So we’re raising urban babies who gets lots of foreign food to go, and we’re always happy to hear that they are getting a sophisticated palate–but we still weren’t ready for them to be asking for scallops at our local Chinese restaurant. That wasn’t exactly high on our list of things to get our children excited about. It turns out they really love scallops, though. As it turns out, that isn’t anything scary. These succulent ocean dwellers are a shellfish that are very low in fat and high in protein (for energy), selenium (a free radical killer and helps the thyroid work properly), and iron (that’s a vital nutrient responsible for relaying oxygen throughout the body and for healthy cell production, but you probably already knew that). [photo via chicoskitchen]
Even better, it turns out that it’s not difficult to bake some scallops at home. We just had to educate ourselves on the difference between the two most common types of scallops–those being sea scallops and bay scallops. Sea scallops are larger than bay scallops, and often need to be cut into smaller pieces for cooking. Both types are highly nutritional and should be added to your menu periodically for a healthy diet.
And, of course, we’re talking about baking scallops because that offers the biggest nutritional value without lots of fat and calories. This simple recipe is ready in under an hour, and provides your family with a delicious seafood meal. Serve with a side of pasta, potatoes, or a veggie of your choice, and you have yourself a completely balanced meal that even the kids will love!
Ingredients
2 pounds scallops
2 cups butter-flavored cracker crumbs
1/4 cup margarine or butter
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup sliced green onions and tops
1 tablespoon melted margarine or butter
paprika
Directions
Rinse scallops with cold water. If sea scallops, cut in quarters. Combine scallops, cracker crumbs, margarine, catsup, salt, sugar, and pepper. Place into casserole dish. Combine green onions and margarine. Place on top of scallops. Bake at 350º, for 25 to 30 minutes, or until brown. Sprinkle with paprika.
This recipe serves 6.
And have you ever actually seen a scallop? They’re really odd-looking creatures. They only live a year or two, and have 18 pairs of eyes! Our kids got a kick out of this video, but your own might be a little squeamish. Judge for yourself what they’ll think…
