Awesome Reasons to Eat Celery with Prep Ideas

You may not realize it, but adding celery to your food plan is simple and healthy, and its wellness benefits are so awesome you'll be glad you saw this post.

Research shows celery lowers the risk of developing certain forms of cancer, and reduces the risk from a host of other diseases and health concerns. 

Updated 7/30/2022

Improved well-being is achievable, if you develop a healthy lifestyle that  includes exercise, stress reduction techniques, and a whole food plant-based eating plan. 

Celery stalks and leaves have numerous medicinal properties. Select celery fresh from a local market, your home garden, or farmer's market.

Celery is part of the "green" family of vegetables and a good source of vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin E, potassium, folate, and vitamin B6.

Why is Celery Healthy?

Celery contains an anti-cancer compound (apigenin) that reduces risk of lung cancer and shows promising signs it may kill breast cancer cells as well.

Further investigation indicates celery may help reduce symptoms of Arthritis (RA).

To help lower high blood pressure eat celery. It contains a phytochemical called phthalides that relaxes the tissues of the artery walls to increase blood flow and reduce blood pressure.

A compound in celery, apiuman, can decrease instances of stomach ulcers, and improves the lining of the stomach. 

Some people ingest a therapeutic grade celery seed essential oil to enhance heart health and for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. 

Word of warning: Check with your medical professional before taking any new supplement or food. Go slow when changing your diet, and check with your provider before you begin. Posts on this site are offered for informational purposes, and not offered as medical advice.

Celery is 95% water. This makes it low calorie and hydrating, with only 16 calories per cup. 

It's cleansing as well. With a combo of soluble and insoluble fiber, each cup contains 6 % of the daily requirement for fiber. See more about the nutritional breakdown here.

It's interesting to note, as celery travels through your digestive tract, its fiber feeds good gut bacteria, and aids digestion and elimination. 

Fiber-rich vegetables including celery help reduce bloat caused by food that hasn’t worked its way through your intestines. 

Celery contains minerals, especially magnesium, potassium, and calcium that improve bone health.  

Celery contains a plant-based form of sodium, one that is easily absorbed and essential to good health.

Ways to Eat More Celery

One folk remedy suggests you eat a celery-based snack a few hours before bedtime. This may relax you and promote sounder sleep.

This writer makes it a point to consume at least 2 stalks of raw celery every few days. You can too. Munch on it au naturel or with hummus, guacamole, or nut butter.

Make sure to purchase and eat organic celery, since conventionally grown celery is on the dirty dozen list. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) reviews fruits and vegetables each year and lists those that contain the highest levels of pesticide residues.

Savor celery stalks, leaves, and celery seeds blended into your favorite casserole dish, stew, or roasted veggie medley. Cooking celery makes it taste sweeter, than when it's served raw.

Vary the way you prepare this veggie; chop, dice, slice, or cut into chunks and include it in sauces, chili, soups, and a crudités platter.

Check for recipes online or in cookbooks. Favorite ways I serve it are raw, steamed, or roasted. 

Try your hand at making a crisp, crunchy, fresh-tasting veggie salad with a rainbow of colors that's pleasing to the eye and palette. 

Recipe for Chickpea/Celery Salad on a Bed of Tossed Greens

1. Use the chopping blade in a food processor to chop celery, a drained can of chickpeas, carrots, red cabbage, zucchini, red pepper, onion, 2 T. lemon juice, and 2T. extra virgin olive oil. 

2. Grate 2 cloves garlic and a 1/2 slice of fresh ginger and add that too. 

3. Season with your favorite herbs and spices. Mine are parsley, oregano, basil, black pepper, sage, and thyme.

See Chickpea/Celery Salad on a bed of tossed green salad right below.

Top this salad with a vegan bean, garlic, and ginger salad dressing, and sprig of celery leaf. This combo shows off celery's subtle, but juicy flavor. 

Thinking of juicy? Multi-vegetable smoothies that include celery are loaded with vitamins and minerals and provide quick energy and satisfy thirst. 

Eastern medicine has used celery for thousands of years to treat bronchitis, skin disorders, nervousness, and the flu. 

Don't you think it's time for modern medical practitioners to recommend it and folks like us to eat more celery? 

Before you go, please comment below. 💓

Did you discover something new about celery? 

Are you willing to add more of it to your food plan? 

Do you have info about celery's health benefits I didn't mention? Please let me know.

I appreciate and read every comment, but do not publish them, if you add links. Thanks for understanding.

Spread the word by re-sharing on social media, and please credit me with a link back to this post. 💓

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Recipes for Remarkable Vegan Meatballs

Remarkable Vegan Meatballs, Marinara Sauce, and Fusilli from Nancy Andres

I've had the urge to create a plant-based whole food recipe for vegan meatballs, scrumptious enough for all to love. To most of us, as we age, it does dawn on us that we could be eating healthier. Cutting down on processed, cholesterol laden foods is a smart health decision.

Post updated 5/15/2023

See what I discovered during my hands on food testing and cooking experiments, cookbook investigation, and research on the web.

I SCOUTED OUT RECIPES THAT ARE :

EASY

DELICIOUS

COLORFUL

HEALTHY

See the Results in a Vegan Meatball Roundup Post to Live For! 

