Amazing Meals from the Sea!

I don't know about you, but I LOVE fresh seafood. Fish, crab, lobster, shellfish, all of it is just so delicious. It is also very versatile and often nutritious. In the past when we wanted a seafood dinner we would usually just go out to eat. And then we discovered the Yellow Umbrella. The Yellow Umbrella is a small store right up the street from us that sells an amazing variety of seafood, most of which comes out of the ocean the day you buy it. The staff is very knowledgeable and everything we have ever bought from there is wonderful. I would suggest you find a place like this near you to make these AMAZING recipes:


Spanish Mussels
- fresh mussels (enough to feed everyone you are cooking for)
- Chorizo sausage (1-2 links - casing removed)
- 1 sweet onion, chopped
- 1 bottle Spanish wine (a tempranillo would be a great choice!)
- fresh chopped parsley
Start by cooking the sausage in a large pot (crumbling as you cook). Once cooked all the way through, remove from pot and set on a plate. Cook the onion in the fat from the sausage. Once the onions are cooked, add the sausage and mussels and enough wine to cover the mussels (you might want to add about a cup of water as well). Put a lid on your pot and bring to a soft boil. Steam for about 10 minutes or until the mussels are slightly opened. Put mixture on plates and sprinkle with parsley.

Mussels are a great source of Selenium, vitamin B12 and Zinc. This recipe is so easy and so flavorful!

Scallops with gnocchi and asparagus in a parmesan cream sauce
- scallops
- box of gnocchi
- fresh asparagus
- 1 garlic clove
- a pinch of red pepper flakes
- about a tablespoon butter
- about a tablespoon flower
- about 3/4 cup light cream
- fresh parmesan or asiago (about a 1/4 cup grated)

Chop the ends of the asparagus and then chop them in half. Broil them in a roasting pan with a little olive oil for about 10-15 minutes (or until they start to get crispy on the tops). Cook the gnocchi in boiling water until they float, about 3-4 minutes. Sear the scallops in a hot pan with a very small about of olive oil. About 2-3 minutes per side. To make the Parmesan sauce, melt the butter in the pan with the garlic. Once melted and slightly browned, whisk in the flower and light cream.Once heated through, add shredded cheese, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper to taste. Stir until cheese is melted.
Assemble your plate by laying roasted asparagus and gnocchi on the plate. Top with the scallops and drizzle the whole plate with the cheese sauce and fresh ground pepper.

I love this meal because it feels so indulgent, but there are still many healthy benefits. Scallops are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids as well as potassium and magnesium. Asparagus has an incredible amount of nutrients (including folate, vitamins A & C and fiber). The Parmesan sauce tastes so rich, but by using light cream and drizzling a smaller amount over your plate you are saving a lot of unnecessary fat and calories.

Take some time to enjoy some delicious homemade seafood meals this holiday season. You won't be disappointed!

Happy Eating!