The leaves of the celery stalk have a strong flavor and are mostly used to flavor in soups and stews.
It's also available as a dried herb. Celery is often part of a salad and snack.
Celery has many health benefits including the vegetable's ability to relieve pain, hypertension, lower blood pressure and fight cancer.
Celery is considered ideal for weight-loss diets, because it provides a healthy amount of low-calorie dietary fiber.
This impressive cool-weather salad is an extraordinarily addictive mix of sweet, crunchy and salty ingredients.
Serves 12
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups walnuts
1 small shallot, minced
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons walnut oil
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 bunches celery (2 pounds), thinly sliced on the bias
3/4 cup dried pitted Medjool dates, quartered lengthwise
3 ounces dry pecorino cheese, shaved with a vegetable peeler
Preheat the oven to 350° and spread the walnuts in a pie plate and toast for about 8 minutes, until lightly golden and fragrant. Let cool completely, then coarsely chop.
In a small bowl, combine the shallot with the sherry vinegar. Whisk in both oils and season with salt and pepper.
In a large bowl, toss the toasted walnuts, celery, dates and pecorino. Add the dressing and toss. Serve at once.
Make Ahead: The salad and dressing can be refrigerated separately for up to 1 day. Store the walnuts in an airtight container and add to the salad just before serving.
Source: Food and Wine, Gourmet Sleuth
Percornino is an Italian word and is the name given to all Italian cheeses made from sheep's milk. It has a tangy salty flavor. Use the cheese shredded on salads (we love it on a fresh arugula salad with lemon and olive oil) or on pastas.
Medjool dates are a type of tree fruit that originate in the Middle East and North Africa, but they can be cultivated with some success in a number of desert-like regions around the world. Medjools particularly are prized for their large size, their sweet taste, and their juicy flesh even when dried. They are often enjoyed on their own as a snack or as a flavoring element within a larger meal or baked confection.
Medjool dates are widely regarded as the “best” variety of dates. They are certainly the largest and are usually also the most expensive to buy. Many consumers believe that they have the richest flavor as well. Source
The body needs more than 40 nutrients: vitamins, minerals and water, as well as energy-providing protein, carbohydrates and fats. No one food supplies all the essential nutrients in the amounts needed. Therefore, it is important to eat a variety of foods each day.