Plants on Your Plate—Celery

This month’s spotlight is on another vegetable that many of us reach for all year round for its continuous availability. It is a staple item on vegetable trays, adds a distinctive crunch to salads, and is a common sauté item in the beginning of many soup recipes. It’s also one of my favorite quick snacks to dip in some peanut butter. By now you have probably guessed that I am talking about celery.

Celery is a member of the Umbelliferae family that grew wild in the Mediterranean region thousands of years ago, and was mentioned in Chinese writings as early as 5 AD. The wild form of celery, also known as smallage, was initially used as medicine, though gained popularity as a food source in the 16th century in northern Europe. A popular variety in Asia is leaf celery, which has tender stems that are somewhat reminiscent of wild celery. It wasn’t until the 18th century that celery was refined and cultivated to resemble the vegetable that we recognize today. Pascal is the most common variety with the tight, straight, sturdy bunches that children like to fill with peanut butter. Celeriac, or celery root, is another variety that is grown for both the stalks and the bulbous root that resembles a turnip.

Celery leaves have a stronger flavor than the stalk and are often dried, which intensifies the flavor. Celery seeds are also used for their flavoring capability alone and ground with salt as celery salt. One celery seed is about the size of the period at the end of this sentence, and one ounce of celery seeds can grow one acre of celery, producing 32,000 to 42,000 celery plants. In the United States, most celery is grown in California, Florida and, ironically, Michigan where it made its debut in the early 1800s.

Widely recognized as one of the healthiest snacks available, celery is a great source of fiber, which is especially impressive given the vegetable’s low-calorie count. This makes it a great choice for those concerned with losing weight or maintaining healthy digestion. Celery is a rich source of vitamins A, C, and K, as well as folate and potassium. Celery is also rich in antioxidants such as lunularin, bergapten, and phthalides, which aid in blood pressure regulation and the prevention of heart disease.

When shopping, choose celery with firm stalks with bright green leaves that have a fresh aroma. Celery will keep up to two weeks wrapped in plastic in the crisper drawer. While firm, crispy celery is most desired for crudité and salads, if it starts to get limp, it can still be used in cooked dishes, or even chopped and frozen for later use. The salad recipe below is a tasty combination of colors, textures, and flavors.

Apple and Celery Salad

Makes 8 servings

INGREDIENTS 2 cups chopped apples (about 4 medium) 1 cup chopped celery ½ cup raisins ½ cup chopped walnuts ¼ cup vanilla yogurt 2 Tablespoons orange juice ½ teaspoon cinnamon

• Wash hands and work surfaces. Wash apples and celery stalks. • In a large bowl, combine apples, celery, raisins, and walnuts. • In a small bowl combine yogurt, orange juice and cinnamon; stir to combine. • Pour dressing over apple and celery mixture and mix well.

Chill 30 minutes before serving.

NUTRITION INFORMATION Calories: 110, Total Fat: 1.5g, Saturated Fat: 0g, Sodium: 17mg, Carbohydrates: 24g, Fiber: 3.5g, Protein: 1.5g

Recipe adapted from MyPlate Kitchen, analyzed by verywellfit.com

DENISE SULLIVAN Nutrition Ninja

Denise Sullivan (@MUExtJacksonCo) is a Nutrition and Health Education Specialist for MU Extension in Jackson County. For research based nutrition and food safety information and programs, call 816-4825850 or visit https://extension.missouri.edu/counties/urban-west-region.

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