Here's My Recipe...I call it 

Remarkable Vegan Meatballs

This recipe is economical, and made from items most of us already have in the pantry or refrigerator. 

It's adaptable. Serve vegan meatballs for brunch, lunch, or dinner.  Top mashed cauliflower, spaghetti, shells, linguini, or other pasta with vegan meatballs. Savor the flavor in a hoagie, pita, or in a wrap. 

Serve veggie meatballs on a bed of sautéed broccoli or spinach, or top quinoa, barley, or mashed potatoes with vegan meatballs and mushroom gravy. All these combinations are yummy. 

So let's give a cheer for 

Remarkable Vegan Meatballs

Ingredients:

½ cup pre-cooked brown rice (any variety will do)

1 can (about 12 oz.) lentils drained

1 yellow onion chopped

4 cloves garlic minced

8 oz. fresh white or baby bella mushrooms cleaned and chopped

1 flax egg: In a small bowl combine 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground flaxseeds. Mix with ¼ cup water. Let flax egg mixture sit until thick and viscous about 5-10 minutes before following directions in step 4 below

2 slices of whole grain bread for bread crumbs-any type as long as it equals about 1 cup ground bread crumbs 

Salt and pepper to taste

pinch of fresh basil, oregano, thyme, parsley, rosemary chopped fine or 2 teaspoons dried Italian Herb Blend

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

1 jar of your favorite Marinara Sauce (25 oz.) or homemade

What to do:

1. Put the oven rack in the middle slot of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. While oven heats...

1. Clean and prep onion, garlic, mushrooms. Place a drop of oil in a sauté pan and brown the onion for a few moments (for oil free version use water or veggie broth instead of oil). 

Then add garlic and do the same. Add chopped mushrooms and cook until all are soft and thoroughly cooked (about ten minutes).

2. While that cooks, get a large mixing bowl and mix (mash) the brown rice and drained lentils together. Add whole grain bread crumbs and combine. 

3. Use a slotted spoon to transfer onion, garlic, and mushrooms from sauté pan to mixing bowl. Reserve mushroom cooking liquid to add to soup, chili, or other dish.

4. Add flax egg and seasoning to mixing bowl.  Combine all thoroughly. This flax egg mixture is the best I've ever tried. The veggie balls bind well and do not crumble. If you feel mixture is too dry and crumbles, add a drop or two of water.

5. Shape mixture into bite size veggie balls. Place them on a large ungreased baking sheet and put in the oven. Cook vegan meatballs for approximately 30 minutes. You'll know they are ready, when they look and feel firm (squeeze one) and are slightly browned. 

6. Meanwhile, empty the jar of marinara into a medium size sauce pan and simmer covered on stove top until pasta and meatballs cook. 

7. In a pasta pot boil the pasta of your choice (cook according to package directions). When done drain.

8. Top each serving of pasta with a ladle or two of sauce and two or three veggie balls apiece. Garnish with fresh clipped parsley or use the vegan cheese recipe below. Any extra veggie balls can be placed in the extra sauce and refrigerated. This recipe will make a dozen vegan meatballs and serves 4.

To shake things up, top garlicky vegan mashed cauliflower with meatballs or serve spaghetti squash as a base instead of pasta. 

Plant-based spaghetti squash marinara with tossed salad

Try this fabulous recipe from Kelly, a Transformational Health Coach and holistic practitioner who blogs at Tasting Page. See
Vegan Lentil Mushroom Meatballs on a bed of lettuce now.

For another slant see this recipe. It features Bulgur wheat and cauliflower for Vegan Italian Meatballs from Chuck Underwood. He's the blogger at Brand New Vegan, and he aims to make switching to plant-based eating as easy as possible. This is a link to his recipe for Vegan Parmesan.

Vegan Italian Meatballs from Chuck Underwood

  

Not sure what Bulgur wheat is? See more at health advantages of eating Bulgur Wheat from Dr. Axe.


Want to make a more hearty tomato sauce? 


Add veggies to the sauce. If you include carrots, peas or legumes, and edamame to tomato sauce they increase the amount of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, and plant-based protein you are eating. 

For the final recipe in my vegan meatball roundup...

Nora Taylor shares her version of Spaghetti and Easy Vegan Meatballs. She's the blogger at Nora Cooks, and she uses chickpeas to give vegan meatballs a satisfying, comforting flavor. 

Photo Nora Taylor at Nora Cooks

Isn't it surprising that vegan meatballs can be made in so many taste tempting ways? 

Tip: Buying in-season, locally grown produce is an easy way to select fruits and veggies that are loaded with eye-appeal, freshness, and often on sale. Since locally grown means items aren't transported long distances to get to your table, it costs less and tastes better. It's alive with goodness.

Do you serve meatless meals more often than you once did? The number of people who are switching over is mounting. Why not join the crowd?

After your food shopping run, have fun cooking up some vegan meatballs. They are healthy, colorful, easy to make, and delicious.

Invite your partner, friends, and family to join the cooking party. Perhaps it will turn into a vegan meatball marathon.

Before you go, please comment in the space provided below. 

Which recipes sound and look good to you? 

No links in comments please, as I won't be able to publish them that way. 

Please share a link to this post on social media and credit this blog.

See the latest about wellness by visiting again. Posts are published on the 1st and 15th of each month. 

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