| I absolutely love seafood. Dungeness crab, steamer clams, fresh scallops, shrimp, stuffed prawns, calamari, all types of fish (although I do tend to lean toward salmon. Especially when it's smoked). Just about anything. The type that I don't care for is the oyster. I do like them smoked on pizza, but that's the extent of my passion for them. I'm always on the look-out for the tastiest clam chowder I can find. I can't get enough of it! My wife and I went to a Chowder Cook-Off recently that turned into a really terrific day of food and fun. Now, not only is seafood tasty as can be, it is also very good for you and has many health benefits. It is nutrient dense, high in protein content, low in sodium, total fat and calories and packed with vitamins and minerals. What more could you possibly want?  Seafood can be substituted in recipes that call for red meats. With the fish oils and other great benefits, you can lower your cholesterol and lower the chance of heart disease. The introduction of fish into your diet 3 times a week can aid in leading a long, healthy life. Your body will love you for it and your stomach will thank you, too. ;)
Do you have any favorite seafood recipes you'd like to share? I certainly do. Click here.
For meal ideas, you may consider searching Amazon for a few terrific seafood cookbooks. They've never failed me yet. ;)
| NUTRIENT COMPOSITION* OF SELECTED FISH AND SHELLFISH | | Seafood (3-ounce edible portion, cooked without fat or seasoning | Calories (kcal) | Protein (grams) | Total Fat (grams) | Calories from Fat (%) | Omega-3 DHA&EPA (grams) | Cholesterol (mg) | Sodium | | Blue crab, steamed (17) | 90 | 19 | 1 | 10 | 0.4 | 80 | 310 | | Blue mussels, steamed | 147 | 20 | 3.8 | 23 | 0.7 | 48 | 313 | | Bluefish, baked, skinless | 131 | 21 | 4.5 | 31 | 0.8 | 63 | 64 | | Catfish, baked, skinless (4) | 120 | 19 | 5 | 38 | NA | 60 | 65 | | Clams, steamed, 12 samll (15) | 130 | 22 | 2 | 14 | 0.2 | 60 | 95 | | Cod, broiled, skinless (2) | 90 | 19 | 1 | 10 | 0.1 | 50 | 60 | | Croaker, baked, skinless | 111 | 19 | 3.4 | 28 | NA | 65 | 59 | | Flounder, baked, skinless (7) | 100 | 20 | 1 | 9 | 0.4 | 50 | 85 | | Haddock, baked, skinless (16) | 90 | 20 | 1 | 10 | 0.2 | 60 | 70 | | Halibut, broiled, skinless (19) | 120 | 22 | 2 | 15 | 0.4 | 30 | 60 | | Lobster, boiled (20) | 100 | 20 | 1 | 9 | 0.1 | 100 | 320 | | Mackerel, broiled, skinless (12) | 190 | 21 | 12 | 57 | 1.2 | 60 | 95 | | Monkfish, baked, skinless | 80 | 15 | 1.6 | 18 | NA | 26 | 20 | | Ocean perch, baked, skinless (12) | 100 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 0.3 | 50 | 80 | | Orange roughy, broiled, skinless (10) | 70 | 16 | 1 | 13 | NA | 20 | 70 | | Oysters, steamed, 12 medium (9) | 120 | 12 | 4 | 30 | 0.7 | 90 | 190 | | Pollack, broiled, skinless (3) | 100 | 21 | 1 | 9 | 0.5 | 80 | 90 | | Rainbow trout, broiled, skinless (18) | 130 | 22 | 4 | 28 | 0.6 | 60 | 30 | | Rockfish, baked, skinless (13) | 100 | 20 | 2 | 18 | 0.4 | 40 | 65 | | Salmon, Atlantic/coho, baked, skinless (6) | 150 | 22 | 7 | 42 | 0.9 | 50 | 50 | | Scallops, broiled, 5.7 large or 14 small (5) | 150 | 26 | 1 | 6 | NA | 60 | 275 | | Sea trout, broiled, skinless | 110 | 18 | 3.8 | 31 | 0.4 | 88 | 61 | | Shark, baked, skinless | 139 | 22 | 4.8 | 31 | NA | 54 | 84 | | Shrimp, boiled (1) | 110 | 22 | 2 | 16 | 0.3 | 160 | 155 | | Sole, broiled, skinless (8) | 100 | 21 | 1 | 9 | NA | 60 | 90 | | Squid, boiled | 156 | 27 | 2.4 | 14 | NA | 396 | 74 | | Whiting, baked, skinless (14) | 100 | 19 | 1 | 9 | 0.7 | 70 | 75 | * Sources: Seafood Nutri-Facts, FMI and NFREF, 1988. Composition of Foods: Finsish and Shellfish, Handbook No. 8-15, USDA Human Nutrition Information Service, 1987
NA Data not available. |
The Oregon Coast has fresh seafood running through it's veins. It's known for some of the best. You can't drive anywhere along the coastline without hitting  either a restaurant that serves delicious fish, crab, clams, scallops, shrimp and more or a small-town seafood market to buy it fresh. Usually both. One of my wife's favorite stops is a small stand just outside of Lincoln City that is nothing more than a smaller display case that sells Dungeness crabs (her favorite!). It has a large sign above it that simply says, "CRABS," painted in large letters. It has been there for decades, which says a lot for it's popularity. Never discount the "hole-in-the-wall" places dotting the coastline. Many of them have the freshest seafood you're going to find. The low overhead of keeping something like that running is passed along to the customer in lower prices and better product. You may consider taking along an ice chest and stocking up when you find such a place. Who knows? It might become a regular haunt of yours, just like "CRABS" is for us. ;)  Mosey over to my Dungeness crab, clamming, salmon and oyster pages for some great information on catching and cooking some mouth-watering meals.
Seafood Festivals Along The Oregon Coast
With passion, there are specialty festivals being held from north to south, every year. You simply cannot throw a rock without hitting one. This is your chance to indulge in some of the finest Pacific Northwest food straight from the sea. Here are a few of the events that you won't want to miss:
Oregon Coast Gourmet Fest - North Bend
Featuring 15 southern Oregon Wineries, local cheesemakers, musicians, and artists. Here's your chance to sample and purchase wines from award winning wineries such as Henry Estate, Girardet, Hillcrest, Spangler, and many more. For more information, you can call (541) 756-0433.
Charleston Sea Food Festival - Charleston
Featuring local food, mall market vendors, food vendors, dunk tank, children's fishing pond, Wine/beer garden, and boat tours on the bay.
Chowder, Blues & Brews - Florence
Offers a chowder cook-off, food booths, microbrew tasting and competition, and live music all three days.
On your visit to the coast, don't forget to sit down to a wonderful meal of the freshest seafood around. One of my favorites for clam chowder is any of the famous Mo's Restaurants. Yummy and warms the tummy! As the owner of Gracie's Sea Hag restaurant in Depoe Bay (Mmmm! One of Gracie's tasty crab croissants sure would hit the spot about now!) says, "so fresh that the ocean hasn't missed it yet!" |
