How to Help Preserve the Health of Your Eyes

You lift weights for your muscles and use fancy creams for your skin, but what do you do to protect your eyes? The eyes are often overlooked, but they are some of the most important parts of the body. Here are a few simple things that you can do to help ensure good eye health for years to come.

  1. Have a comprehensive exam. If you don’t wear glasses or contacts, you might go for years between eye exams. The only real way to know how healthy your eyes are is by having a comprehensive dilated exam administered by an eye care professional, so be sure to schedule an appointment.
  2. Eat the right foods. Yes, it’s common knowledge that carrots are good for your eyes, but other foods that can help improve the health of your eyes, as well. Dark, leafy vegetables, fruits, and fish high in omega-3 fatty acids have all been linked to improving eye health.
  3. Keep them protected. Sunglasses don’t just look cool, they also serve a very important purpose. Wearing sunglasses helps to shield your eyes from the harmful UV rays from the sun, so be sure to choose ones that block 99 to 100 percent of UVA and UVB radiation.

Eye Health Tips [Information for Healthy Vision]
10 Eye Health Tips to Protect Your Vision [Real Simple]
Five Tips For Eye Health [Eating Well]

Apple Watch Give Away!!!

RiverCity Market: Fresh Austin Shopping

RiverCity Market is a great alternative to the usual chain grocery store, offering an impressive selection of healthy, high quality foods in a convenient location. This quirky grocery store is located in Austin’s South Congress neighborhood, right near a number of popular shops and restaurants.

The open shelves are well-stocked and spacious, and there is a large selection of craft beers and wines in all price ranges. A hot bar sells prepared foods that guests can eat outside at one of the small cafe tables, and there’s also a salad bar where you can make a healthy, grab-and-go lunch. RiverCity Market also features customizable sandwiches and a full bakery counter that you simply can’t walk past without admiring. The store’s breakfast tacos are its most popular items, however, and they’re served daily until 11 a.m.

RiverCity Market is open 6 a.m. to midnight weekdays and 7 a.m. to midnight weekends.

RiverCity Market
2209 S. Congress Avenue
Austin, TX 78704
(512) 462-4955
www.facebook.com/RivercityMarketAustin/info
www.yelp.com/biz/rivercity-market-austin

La Condensa: Flavorful Food in Downtown Austin

La Condensa features a flavorful selection of fare served in a vibrant, upscale Austin setting. Go there to get your fiesta started with a tropical themed libation like a Watermelon Elderflower Martini or a Mango Passionflower Margarita. Add on a tasty starter like Guacamole & Chips, Hamache Ceviche with yellowtail & habanero truffle oil, or Vida de Cameron with poached shrimp.

La Condesa's wood-fire grilled entrees include Carne Asada – New York Strip with braised fennel, Costillas de Puerco – spicy guava-glazed pork ribs, and Robalo – whole branzino with garlic oil. Tacos, tostadas, and huaraches – crisp corn tortillas with a variety of toppings, are also available. Stop by on weekends to dine on yummy brunch items like Huevos y Carne Asada – eggs with grilled hanger steak, and Huevos Rancheros – fried eggs with black beans & salsa.

Located just a short trip from tree in downtown Austin, La Condesa is open every day.

La Condesa
400 W. 2nd Street
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 499-0300
www.lacondesa.com
www.yelp.com/biz/la-condesa-austin

The Jalopy Rotisserie & Press: Globally Inspired Flatbread Sandwiches

The Jalopy Rotisserie & Press is a favorite among Austin locals, and once you get a meal from this colorful little food truck, you'll likely understand why. The menu promises a global culinary tour, offering a broad range of tasty sandwiches, each wrapped in a piece of fresh, house-made flatbread.

Try the Italian inspired caprese sandwich stuffed with mozzarella, tomato, and pesto, or bite into a spicy Thai style sandwich heaped with pickled onions, tangy Asian slaw, and peanut sauce. There’s a substantial vegetarian menu, too, featuring sandwiches like “the butler,” which is filled with rich, buttery brie, and topped with picked apples, honey, and slivered almonds. The Jalopy Rotisserie & Press is happy to convert any of the sandwiches into gluten-free salad bowls and will even transform your order into a set of tacos, if you like.

However you order, add a side of colorful veggie chips or creamy hummus to enjoy a full, hearty meal.

The Jalopy Rotisserie & Press
1502 San Antonio Street
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 814-8557
www.jalopyaustin.com
www.yelp.com/biz/the-jalopy-rotisserie-and-press-austin-2

4 Tips for Serving a Safe Food Buffet

If you’re hosting a large party, you’re likely concerned with serving tasty foods, but your goal should also be to keep those foods safe for your guests. Here are a few helpful tips that will keep your food buffet just as healthy as it is delicious.

