Quick Pickled Veggies
Making quick pickles is easy, fast and a great way to eat a healthy snack or serve for guests. You can use almost anything in the fridge. They are delicious on their own, or even better dipped into a variety of Dips. (This is one I really like: My New Favorite Tahini Yoghurt Dip.)
Ingredients for brine:
Yield: 2 pints, preferably in wide mouth jars
1 cup vinegar (anything white or light colored)
1 cup water
2 T kosher salt
3-4 T organic sugar (or monk fruit sugar if desired)
Seasonings - in each pint jar, you can be creative and add 1/2 tsp of mustard seed, coriander seed, celery seed, fennel seed (or 1 star anise in each jar), a sprig of fresh herbs such as dill or parsley, and maybe a dash of red pepper flakes and several slices of fresh garlic and/or ginger.
Veggies you might consider: carrot sticks, celery sticks, sugar snap peas, green beans, radish, watermelon radish, cabbage chunks, zucchini rounds, cucumbers, red pepper - almost anything in the fridge
Here's How:
Wash and heat in a water bath or dishwasher 2 pint jars, preferably wide mouth as they are easier to stuff.
Place 2 fresh lids and rings in enough water to cover in a small sauce pan and keep warm.
Place first 4 ingredients in a medium sauce pan, stir and keep warm.
Stuff your jars with veggies, sprinkling spices mid-way and then again at the top.
Pour liquid to cover all the veggies, cover with lid and ring, cool on counter, store in fridge.
Wait 3 days before indulging. These veggies will last for around 3 weeks.