Mussels Marinara

Mussels Marinara with Spaghetti

Mussels are a superfood – and a delicious one! They are a go-too food for me when I have been burning the candle at both ends and am in need of some energy-giving goodness. Readily available around here if you have a snorkel, and if you don’t, they are pretty cheap at the store.

Green-lipped mussels are a good source of protein, with 18.8 grams per 100-gram serving of cooked mussels. This provides 41 percent of the recommended dietary allowance of protein for women and 34 percent of the RDA of protein for men. A 100-gram serving of cooked green-lipped mussels has 10.9 milligrams of iron, providing over 100 percent of the RDA for people over the age of 50. It also provides 61 percent of the RDA for women under the age of 50. Iron is essential for overall health as it helps your body produce red blood cells. 

It helps make hemoglobin and myoglobin, two oxygen-carrying proteins.

An essential vitamin, vitamin B-12, like iron, is necessary for the production of red blood cells. It also helps with DNA production and aids in your nervous system function. A 100-gram serving of cooked green-lipped mussels has 20 micrograms of vitamin B-12, which provides over 100 percent of the RDA of vitamin B-12. The RDA ranges from 2.4 to 2.8 micrograms, with pregnant and breast-feeding women requiring more. Extra vitamin B-12 is stored in the liver and is water-soluble, but there is little chance of vitamin B-12 toxicity from too much vitamin B-12, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Green-lipped mussels are naturally rich in omega-3 fatty acids, with over 40 percent of their total fat content coming from omega-3s. Your body is unable to produce omega-3 fatty acids on its own, and seafood, such as green-lipped mussels, is one of the richest sources of these polyunsaturated fats. Omega-3 fatty acids are associated with reduced inflammation and lowered chances of heart disease and arthritis. They also help with brain function.  (http://www.livestrong.com/article/320303-what-are-the-benefits-of-green-lipped-mussels)

Mussels are

Serves: 6

1 tablespoon olive oil 

1 cup finely chopped onion

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups chopped tomato 

1/2 cup dry white wine 

1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/2 teaspoon black pepper 

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper 

2 bay leaves

2kgs fresh mussels, scrubbed and debearded  

1 pack of dry spaghetti, cooked

Basil sprigs (optional) 

Preparation

Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté 3 minutes. Add tomato and next 7 ingredients (tomato through bay leaves); cook over medium heat 5 minutes. Add mussels; cover and cook 10 minutes or until mussels open. Discard bay leaves and any unopened shells. Remove mussels with a slotted spoon, and divide into 5 individual shallow bowls. Spoon tomato mixture over mussels. Serve over spaghetti. Garnish with basil sprigs, if desired.