Celery has not always been a staple in the fridge. In fact, it has served as a food source for only about 500 years. Wild celery has existed naturally for thousands of years, but the cultivated celery we eat today was probably developed during the Middle Ages. Wild celery was already known in ancient Egypt and Greece before 850 BCE, and was used mostly as a medicinal herb and ceremonial plant rather than a crunchy vegetable.

The modern, milder stalk celery was domesticated and selectively bred in Italy around the 16th–17th centuries, with the first recorded use of cultivated celery as food in 1623.

This Celery Date Salad is the perfect balance of crisp, sweet, and savory. Fresh celery and apple bring a refreshing crunch, while Medjool dates, pecans, and shaved parmesan add richness and depth—all tossed in a creamy, lightly sweet dressing that ties it together beautifully. It’s a simple, unexpected combination that feels both nourishing and a little bit special.

Celery Date Salad

Ingredients

  • 2 ½ cups celery, chopped
  • 1 apple, chopped
  • 6 Medjool dates, chopped
  • ¾ cup pecans, chopped
  • 2/3 cup parmesan cheese, shaved

Dressing

  • ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • ¼ cup avocado oil
  • ¼ – ½ cup honey (according to taste)
  • ½ tsp pepper
  • ½ tsp salt
  • Pumpkin seeds for topping

Directions

  1. Chop celery, apple, dates, pecans and add to a mixing bowl.
  2. Shave parmesan cheese with a potato peeler or knife. Add to bowl
  3. Mix yogurt, lemon, honey, salt and pepper in a separate bowl.
  4. Combine celery mixture with dressing.
  5. Top with pumpkin seeds.
Search ingredients at FOOD CITY.

Dishing It Out is a place for Aneisa Rolen to share favorite recipes that require minimal preparation, limited culinary knowledge, yet provide maximum flavor, designed for the hesitant cook who loves good food but isn’t particularly a culinary enthusiast. The recipes provided will accompany the videos, making cooking accessible even to the most reluctant chefs.

Comments may be sent to dishingitoutktt@gmail.com, and follow Aneisa on Instagram for more recipe ideas @ aneisarolen

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