Healthy Seafood

Great seafood recipes

By Benjamin Plackett
Crunchy crab cakes. Savory shrimp. Luscious lobster. So tempting and delicious, almost everyone has a seafood type they can't resist.

And luckily there's no need to. In general, seafood is great for your health (as long as you avoid the breaded, deep fried kind, and fatty and calorie-laden sauces).

Take shrimp for example; one 3-ounce serving delivers 28% of your daily value for selenium, 23% of vitamin B12, and 21% of protein.

So eat up! Here are 17 great recipes for healthy seafood.

Confetti Crab Cakes

Just 23 minutes from the word go and you could be serving these tasty and healthy crab cakes.
The red pepper and scallions give the patties a colorful confetti look and add an extra crunch.
The crab meat is high in protein and vitamin B12, which plays an important role in metabolism.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound lump crabmeat, drained and shell pieces removed (2 2/3 cups)
• 1/2 cup unseasoned dry breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup chopped scallions
• 1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
• 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (optional)
• 2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon canola oil or butter
• Lemon wedges (optional)

Preparation:

1. Combine crabmeat, breadcrumbs, scallions, bell pepper, Old Bay seasoning, and ground red pepper (if using) in a medium bowl. Add mayonnaise and lemon juice; mix with a fork. Form mixture into 8 patties about 3 inches in diameter.
2. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Fry crab cakes until browned on the bottom (about 4 minutes); turn and cook 4 more minutes, or until browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the crab cake reads 155°. Serve with lemon wedges, if desired.

Scallops With Roasted Pepper Butter Sauce

Sprinkle some salt on the skewered scallops and then just toss them on the grill. When the scallops are done, serve with the red pepper sauce and garnish with basil.

Like most shellfish, scallops are high in protein and vitamin B12. But the red peppers in this dish bring two more ingredients to the table: vitamin C and fiber.  

Ingredients :

• 30 sea scallops (about 2 1/4 pounds)
• 4 medium red bell peppers (about 2 pounds)
• 2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crumbled
• 2 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Cooking spray
• Fresh basil (optional)

Preparation:
Thread 5 scallops onto each of 6 (12-inch) skewers. Cover and chill.
Preheat broiler.
Cut peppers in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet; flatten with hand. Broil 15 minutes or until blackened. Place in a zip-top plastic bag. Seal and let stand 10 minutes. Peel peppers, and discard skins. Place peppers, broth, and wine in a blender; process until smooth. Combine pepper mixture and basil in a skillet. Bring to a boil; cook until reduced to 1 1/2 cups (about 5 minutes). Reduce heat to medium-low; gradually add butter, stirring until melted. Cover and keep warm.
Prepare grill.
Sprinkle kabobs with salt; place on grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill 2 1/2 minutes on each side or until done. Serve with bell pepper sauce. Garnish with fresh basil, if desired.

Lobster Panzanella

This panzanella, a bread-containing Florentine salad, combines lobster, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, and cherry tomatoes for a delicious Mediterranean-inspired meal.

Lobsters are rich in protein and potassium; a 3-ounce serving contains 32% and 7% of the daily value, respectively.
Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups cooked lobster meat, coarsely chopped (3/4 pound)
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup chopped shallots
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, plus additional leaves for garnish
• 4 slices whole-wheat bread, cut into 5- x 3-inch pieces and toasted

Preparation:

1. Whisk together first 4 ingredients (through black pepper) in a large serving bowl. Toss in the lobster and the next 4 ingredients (through basil). Stir to combine, and let stand 15 minutes.
2. Arrange the toasts on serving plates, and top evenly with lobster salad. Let stand 5 minutes for juices to soak into the bread. Garnish with additional basil leaves.