Everyone who has ever been on a diet, has at one time or another, crunched a stalk of celery in defiance. I call it the angry veggie, lol. Angry because I ate so many of those crisp stalks when I was “dieting” in my younger years and angry too, because of the loud CRUNCH it made while chomping down. I know a lot of you can relate!
But celery is more than just one of the magical ingredients in the holy trilogy of cooking (onion, carrot and celery). It’s a natural diuretic, a blood pressure calmer, and the coumarins that bountifully preside in celery help your immune response become even more pronounced. Good stuff this celery!
Celery provides a crunchy texture and fresh taste to both cooked and raw dishes. Try pairing celery with almond butter – they’re a tasty duo.
Celery has quite the reputation in reducing cholesterol and a guard against germs and colds, being high in vitamin C. It’s crunchy with a salty taste that can curb cravings for foods such as chips.
Celery is a snap to add to salads, tuna or chicken salad, and to all types of stews, soups and casseroles !
Here’s Today’s TRICK:
Store celery by wrapping it in foil in the refrigerator for long lasting storage. (I’ve had celery last for a month this way before!)
Here’s a TIP:
Celery tastes better in the summer when it’s in season and you can use the entire stalk, leaves and all, in all your dishes.
And Your RECIPEs:
Celery Apple Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 6 stalks celery with leaves washed, and chopped
- 5 cups vegetable stock
- 2 Fuji apples or any red apple, peeled, cored, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a stockpot or soup pot, add in onion, sauté five minutes until clear, add in celery and stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, simmer 10 minutes.
- Stir in apples & chives, cook for 10 more minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Process mixture in a food processor, blend until smooth. Return soup to the pan, stir in yogurt. Garnish with celery leaves. This soup can be served warm or cold.
Manhattan Clam Chowder
Ingredients
- 6 slices turkey bacon
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 24 ounces canned clams and juice
- 1 1/2 cups finely chopped turnips
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth or use homemade bone broth
- 3 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley chopped
- 1/3 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 24-oz. can diced tomatoes
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, cook turkey bacon and onion, stirring occasionally, until bacon is crisp and onion is tender
- Stir clams and their juice, turnips, celery and broth into bacon and onion. Heat to boiling; reduce heat; cover and simmer about 10 minutes, or until turnips are tender.
- Add diced tomatoes to saucepan along with remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally, then serve.