My first memory of a celery recipe was my mom's yummy and comforting stuffing. I instantly fell in love with that fun crunch and the unique moisture-filled flavor. But unless I was eating celery in stuffing, I only enjoyed it raw spread with some peanut butter, or used it as a scoop for dip.
But there are so many ways you can use celery in your vegan cooking, and I'd like to show you how easy it can be. Then you'll discover which vegan flavors match perfectly with celery. And we'll round it out with celery health benefits.
Be sure to choose the celery that will work best as you make your from-scratch celery recipe. Celery ranges from light to medium green. Light green stalks tend to taste best.Dark green stalks have more nutrients, but they tend to be more stringy.
Avoid those with stalks or leaves which are yellow, flimsy, brown, or slimy! The stalks should be firm and crisp, with insides that are smooth, and outsides that are slightly glossy. The leaves should look fresh and bright.
How To Clean and Prep Celery
Cut across the base of the stalks just above where they join the base. Using a vegetable brush, wash individual celery stalks under fresh running water to clean.
How to de-string celery: (optional) You can use a vegetable peeler. But the way that I've always found easiest (thanks, Mom!) is to use the flat side of your knife to grab several strings at once and pull toward the opposite end of the stalk. One stalk can be de-stringed in two or three such strokes.
Before creating your celery recipe, keep the end result in mind. The outermost ribs tend to be more on the tough side and are difficult to be made completely tender. These are best used for soup. The heart of the celery, or the inner ribs, are more tender and lend themselves well to any recipe. Especially good when enjoying them raw!
Your celery can be sliced, chopped, diced or left whole, depending on your preferences and what you envision for any of your recipes using celery.
Create your very own celery recipe with some of your favorite ingredients from this list of foods that match perfectly with celery.
Almonds Bread Crumbs Butter, non-dairy (I like Earth Balance) Carrot Celery Seeds Cream, non-dairy (I like Silk Soy Creamer) Curry Dill Fennel Garlic Green Onions Lemon Onions Mayonnaise, non-egg, non-dairy (I like Vegenaise) Mushrooms Mustard Nutmeg Onion Parsley Peanut Butter, or other nut butter Pimento Tomato Vinegar Walnuts Water Chestnuts
Celery Helpful Hints
Celery is known as a "salty" vegetable, and is a natural addition to any dish when trying to avoid sodium intake.
Feel free to use the leaves in your celery recipe as they're very high in nutrients. However, use them quickly, as they tend to lost their verve for life after 2-3 days.
Although celery can be found year-round in the markets, it is most fresh in the summer months when it's in season.
Because of it's high water content, it's excellent for those watching their weight. However, because of its high water content, it tends to wilt quickly. If your celery has wilted, sprinkle it with a little fresh water and place it in the refrigerator for several hours where it will regain its crispness. This technique works for most veggies. ;o)
My first memory of a celery recipe was my mom's yummy and comforting stuffing. I instantly fell in love with that fun crunch and the unique moisture-filled flavor. But unless I was eating celery in stuffing, I only enjoyed it raw spread with some peanut butter, or used it as a scoop for dip.
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