Quick Pickles: Try Something New and Delicious With Your Veggies

We’ve had a record-breaking long, hot summer. Are you getting bored with your full-meal salads? Looking for something new to do with your veggies?

Lately I’ve been loving quick pickles. So I wanted to share the technique with you so that you can make your own.

Note that these are quick pickles, not your standard pickles. They’re for storing in the fridge and eating within a few days. These are not recipes for canning and room-temperature storage. When canning, you want to use and follow canning-specific recipes to make sure that you don’t cause any dangerous food-poisoning.

Quick pickles are simple and quick (hence the name). If you love the crunch and vinegary bite of classic pickles, I encourage you to give these a try. One of the best things about quick pickles is that once you get the hang of it, there’s no end to the flavor combinations that you can dream up.

Consider the basic brine recipe your blank canvas. Make your brine and pour over a clean jar packed with whatever vegetable and herb/spice combination that you like. Let it cool to room temperature (leaving it out for less than 2 hours), and then refrigerate overnight.

Veggies that Pickle Well:

(Lots of other veggies pickle well too, these ideas are just to get you started):

·      Carrots

·      Green beans

·      Cucumbers

·      Kohlrabi

·      Zucchini

·      Fennel

·      Cauliflower

·      Beets

·      Asparagus

·      Broccoli stems

Herb and Spice Ideas:

·      Garlic

·      Dill

·      Mustard seeds

·      Coriander seeds

·      Cumin seeds

·      Peppercorns

·      Celery seeds

·      Like things spicy? Add sliced hot peppers such as jalapenos

·      Oregano

·      Rosemary

·      Bay leaf

·      Thyme

Basic Brine

Ingredients

·      1.5 cups distilled white vinegar

·      2 cups water

·      1 TBSP sugar

·      ¼ teaspoon salt

Directions

1.     Combine all the ingredients in a large saucepan.

2.     Over medium heat, bring to a simmer and stir, just until the sugar and salt dissolve.

3.     While still hot, pour over your jars filled with veggies and herbs/spices.  

Kristen Yarker, MSc, RD helps moms and dads support your picky kids to get good nutrition today…and instill a life-long love of healthy eating. After 7 years of moms asking for help with their eating too, Kristen created 40 Days to a Healthier, Happier You women’s weight loss program. Find out more at www.KristenYarker.com

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