Celery, recipes and useful properties …
Celery is a herbaceous plant famous for its strong aroma. Not only greens and celery stalks are used for food, but also the root, and sometimes the seeds. Celery is especially popular in Mediterranean recipes. Healthy eating aficionados know that celery is not only delicious but also extremely healthy.
Useful properties of celery
Celery is one of the lowest calorie plants. Once upon a time, among those who were losing weight, the myth of the “negative calorie content” of celery stalks was even popular: supposedly the body spends more energy on processing this food than it contains. It’s a pity, but it’s not true. Nevertheless, it still has fewer calories than many other vegetables. So greens and stems contain only 16 calories per 100 g, the starchy root is slightly more calories – about 34 calories for the same weight. At the same time, leaf celery contains only 0,2 g of fat and as much as 2 g of fiber.
It can take a long time to list the nutrients and trace elements contained in celery. For example, in this vegetable, among others, there are vitamins K, A, D, C and vitamin B2, as well as potassium, calcium, manganese. Vitamin K helps to increase bone mass, helping to prevent osteoporosis. It has also been found to limit neuronal damage in the brain in Alzheimer’s patients. Vitamin A is essential for the health of mucous membranes and skin, it promotes good vision, it also helps in the formation of new blood cells, including white blood cells, which detect and fight infections, as well as red blood cells, which are necessary for transporting oxygen through the body. Vitamin C is needed for proper metabolism.
Celery also contains lutein and zeaxanthin, two nutrients that protect your retina from damage caused by harmful sunlight
Celery is especially valuable because it contains flavonoids, they reduce the likelihood of getting cancer, prevent inflammatory and cardiovascular diseases. Phthalides, aromatic compounds also found in celery, can help combat stress by not only regulating the “stress hormones” in the blood, but also relaxing muscles and improving blood flow.
Celery juice is often used as a natural medicine. It helps suppress appetite, aids digestion, and can even regulate body temperature. Celery juice is considered an anti-inflammatory agent for gout. People prone to urolithiasis are advised to drink a glass of juice daily to help prevent painful attacks. He is credited with a diuretic effect, but that’s not all. Since ancient times, celery has been considered an aphrodisiac, a means of stimulating sex drive.
Celery is definitely good for your health. But he also has contraindications. They are mainly related to the fact that celery is a food that cannot be consumed in unlimited quantities, since in large doses this product can cause significant harm. Eating kilos of celery can lead to indigestion, vomiting, and irregular heartbeat.
Stem celery is a common ingredient in fresh salads, but it is also used in soups, stews, and pies. Such celery is an integral part of the famous bolognese stew sauce. Raw celery root is also put in a salad, but it seems harsh to many, so it is more likely to boil it in soups, stew in casseroles and flavor broths with it. Celery greens are very fragrant, they are seasoned with vegetable soups, omelettes and also put in salads.
An unusual but very tasty dish – deep-fried celery leaves
One of the most famous celery dishes is the famous Walldorf salad. Try to surprise your guests with celery root soup of the same name. You will need: – 1 large celery root; – 120 g unsalted butter; – 3 medium starchy potatoes; – 1 head of onion; – 1 bay leaf; – 1 liter of chicken broth ;; – 80 ml cream 20% fat; – 1 crispy apple; – 40 g of shelled walnuts; – salt and pepper.
Peel the onions, potatoes and celery root and cut into small cubes. Melt 100 g butter in a deep soup casserole over medium heat. Saute the onions until soft, add the potatoes and celery, add the bay leaf and stir-fry for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour in warm broth. Bring the soup to a boil and cook for about 25-30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Remove the bay leaf and strain the soup through a sieve to form a smooth, gorgeous puree.
Fry the walnuts in a frying pan, fry for 3-5 minutes, until a distinct aroma appears. Transfer the nuts to a bowl. Cut the apple into 8 pieces, remove the seed capsule. Melt the remaining butter in a skillet where the nuts were fried and sauté the apple slices in it until light golden brown.
Pour the cream into the puree soup, stir and heat the soup. Pour into portions and serve garnished with nuts and apples.
Stalk celery makes a delicious casserole. Take: – 1 bunch of stalk celery; – 250 g bacon, cut into small cubes; – 40 g of butter; – 3 heads of finely chopped shallots; – 1 minced garlic clove; – 100 g of grated emmental cheese; – 1 and ¼ heavy cream; – 3 sprigs of thyme; – salt and pepper.
Heat the oven to 200 ° C. Fry the bacon until golden brown. Cut the celery diagonally into 3 cm pieces. Saute in melted butter in a suitable ovenproof pan, add shallots and garlic after 5 minutes and sauté over medium heat until the vegetables are lightly browned. Add bacon, cheese and cream, season with salt and pepper, stir, garnish with thyme sprigs and bake for 15-20 minutes.