A great teacher once said to eat fish before a big test. Which, based on its superfood-worthy nutritional profile alone, can give you the energy and clarity of mind to attack any important task at hand. Yet, the only shellfish most cooks bother messing with at home is shrimp, which is a shame, because clams, scallops, oysters, and especially mussels are begging for an invite to your dinner table. Packed with protein, omega-3s, and a cache of energy-boosting B vitamins, shellfish make an ideal way to start a meal, or simply add a salad to the side, and you can call it a full meal for dinner. Build a flavor base with onions, garlic, and other aromatics, then add the mussels and enough liquid to create some steam. Cover and cook until they pop open, about 5 minutes or so. And make sure you have plenty of crusty bread for dunking in the sumptuous broth at the bottom of the bowl. No leftovers left behind! We think this dish will be good to the last drop.

Nutrition: 260 calories, 7 g fat (2 g saturated), 510 mg sodium

Serves 4

You'll Need

1 Tbsp butter
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large tomato, chopped
Salt to taste
1 cup white wine
1 tsp saffron (optional)
2 lbs mussels, scrubbed and debearded
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

How to Make It

Heat the butter in a large stockpot over medium heat.
Add the onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, until the onion is translucent.
Add the tomato and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until softened.
Season with a pinch of salt.
Pour in the wine and add the saffron (if using), then dump in the mussels.
Cover and cook until the mussels have opened, about 5 minutes (discard any that don't open).
Season again with a few pinches of salt and top with parsley.
Serve the mussels straight from the pot, or in individual bowls, with hunks of bread to sop up the juices at the bottom.

This recipe (and hundreds more!) came from one of our Cook This, Not That! books. For more easy cooking ideas, you can also buy the book!

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