Be Heart Smart this Holiday Season
The holiday season is full of enjoyable things that can be a bit overwhelming to prepare for. From shopping and cooking to decorating and hosting company, there’s plenty of stress to go round. Don’t let it raise your pressure – blood pressure that is!
With an estimated one in four American adults suffering from high blood pressure, it’s well worth your time to step back and think about your heart as you prepare your home for the holidays.
Three Tips for Holiday (and Everyday) Heart Health
- Say no to extra salt. High salt intake is the greatest cause of high blood pressure, but it’s easy to address. Just look at the numbers! Highly processed foods, take out and fast food, and even items that don’t taste salty (such as salad dressing and soda) can often bump your sodium intake well past the daily regimen by lunch time. Be kind to your heart: Read some labels, cook from home, and go easy on the salt shaker.
- Keep your holiday indulgence in check. Rich holiday meals, extra desserts, and holiday cocktails can increase blood pressure and lead to weight gain – both of which make your heart’s job harder. Don’t be afraid to treat yourself, but pace yourself at the same time. Savoring holiday treats slowly will help you appreciate them more, and will slow down your intake.
- Remember to relax. Don’t just relax – go to bed! It’s all too easy to skimp on sleep with so much ‘stuff’ to do before the holidays. But skimping will have a noticeable impact on your mental and physical well-being, weakening your immune system as well as your mental resilience to deal with the seasonal bustle. Make sure to get your full eight hours of sleep each night. It’s more than worth it.
Keep your heart in mind during the next month. With so much to do, adjusting your choices using the three tips above will end up helping more than just your heart: it’ll help you maintain health and balance, so you can focus on the parts of the season that really matter most.
Global Spotlight: Chile, Part 2
For those of you still recovering from your turkey-induced ‘food coma’ from Thanksgiving or power shopping over the weekend, we take a break from recipe-related posts to teach you about our clams.
These small, bivalve mollusks are located the world over, in both saltwater and freshwater. But the clams we’ve found to be most flavorful come from the southern portion of the Pacific Ocean.
From Chile, three different species of clam are combined for our Chopped and Minced Clams.
Pacific Clam (Gari solida)
Living along the western coast of South America, from Peru to Chile, this clam looks most like those we’d find in freshwater rivers and streams here in the U.S.
Pacific Clam (Gari solida)
Razor Shell Clam (Ensis macha)
This clam is particularly plentiful along the Patagonian Shelf, in the southeast portion of the Pacific Ocean.
Razor Shell Clam (Ensis macha)
Razor Clam (Tagelus dombeii)
These clams share attributes with each of the two above. They were formally identified as a unique species in 1818.
Razor Clam (Tagelus dombeii)
We’ll reconvene soon to explain how these three clams are prepared and canned for your enjoyment.
Happy Thanksgiving!
On a day when we are reminded to step back and appreciate all we have to be thankful for, Crown Prince is thankful to have been in business since 1948, and for everyone we’ve had to pleasure to work with (and work for – our customers!) in that time.
In observance of the holiday, our office and warehouse will be closed on both Thursday, November 24 and Friday, November 25.
We hope you all enjoy the weekend in whatever way you spend it and wish you a safe and Happy Thanksgiving from the entire Crown Prince Seafood team.
Top 5 Thanksgiving Recipes
Thanksgiving is just around the corner. If you’re like us, you’re starting to assemble your grocery list for what you’ll be contributing to the meal. Looking to bring something new this year?
Here are five favorite Thanksgiving recipes, straight from the recipe box of the Crown Prince Seafood team. From appetizers to side dishes, we have you covered. Enjoy, and Happy Thanksgiving!
Shrimp Salad Stuffed Tomatoes – Tiny shrimp join the fresh flavors of basil, olives, shallot, white wine vinegar, and more to make cherry tomatoes a hit finger food of the day.
Lump Crab Pastry Cups – Puff pastry makes everything taste great – and creamy, natural white crab meat is its perfect companion. Equally flaky, creamy, and zesty, these pastry cups are easy to make and even easier to gobble up.
Kipper and Garlic Mashed Potatoes – What would Thanksgiving be without mashed potatoes? Try a spin on the classic with these garlic and chive infused kipper mashed potatoes. They’re delicious!
Savory Wild Salmon Dill Cheesecake – Decadent and delicious, this takes the indulgence of a holiday cheesecake and turns it into an impressive appetizer. Served with crackers and cucumber slices, this is the perfect addition to your pre-meal conversation.
Smoked Salmon, Asparagus, and Avocado Salad – When you’re not sure what to bring, a good salad is always a good choice. This salad has what it takes to represent a holiday known for feasting. Smoked salmon, asparagus and avocado are the stars – and they certainly do shine in this recipe.
Canstruction Helps Fight Hunger Creatively – Now in NYC!
This month, businesses and organizations in New York City are coming together to fight hunger through teamwork and artwork combined.
Canstruction NYC is on display November 11-21, and we’re proud that our products will again be part of the effort. (We’ve previously participated in Canstruction NYC 2010 and Canstruction Orange County 2011.)
What is Canstruction?
Canstruction invites businesses, schools and organizations to create larger-than-life ‘sculptures’ using only canned goods. From the clever to the astounding, these sculptures are used to raise awareness about hunger in each local community where events take place.
Afterward, the food is donated to local food banks, where it makes a huge impact. In 2010 alone, Canstruction participants raised over 2 million pounds of food, enough for 1.5 million meals.
