GOODNESS
Celery: Celery isn't just for Bloody Marys, although that's as close as many people get to this healthful veggie. Celery may have been used as a hangover cure in ancient Rome, but its real power lies in its ability to lower blood pressure and to keep your weight under control. If you have either of these problems (and they often travel together) you could do worse than grabbing a stalk of celery to chew on.
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Recipe

Apple Celery Granita

serves
prep time: 10
cook time: 180

ingredients

  • 1 (1, milligram) vitamin C tablet (ascorbic acid), crushed to a powder with back of a spoon
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 3 Granny Smith apples (1 1/2 pounds), cut lengthwise into 1 inch-thick sticks
  • 6 medium celery ribs without leaves (1 pound)
  • 1/2 teaspoon wasabi paste or powdered wasabi
  • 1 teaspoon water
  • Flaky sea salt such as Maldon
  • 2 tablespoons fruity extra-virgin olive oil

directions

Put crushed vitamin C and sugar in a 1 quart container that will fit under spout of juicer.

Using juicer, juice apples and celery into container. Spoon off foam and stir until sugar is dissolved.

Pour into an 8- to 9 inch square stainless-steel or glass baking pan and freeze until partially frozen, about 1 hour. Scrape and stir with a fork, crushing any lumps. Continue to freeze, scraping once or twice, until evenly frozen, about 2 hours more.

Stir together wasabi and enough water to make a pourable sauce.

Scrape granita to lighten, then serve sprinkled lightly with sea salt and drizzled lightly with oil and wasabi sauce.

notes:

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is available in powdered form at pharmacies and natural foods stores (for 1, milligram, use 1/2 teaspoon). It will prevent the apple juice from turning brown.

It is not necessary to remove skin or seeds from apple sticks.

Granita can be made 2 days ahead and kept frozen, covered with plastic wrap once frozen. Scrape before serving.