As veggies go, celery is a powerhouse — as affordable and underrated as it is nutritious — but with most recipes only calling for a stick or two, it's also the one that tends to get binned after weeks of lurking aimlessly in the crisper.

We've all been guilty of neglecting the humble celery, but there are plenty of ways to use up that leftover bunch...

This classic creamy American salad features apple, celery and walnuts mixed with mayo and yoghurt, for added tang.

Team it with chicken and serve in iceberg lettuce cups, for an easy handheld lunch.

Coarsely chop a few sticks of celery and cook down in a Sicilian-style eggplant caponata, for a seriously flavoursome, Mediterranean-style side dish. The popular Italian dish typically features capsicum, tomato, eggplant and celery, slowly cooked down with olive oil, olives and an agrodolce sauce (vinegar and sugar reduction). Add this simple caponata recipe to your celery arsenal.

If you're looking to do away with a whole bunch of celery, a nourishing soup is the way to go.

This flavoursome cream of celery and orange soup recipe is made hearty with potatoes and sour cream.

Celery can be added to just about any salad, but its delightful crunch factor means it plays extra nice with boiled potato in potato salads.

Coarsely chop the celery leaves too, for added greenery in your salad.

There's no better way to use up leftover fridge veggies than a throw-together crudités platter.

Celery sticks teamed with dips of hummus, yoghurt, taramasalata or guacamole turn a healthy snack into a decadent time-out.

Vegetable stocks can form the basis for endless recipes, from pasta sauces and soups to stir-friess, gravies and even slow-cooked meats.

Celery, along with carrots and onions, acts as a perfect flavour base. Just chop and cover with water and a splash of wine, and cook slowly over 40 or so minutes, to unleash a world of flavour. Then store in the fridge or freezer until needed.

Mirepoix is a French-derived recipe base made from diced vegetables that are sauteed slowly, over low heat, with butter or some sort of fat to help coax out its flavours.

Similar to an Italian soffritto, this classic medley of celery, carrot and onion is designed to sweeten the ingredients (rather than caramelise) — it's a staple base in French cooking, and guarantees an instant flavour boost to any sauce, soup or stew.

If you've got a blender in your kitchen arsenal, chucking your leftover veg into a juice or smoothie is perhaps the easiest way to use it up — as well as up your daily dose of celery.

Try this nourishing version with silverbeet and green apples.

Sauteeing finely chopped celery to form the base of a ragu or meat sauce is a great way to up your veg intake — while also deepening the flavour of your pasta sauce.

Try this version, featuring beef stock, bay leaves, red wine and pancetta, for a next-level bolognese.

The savoury tomato-based cocktail, revered for its hangover prowess, features the king of veggie garnishes — one giant stick of celery.

Typically featuring tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, and Tabasco, it can be enjoyed with a splash of vodka or vodka-free as a "virgin" cocktail — however, the stick of celery is non-negotiable.