QR-CAN: Link to Fight Hunger
This year, architectural firm Gruzen Samton – IBI Group is using Crown Prince Natural’s Albacore Tuna as part of their entry entitled “QR-CAN: Link to Fight Hunger”:
“QR-CAN: Link to Fight Hunger” by Gruzen Samton – IBI Group at Canstruction NYC 2011
The sculpture is a larger-than-life QR code, which Smartphone users can scan on their phones. When scanned, the code will link users to Canstruction’s website where they can learn more or make a donation.
Want to Participate?
If you’re in the NYC area, check out Canstruction NYC at the World Financial Center’s Winter Garden (220 Vesey St.) from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. November 11-21. Visitors are invited to bring canned foods to donate to City Harvest, the event’s partnering food bank.
Global Spotlight Series: Chile Edition
Next up, our Global Spotlight Series travels to Chile, the homeland of Crown Prince Chopped and Minced Clams.
Chile’s unique shape—a 2,600-mile ribbon along South America’s western coast—creates an interesting geography.
The north is a desert land that relies heavily on copper mining. The middle is rich in agriculture and contains most of the larger cities. The south is a mix of ocean inlets and deep forests. The Andes Mountains are on Chile’s eastern border.
Culturally, Chile’s heritage is a blend of Spanish and indigenous influences. As the climate is very similar to that of the Mediterranean, the culinary traditions there are not unlike those found in Greece, Italy, Morocco, and other Mediterranean nations.
Chile is a rich and vibrant land with a strong musical and culinary heritage. Seafood is one of its most popular exports.
We look forward to sharing with you the journey of our clams, which we are proud to get from our long-time partners in Chile!
Sidle Up to Some Tasty Salmon
Our journey to Alaska concludes with the third of our three Pacific salmon offerings. After Smoked Alaskan Coho Salmon and Skinless, 
Boneless Alaskan Pink Salmon, we present to you canned salmon in its most classic form: Alaskan Pink Salmon.
Wild-caught from the pure, clean waters of Alaska, our pink salmon shows off the natural delicate flavor and firm texture of this high-quality fish.
Traditionally, canned salmon includes the bones (which soften and add extra calcium) and skin (which retains flavor and nutrients). With no salt or extra additives, we let the salmon’s natural flavor and texture shine in this high-quality fillet, which provides 11 grams of protein and 1.5 grams of omega-3 per serving.
Popular Pink Salmon Recipes
Let the pink salmon shine in your kitchen by using Crown Prince Alaskan Pink Salmon in one of our delicious recipes:
- Thai Fish Burgers
- Salmon Cakes with Tangy Mustard Sauce
- Spicy Salmon Patties with Lemon Cilantro Dressing
If you like what you’re reading on the Crown Prince Seafood blog, please come back often. You can also subscribe to our RSS feed, follow us on Facebook or Twitter, or contact us directly. We look forward to hearing from you.
Now at Wal-Mart: Crown Prince Sardine Pouches
We’re excited to announce that starting this weekend, our new pouch-packed sardines will be rolling out on Wal-Mart shelves nationwide.
Not only are these sardines packed in a convenient, on-the-go pouch (which happens to use less material than a can, making it more eco-friendly), they also come in four great varieties: soy bean oil, spring water, Louisiana hot sauce, and mustard.
Whether you’re looking for a healthy, protein-packed snack to keep at work or a tasty, filling treat for camping or hiking, Crown Prince pouch-packed sardines are just the thing. They’re also a natural source of omega-3! 
What’s not to love? Visit a Wal-Mart soon to check these out for yourself.
If you like what you’re reading on the Crown Prince Seafood blog, please come back often. You can also subscribe to our RSS feed, follow us on Facebook or Twitter, or contact us directly. We look forward to hearing from you.
It’s official! Our brand new pouch-packed sardines are available at the following Kroger Midwest locations:
- King Soopers (Denver, Colorado)
- City Markets (Colorado)
- Dillons (Kansas City, Kansas)
- Kroger (Dallas, Texas)
Perfect for snacking, these pouches are convenient, eco-friendly and (best of all) delicious. Choose between soy bean oil, spring water, Louisiana hot sauce and mustard.
No matter which you choose, you’ll enjoy a tried-and-true Crown Prince recipe that’s packed with omega-3s and protein. Whether camping, cooking, or snacking these sardines hit the spot.
So Denver, Kansas City and Dallas customers – head to your local market and see for yourself, then head to Facebook and let us know what you think!
If you like what you’re reading on the Crown Prince Seafood blog, please come back often. You can also subscribe to our RSS feed, follow us on Facebook or Twitter, or contact us directly. We look forward to hearing from you.
New Sardine Pouches Coming to Wal-Mart Soon!
Keep your eyes peeled for our brand new product – pouch-packed sardines! They’ll be arriving on Wal-Mart shelves before the month is out, and we couldn’t be more excited about it.
The easy-to-open pouches are eco-friendly and the perfect size for snacking. And they’ll be available in four different tried-and-true Crown Prince recipes:
- Lightly Smoked – in Soy Bean Oil
- No Salt Added – in Spring Water
- Spicy – in Louisiana Hot Sauce
- Traditional – in Mustard
Packed with protein and omega-3s, these sardines are great for snacking on the go, at work, or as nutrient-rich sustenance while camping or hiking.
Stay tuned both here and on Facebook – we’ll make an announcement when Crown Prince sardine pouches are officially available at Wal-Mart.
If you like what you’re reading on the Crown Prince Seafood blog, please come back often. You can also subscribe to our RSS feed, follow us on Facebook or Twitter, or contact us directly. We look forward to hearing from you.
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