by Erin Armstrong
Add lemon and sauces to accompany your oysters
With winter finally winding down backyard BBQs and parties are about to heat up. Not only is warmer weather a time for festivities it is a time to explore all the fresh foods available and experiment with them. Though the hotdog and hamburger are classic warm weather food staples for backyard soirées, this year why not consider getting a little more sophisticated in your choices, you might be surprised at what’s out there.
Meat products such as beef and pork can be tasty, but costly to your health as they can do a real number on your arteries and heart. Instead why not leave the land and give your mouth a taste of the ocean. Crabs and oysters are two items loaded with the mineral Zinc, which increases the production of white blood cells that fight infections in the body. The mineral also has been shown to fight against cancer and helps white cells release more antibodies. From the health benefits to the delicious taste, who wouldn’t want to try out some new springtime recipes?
Crab cakes are a seasonal and delicious option for Spring
A great warm weather seafood dish, which can be served as an appetizer or main coarse, is the crab cake. You can pick up a few pre-maid crab cakes from your local seafood store or supermarket, or if you’re a culinary lover take a jab at making your own. The beauty of making your own is the ability to add in ingredients and customize your cake! Choosing vegetables such as radishes, green or red peppers, cayenne pepper and onions will infuse your crab cakes with a blast of flavor, while benefiting your health at the same time.
By simply adding cayenne pepper to your crab cake you’ll get a kick of spice and a handful of helpful properties, which benefit your heart, stomach and issues with inflammation as the spice has anti-inflammatory agencies that can help with diabetes, arthritis and even common allergies.
Crab cakes aren’t the only delicious and nutritious zinc infused seafood to try out this spring though; Oysters too can pack a delicious punch as appetizers or main courses. They provide a great taste and many options for recipes, while also allowing for the protein, known as tyrosine, to regulate your stress and mood. Also, these aphrodisiacs will help you save on wrinkle creams and treatments since they help to maintain collagen levels in the skin, which allows it to retain its elasticity and youthfulness.
So, go ahead and try out some new dishes this spring, you won’t only impress your friends with inventful alternatives to the boring hamburger and hotdogs, but your taste buds and rest of your body will thank you for it!
Try out this delicious recipe for crab cakes from weloveseafood.com:
Ingredients:
1 pound lump crabmeat
1 pound back fin crabmeat
1 pound claw meat
1 teaspoon dries mustard
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
3 eggs beaten
1-cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup Bread crumbs
6 ounces clarified butter
Directions:
- Clean crabmeat of any shells.
- Mix mustard, cayenne, Worcestershire sauce, parsley and eggs with mayonnaise, fold in crabmeat. Add breadcrumbs and mix.
- Using a 4 oz. scoop, form cakes. Sauté over medium heat in butter until brown on both sides.
Serve with corn relish, mustard, mayonnaise, tartar sauce or cocktail sauce.
Photo credits: The New York Times and myrecpies.com
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