Frugal Veggies: Celery
When it comes to frugal veggies, it doesn’t get much cheaper than celery in many cases. Unfortunately for most people, celery is usually the stuff that stays in the bottom of the crisper drawer for too long until it’s limp, and is usually thrown into the garbage bin or the stockpot. In the Mediterranean region and in Asia, celery is more celebrated and is thought to have the ability to help lower blood pressure and balance out minerals. So, get creative and rescue the poor celery from the refrigerator.
I like to add chopped celery to a number of soups and cooked dishes. Along with carrots and onions, celery makes up the key chopped vegetables for hamburger stew, split pea soup, and other braised dishes. In addition, I add chopped celery to all cajun style dishes, like red beans and rice, along with chopped onion and bell pepper add to the complex flavors. I also serve celery sticks raw with dips including guacamole and hummus. Celery and apple is a frequent pairing where the crunchiness of each element seems to complement each other well. Below is a recipe for apple and celery salad that doesn’t have mayonnaise, but instead allows for the flavors of the produce to come out.
Apple and Celery Salad
4 stalks of celery, destringed and sliced
2 apples, cored, cut into small pieces
1/4 to 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
honey mustard dressing:
1 T dijon mustard
1 T honey
2 T lemon juice
2 T orange juice
1 T olive oil
pinch of salt
fresh ground pepper to taste
Combine the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl and whisk to combine thoroughly. In a large bowl, add the celery, apple pieces. Pour dressing over and toss well. When ready to serve sprinkle the toasted walnuts on top.
see more frugal veggie suggestions and recipes in the recipe index
see other suggestions at Frugal Friday and Food Renegade
Oh I like this recipe! We mostly use celery raw for dips, as I can’t stand cooked celery. I’m so happy you shared a recipe that uses it raw. And with apples! And walnuts!
Thanks for sharing this in today’s Fight Back Fridays carnival. I’m enjoying this series on frugal veggies & how to use them.
Cheers,
KristenM
(AKA FoodRenegade)
Hi Kristen, I am trying some recipes for braised celery, but have yet to find one that is post-worthy. This salad is more interesting. Thanks for hosting.
I use celery all the time in my cooking. For someone who has always hated celery, I’m working my way into eating more by simply starting all my dinner recipes with some sort of a mire poix – onion, carrot and celery. Unfortunately, there seems to be something wrong with my fridge. As soon as celery goes into it, it loses all its vim and vigour. It’s still fine for cooking, but there is absolutely no snap to it. Strangely, the celery that I neglected to put away yesterday seems to be fine.
I’m going to have to try this. It sounds like a really good combination.
Emma, I like both the traditional French mire-poix and the cajun one. I have heard wrapping celery in foil helps to keep it longer. Also, you can store cut celery sticks in water.
Buffie, I really like the walnut addition.
Thanks for commenting.
The salad sounds good to me, but I don’t know if my family would eat that.
Ooh that salad sounds fresh and yummy!
Melissa, if you have picky eaters, you might try halving the celery and doubling the honey; and call it “apple salad”
Niki, the crunch is very refreshing
Thanks for commenting
I love celery–will need to put this on my “to try” list!
Mama Koala, let us know if you try this.
We use celery as a snack item filled with peanut butter and topped with raisins. I also add it to veggie platters filled with cream cheese and cut into 2 inch pieces.
Hi Kattmaxx, the peanut butter/raisin celery reminds me of my childhood. I don’t think my mom made us these, but the neighbor made them frequently. I also like filling these with hummus. Thanks for the comment