sliced chard leaves, gently packing them into the skillet and cook them, undisturbed, for 2 to 3 minutes. Using tongs, turn the leaves so that the cooked side is up and saute for 2 minutes longer. Add the vinegar, maple syrup and black pepper to taste, and cook for 1 minute or until the chard is tender, but not mushy, and a bright-dark green.

4. Quickly transfer the chard to a serving bowl to stop cooking, making sure to include all of the juice and bits of garlic. Squeeze the lemon juice over the top and sprinkle with hazelnuts. Serve hot.