Celery Stew for your Heart

Celery is one of those negative-calorie vegetables since it takes more energy to digest than the amount of calories it contains. There is a reason why it is hard to digest, it is packed with fiber and nutrients! This is why it is an excellent option not only for weight loss but those who wants to improve their digestion and get all the heart-healthy benefits from eating just 1 cup.

This dish is originally an Iranian dish that I modified by leaving out the lamb. If you prefer to have meat in it, as in the traditional Iranian dish called Khoresht-e Karafs, use organic high-quality lamb or beef but it will take a long time for it to cook. The recipe here is meat-free, however, and because there is no meat to worry about, it is much faster and easier to prepare.

Celery contains many vitamins and minerals, not to mention enzymes and antioxidants, guaranteeing a nutritious meal. When combined with the ingredients in the recipe, the benefits of the nutrients multiply as the compounds from each vegetable work together.

Just remember to chop the garlic and onions at least 10 minutes prior to cooking so to allow the enzymes to work making sure they survive the heating process.

Good for 5-6
Preparation time: 20-30 minutes


Ingredients:

1 whole celery

½ celery root chopped in cubes

1 can cannellini beans (or any beans you prefer), drained. You can also cook beans from scratch which involved soaking them overnight and then boiling them until tender.

2-3 tbsps. tomato paste

1 large onion, chopped in cubes

2 cloves garlic, chopped finely

3 dried lemons (or 2-3 tbsp fresh lime juice) - poke a few holes on it if using the dried lemon

3 tbsp. dried mint

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp coriander

½ tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

½ tsp red paprika powder (sweet, not spicy!)

Vegetable broth (without preservatives nor flavour enhancers)

1L boiling water

2-3 tbsps. sesame oil

Directions:

1. Separate the celery leaves from the stalks. Finely chop the celery leaves and then chop the stalks into 1-2 cms slices and the celery root into 1-2 cm. cubes.

2. Heat a large pot and pour the oil, add the onions and garlic, stir fry for about 5 minutes on medium heat.

3. Add the salt, turmeric, black pepper, red paprika powder, coriander and mint and stir fry for 2 minutes.

4. Add the celery leaves and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid burning the leaves.

5. Add the boiling water and the vegetable broth to the pot.

6. Add the chopped celery stalks, chopped celery root, the dried lemons, tomato paste and let it simmer for about 30 minutes.

7. Add the beans and cook for another 10 minutes. If you want it to be more sour, you can add another 2 tbsps of lime juice at this point.

8. Serve with basmati rice with some saffron.