Better Hearing Month is Now National Speech-Language-Hearing Month

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Banana-oatmeal pancakes with dark chocolate chips and fresh berries

The star of this recipe is magnesium, which may help prevent noise-induced hearing loss. Bananas, oats, and dark chocolate are all great sources of the mineral. The dark chocolate and oats also provide a quarter of your daily value of iron, important for avoiding anemia, which may have a connection to tinnitus. Researchers have also linked zinc deficiency to tinnitus, but don’t worry; you also get that from dark chocolate. Plus you know bananas’ reputation for potassium, which can reduce age-related hearing loss.

Of course, fresh berries are superstars of the healthy eating world. They’re bring a burst of antioxidants to the table (literally), which some studies suggest may protect against noise-induced hearing loss. Strawberry season is in full swing across most of the U.S. from late spring into early summer, and just as it begins to wane, blueberries and blackberries steal the spotlight…providing fantastic seasonal berry options for months.

Recipe: banana-oatmeal pancakes with dark chocolate chips and fresh berries

(Serves two)

• 1 large ripe banana
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
• Fresh strawberries, blueberries, or blackberries
• Cooking oil or butter
• ½ teaspoon of cinnamon (optional)
• Dash of salt (optional)

1. Mash banana in a medium-sized bowl. Add eggs, oats, and cinnamon and salt (if using), mix well, and let sit for 10–15 minutes.
2. Heat nonstick skillet on medium-low heat, then add 1/2 tablespoon of your preferred cooking oil or butter.
3. Pour batter into pan by 1/3 cup scoops and sprinkle with chocolate chips. Cover pan and cook until edges of pancakes are fully set (about 3 minutes) before flipping them and cooking another minute.
4. Serve with fresh berries.

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Spiced chickpeas with spinach, bell pepper, and feta

Bulk up a winning year-round side dish with fresh-from-the-garden bell peppers and feta cheese for a new summertime staple packed with hearing-healthy ingredients. Spinach, chickpeas, and bell peppers load this meal up with folate (vitamin B9), which studies associate with lower risk of age-related hearing loss. The addition of feta boosts the zinc content (for keeping tinnitus at bay) along with vitamin B12, which is essential to the health of nerves and blood vessels in your inner ear.
The chopped raw bell peppers are chock full of antioxidants, but just as importantly, they add some crunch and a pop of color for a meal that looks as good as it tastes.

Recipe: spiced chickpeas with spinach, bell pepper, and feta

Based on this recipe from the New York Times
(Serves two)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 can chickpeas. drained and rinsed
• 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock (or water)
• Cayenne pepper, to taste
• 1 large bunch of fresh spinach (or bag of baby spinach)
• 6 oz feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 cup red, yellow, or orange bell pepper, finely diced
• Black pepper, to taste

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook a few minutes, until tender. Then add garlic, cumin, tomato paste, and salt. Stir as this cooks for a couple more minutes until it smells great and the tomato paste darkens.
2. Add chickpeas, stock (or water), and some cayenne. Cover, reduce heat, and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Stir in the spinach until it wilts, then remove from heat.
4. Season to taste with more salt, black pepper, and cayenne. Top with bell pepper and feta, and enjoy!

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Honey garlic salmon with roasted cherry tomatoes and zucchini

This recipe comes straight from the Hy-Vee Test Kitchen, and while the creator rightly boasts about its heart healthy status, it’s also a hearing health champion.

You probably know salmon is one of the best sources out there of Omega-3 fatty acids, a hearing health champion, from slowing age-related hearing loss to protecting blood vessels in the ear to improving coordination between the ears and the brain. But you might not know that a single serving of salmon has more than 100% of your daily vitamin B12 needs and more potassium than banana!

Zucchini and cherry tomatoes aren’t slacking in this dish either, both packing some serious folate and potassium. And by late summer, anyone with a garden will be begging you to take some zucchini and tomatoes off their hands.

The recipe calls for you to bake this dish, but if you have a grill handy and want to avoid turning on the oven, go ahead and skewer your zucchini and tomatoes and cook everything on the grill for extra summer flair!

Recipe: honey garlic salmon with roasted cherry tomatoes and zucchini

From the Hy-Vee Test Kitchen

(serves 4)

• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon dried dill
• 2 tablespoon honey
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
• 4 4-oz. salmon fillets
• 8 slices fresh lemon
• 2 medium zucchini, sliced
• 1½ cup whole cherry tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking pan with parchment paper. [Alternatively, fire up the grill and line it with aluminum foil.]
2. Whisk together lemon juice, dried dill, honey, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper in a small bowl; set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, toss zucchini and cherry tomatoes with olive oil, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. [If grilling, skewer your zucchini and tomatoes.]
4. Place salmon fillets in the middle of the baking pan or grill and spoon lemon juice mixture over them.
5. Place two lemon slices on each fillet. Arrange zucchini and tomatoes around the salmon.
6. Cook 13 to 17 minutes or until salmon reaches 145 degrees. Garnish with fresh dill if you’d like.

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