  1. Wash your hands. The first thing you should do when preparing a food buffet is wash your hands. This prevents you from spreading germs to your guests, but it also helps to keep you safe from food borne illnesses caused by raw meat, eggs, and other ingredients. Be sure to wash your hands each time you refill the buffet, as well.
  2. Cook foods completely. It’s safe to keep foods out on a buffet, provided that they’re cooked properly beforehand. Meats like beef and pork chops should be cooked to at least 145º F, while chicken and poultry should reach at least 165º F.
  3. Use the proper serving tools. If you’re serving hot foods, be sure to store them in a chafing dish, slow cooker, or warming tray to keep them from changing temperature. Cold dishes can be served in nesting bowls over bowls of ice, and they must stay at 40°F or lower in order to stop the growth of bacteria.
  4. Abide by the two-hour rule. Finally, never let foods sit on a buffet for more than two hours. Tossing food that’s been at room temperature for too long will ensure a safe and healthy party.

Serving Up Safe Buffets [FDA]
Serving Prepared Foods Safely [Whole Foods]
Holiday or Party Buffets [USDA]
Buffet Safety [NSF]

Mecca Gym and Spa: A Luxurious Treat for Mind, Body and Soul

If you believe that working out should be a relaxing, enjoyable experience, Mecca Gym and Spa is the facility for you. This upscale, modern gym is located conveniently in downtown Austin, and it offers a feeling of classic luxury and a personalized fitness experience. Wall-to-wall windows fill the fitness area with natural light, and top-of-the-line cardio and weight machines are scattered throughout the spacious room.

The gym portion hosts a knowledgeable staff of personal trainers who help guests meet their fitness goals, whether those are to train for a triathlon or simply to shed a few extra pounds. The spa is elegantly decorated and soothing, with ornate architectural details, sparkling light fixtures, and comfortable furnishings in every service area. Talented technicians offer massages, facials, and waxing services in private rooms, while guests sip wine or champagne in the open, airy manicure area.

If you want to tone your body and then treat your self to a day of pampering afterward, Mecca Gym and Spa is the place to do it all!

Mecca Gym and Spa
524 N. Lamar Boulevard
Austin, TX 78703
(512) 381-2680
www.meccagymandspa.com
www.yelp.com/biz/mecca-gym-and-spa-austin

Hey!… You Gonna Eat or What?: Try the Monte Cristo

The Hey!… You Gonna Eat or What? food truck is one of Austin’s most popular, and that’s saying a lot for a city that almost single-handedly made the food truck en vogue.

This mobile restaurant exclusively serves creative, exceptionally hearty sandwiches and fresh, homemade chips to go with them. Some of the most popular items are the Monte Cristo, which is beer-battered in Shiner Bock beer and topped with ham, turkey, and scratch-made jelly, and the deliciously gooey Smoked Ham and Brie. All of these sandwiches are topped with generous smears of homemade condiments, like jalapeno jelly or honey mustard, and the thick bread is always fresh and delicious. In addition to a menu of constant favorites, the truck offers daily specials that are announced via social media pages in the morning.

Hey!… You Gonna Eat or What? is a food truck, but it has a stationary location on Barton Springs Road in South Austin.

Hey!… You Gonna Eat or What?
1720 Barton Springs Road
Austin, TX 78704
(512) 296-3547
www.heyyougonnaeatorwhat.com
www.yelp.com/biz/hey-you-gonna-eat-or-what-austin

Trendy Meets Traditional at No Va in Austin

In English, the Spanish phrase "no va" translates to "it doesn't go." Since the entire premise behind No Va is the juxtaposition of old and new, traditional and trendy, it makes a fitting name for Chef Brad Sorenson's Austin restaurant.

A former Food Network contestant and graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Sorenson has never lacked in creativity when it comes to cuisine. No Va puts his artistic flair on display, not only in its cuisine but also in the building itself. Housed inside a strikingly modern former home, No Va clashes with the other historic buildings that dot Rainey Street. The aesthetic works well for Sorenson's vision, letting in the Texas sunshine through large windows that almost make diners feel as if they're outdoors. Of course, they can actually go outdoors and eat on the patio, which connects to the dining room via a double-sided fireplace.

Chef Brad's food also draws in crowds. It's inventive and portioned in plates small enough to share (for the most part). Pass around plates of whipped bleu cheese with bacon bread or kale salad tossed with a coconut dressing at dinner. Or simply stop by for a cocktail, such as the Lo' Daddy, a blend of bacon bitters, sazerac, salt, maple, and cherry.

No Va
87 Rainey Street
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 382-5651
www.novaonrainey.com/

www.yelp.com/biz/no-va-kitchen-and-bar-austin

Molten Chocolate Cake, Reinvented: Try These Three Recipes

There may be no more indulgent dessert than molten lava cake, a combination of crumbly pastry and gooey chocolate filling. There are many ways to make this treat with a variety of ingredients, and each rendition is tailored to special tastes and diets. Here are three recipes for molten lava cake that you might want to try.

  1. Red Velvet Molten Lava Cake [Half Baked Harvest]
    Silence your sweet tooth with this delicious twist on red velvet cake. Mix in red food coloring, coconut milk, and melted chocolate for an elegant take on this classic recipe.
  2. Molten Chocolate Cake [Pioneer Woman]
    Real butter, fresh eggs, heavy whipping cream, and semi-sweet baking chocolate all get representation in this authentic molten cake recipe. Enjoy tantalizing step-by-step photographs while you prepare it.
  3. Molten Chocolate Cakes [Food and Wine]
    A mere seven ingredients and four steps; making a fabulous molten chocolate cake doesn’t get any easier than this recipe from Food and Wine.

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