flex that mussel.

the early bird dove into the water and struck green! mussels, not only are they super healthy for you - high in selenium, which is good news for your immune system and thyroid gland; high in vitamin b-12, which is good news for your nervous system and red blood cells; and high in manganese, which is good news for your bone development and metabolism - but they are also farmed in methods that are environmentally sound, which make them green and we all know that green is good. eat some mussels and you are basically saving yourself and the planet at the same time. okay, maybe that's a little bit of an exaggeration, but still, it is eating responsibly in pretty much every sense of the word. and that counts for something.

drawing from the flavors of the cuisines of north african countries like morocco and tunisia, this bird hit the spice rack and busted out the beans to create some spicy lentil chickpea mussel madness. i used a combination of turmeric, paprika, cayenne pepper, ginger, cumin, and cinnamon. yes, spices bring incredible flavor to this dish, but they also bring their own bevy of health benefits to the table. i've written about turmeric before, but i will say it again, this is a little yellow wonder power. recently shown to help heal or prevent health conditions from cancer to alzheimer's disease, it is also a natural antibacterial and antiseptic agent. turmeric is a natural liver detoxifier (and we all know our livers could use a little love) and painkiller. and let's not forget that it aids in fat metabolism. next up is paprika, which also has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that may lower the risk of cancer. oh cayenne, you are hot stuff. so much so that you have a cult following and a website devoted just to you. i mean, it's a little much, but i guess we all have our passions. cayenne, like all chiles, is a metabolism booster. it can also clear congestion and is a powerful digestion aid. it can heal and prevent ulcers. it is an immune booster and natural pain reliever. but it's effect on cancer cells and the cardiovascular system are its most awesome properties. it's fantastic for the heart, stabilizes blood pressure, and helps veins and arteries clear out toxins and bad cholesterol.

the bottom line is: spice it up. it's good for you.

spicy mussels with chickpeas and lentils

1 1/2 lbs mussels, scrubbed and beards removed

1 can lentils

1 can chickpeas, 1/2 liquid reserved

1 can whole peeled tomatoes, chopped and liquid reserved

8 cloves garlic, chopped finely

1 onion, chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1/4 cup water

in a large pot, combine onion, garlic, spices and water. cover, cook over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are tender, about 5 minutes.

add vinegar, chickpeas, lentils, tomatoes, and reserved liquids, simmer for 10-15 minutes until mixture thickens.

add mussels, return to a simmer, cover and cook until mussels open wide, 3-6 minutes. discard any mussels that have not opened after 6 minutes.

enjoy.

notes about mussels:

only cook mussels that are alive - live mussels are closed, or will close when tapped if they are open. tap any open mussels on a counter top, any mussels that remain open, discard.

scrub mussels to clean off barnicles and other debris before cooking.

to remove beard, gently pull beard towards hinge end and tear out.