Why Patagonia Provision's Mussels Are A Smart Seafood Choice! Plus, A Yummy Pasta Recipe!
Are Mussels good for you?
In a word, yes. Mussels are impressive but often overlooked nuggets of nutrition, full of low-calorie protein and key vitamins and minerals. What’s more, they deliver these nutrients while being good for the planet and absolutely delicious. Let’s take a quick dive into their health benefits.
Mussels + Protein
Your skin, cartilage, muscles, immune system and metabolism all rely on protein to function. Just one 120-gram serving of mussels provides 29 grams of protein, more than a third of the recommended daily allowance. That protein, by the way, is high quality, with all nine essential amino acids (particularly important for people who have reduced or eliminated other animal-based foods from their diet). Meanwhile, mussels have a much smaller carbon footprint than land-based protein sources, and as filter feeders, they naturally improve the quality of the waters around them.
Micronutrients in Mussels
Nutritionists laud mussels for a trifecta of nutrients—vitamin B-12, iron, and omega-3 fatty acids—which can be hard to get if you’re excluding meat and animal products from your diet. One 120-gram can of mussels packs 23 micrograms of B-12 — an astounding 980% of the recommended daily allowance — and 4 milligrams of iron (the recommended daily amount varies depending on age and gender). That single-serving can also contains up to 1100 mg of omega-3 fatty acids — particularly the beneficial long-chain types known as EPA and DHA.
What Are the Health Benefits of Eating Mussels?
The nutrients in mussels pay off with a long list of health benefits. Vitamin B-12 helps keep blood and nerve cells healthy and produces energy from fats and proteins. The anti-inflammatory properties of omega-3 fatty acids are still being studied, but experts widely agree that they help reduce the risk of heart disease. And iron is vital to making red blood cells, which carry oxygen around the body, keeping your energy up.
Why Patagonia Provision’s Mussels Are a Smart Seafood Choice!
Patagonia Provision’s organic mussels are raised in the clean, protected bays along the of coast of Galicia, in northern Spain. Because they’re grown in thick clusters on ropes suspended from rafts, they form a kind of underwater forest that provides habitat for other ocean creatures, boosting biodiversity. As filter feeders, they also naturally improve water quality around them as they grow.
There’s also a cultural story here: The family farmers who grow the mussels have worked their rafts for generations, preserving a way of life that revolves around the sea. A nearby family-owned cannery steams, seasons and packs the freshly harvested mussels, turning them into conservas, the premium tinned fish that Spain is famous for. When you buy Patagonia Provision’s mussels, you’re supporting this legacy of people and place.
Types of Patagonia Provisions Mussels
These plump, savory tinned mussels are seasoned three different ways, using recipes created especially for Patagonia Provisions cannery partners in Spain.
Lemon Herb: a bright, tangy mixture of Mediterranean thyme and lemon
Savory Sofrito: red peppers and onions cooked slowly in olive oil until meltingly soft, plus sherry and Spanish paprika
Smoked: lightly smoked over aromatic bay wood and seasoned with olive oil and salt.
The mussels are fully cooked and shelf stable, so they’re great as a snack on the trail or pulled from your kitchen cupboard for a fast pasta or salad at home. All three are packed in extra-virgin olive oil and flavorful mussel broth, which you can add to sauce or salad dressing, or just slurp straight from the can.
Fresh Tomato Herbed Pasta with Mussels-serves 4-6
-A bright and flavorful pasta dish, with savory depth and protein from Patagonia Provision’s Mussels. If you have time, let the sauce sit for an hour so that the flavors mellow. If you have to skip this step, the dish will still be delicious.
Ingredients:
8 oz. cherry tomatoes
1 garlic clove, minced
1/8 red onion, sliced very thin
1 1/2 tbsp. lemon juice
Salt to taste
Pinch or two of ground chile or cayenne
1/2 bunch basil (about 12 medium leaves)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 lb. penne pasta
2 cans Patagonia Provisions Mussels
Putting It All Together:
To make the sauce: Cut cherry tomatoes in half. Place in a large bowl with garlic, red onion and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and chile. Stack and roll basil leaves, slice thin, then add to tomatoes along with olive oil. Best if it sits for an hour.
Cook the pasta.
Add Mussels to sauce, including liquid from can. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Drain pasta, then add to sauce and toss gently. Enjoy!