Pickles! Simple Dill Recipe

I absolutely love pickles, especially cucumber pickles, and my husband loves to experiment with different flavours. I thought, since anyone growing Zukes or Cukes would be drowning in them right now, I would share a traditional dill and garlic recipe. So, no need to foist the extras on the neighbours! (Unless you want to, of course)

Ingredients
Anything you want to pickle!
- Cucumbers
- Broccoli stems
- Asparagus
- Carrots
- ect...

4 cucumbers ( 3 - 4 inches)

4 cloves garlic
1 cup Fresh Dill, chopped
1 tsp Coriander seeds
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tsp Whole peppercorns
1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1 cup Water
1 tbsp Sea Salt
Optional:
1 Lime (juiced)

Any glass container with a lid that seals, regular glass tupperware works great!

 
Directions

Pour water into a large bowl, about 2 cups, then mix in and dissolve the salt. Once salt is completely dissolved add the apple cider vinegar. Then, add all of your other herbs and spices. Let this mixture sit while you prep your cucumbers.

(I've added lime juice as optional, since the hint of citrus is really nice to add to pickles during the summer and the price just dropped back to something reasonable this week.)

Give them a quick wash to remove any excess dirt residue, then cut them into quarters. If you prefer whole cucumber pickles, then be aware that they will take a bit longer to "cure" before being ready to munch on.

Bathe your cucumbers in the pickling liquid for about two hours (three hours for whole cucumbers). If they start floating, just set an upside down pot lid on top to submerge them.

Afterwards, separate the cucumbers into your glass containers, then pour the pickling mixture into each container to fill it. Seal it up and refrigerate.

The usual wait time is about 2 days for really lightly flavoured pickles and 1 week for a good strong flavour. They keep for about 1 month.

Enjoy!

Zesty Citrus Broccoli

INGREDIENTS

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp grated orange zest
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 head broccoli, cut into small pieces with stalks peeled
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 Tbsp orange juice

DIRECTIONS

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and wait until hot but not smoking. Add the orange zest and red pepper flakes and saute for just a minute. Add the broccoli into the mixture and season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking until the broccoli is bright green (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat, transfer to a serving dish, and toss well with the orange juice. Serve hot.

Garlic Broccoli with Cashews

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 lbs broccoli, cut into bite size pieces
1/3 cup butter
1 Tbsp demerara sugar or brown sugar
3 Tbsp tamari
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp ground pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup chopped salted cashews

DIRECTIONS

Steam or boil the broccoli until bright green and just tender, about 7 minutes.

While the broccoli is cooking, melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Mix in the sugar, tamari, vinegar, pepper, and garlic. Heat, stirring frequently, until it begins to bubble, then remove from the heat. Mix in the cashews and pour the sauce over the broccoli. Serve immediately.

Quinoa & Broccoli Casserole

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups quinoa
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 cups broccoli florets cut into bite-sized pieces
1 cup shredded old cheddar, divided 3/4 cup and 1/4 cup
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp paprika
Sea salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Wash and drain quinoa in a fine mesh strainer 2 or 3 times.

Combine quinoa with 3 cups of water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cook for about 15 minutes or until all the water is absorbed.

In the meantime, saute onion for a few minutes and steam broccoli until bright green, about 5 minutes.

Combine vegetables and spices in a mixing bowl, adding in hot, cooked quinoa, Parmesan cheese, and 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese. Mix well and press into a lightly greased 8x8 baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese on top.

Bake uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, until cheese is melted on top.

Broccoli Soup with Spicy Cheese Triangles

Servings: 4

SOUP INGREDIENTS

1 Tbsp butter
2 onions, chopped
2 potatoes (12 oz/375 g), peeled and coarsely chopped
2 cups (500 mL) vegetable stock
1 tsp (5 mL) each sea salt and black pepper
3 cups (750 mL) chopped broccoli pieces
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) skim milk
2 Tbsp (25 mL) chopped fresh chives or green onions

DIRECTIONS

In large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; cook onions and potatoes, stirring often, until onions are softened, about 10 minutes. Add stock, salt and pepper; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium; cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Add broccoli pieces; cover and cook for 5 minutes.

In food processor or blender, puree soup until smooth. Return to pan; stir in milk and heat through. Serve sprinkled with chives and with Spicy Cheese Triangles on the side.

SPICY CHEESE TRIANGLES

Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS

4 slices of whole grain bread
1 Tbsp (15 mL) mayonnaise
1/2 cup (125 mL) cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp (2 mL) cajun seasoning

DIRECTIONS

If desired, trim crusts from bread. With rolling pin, flatten bread slightly. Spread slices with light mayonnaise. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and cajun seasoning. Cut each into 4 triangles. Bake on rimmed baking sheet in 375°F (190°C) oven for 10 minutes or until bubbly, crisp and golden brown.

Steamed Baby Bok Choy and Broccoli

INGREDIENTS

1 lb fresh broccoli
1 lb fresh baby bok choy
1 clove minced garlic
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp minced ginger
2 Tbsp tamari

DIRECTIONS

Cut broccoli head into florets, and cut stems into bite sized pieces. Cut the leaves off the bok choy, and cut the stems into bite sized chunks.

Steam the broccoli and the stems of the bok choy in half a cup of boiling water for 5 minutes or until they are bright green.

Remove lid and boil water out.

Add garlic and oil. Stir well. Add the bok choy leaves. Cover pot briefly until leaves just wilt. Add ginger and tamari.

Stir, then serve.

Broccoli and Cornmeal Upside Down Cake

INGREDIENTS

One head of broccoli
3/4 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 eggs
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt & black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
A handful of raisins
A handful of walnuts, toasted and chopped

DIRECTIONS

Wash the broccoli and cut it into florets. Steam until bright green - cooked but not limp. Run cold water on it to stop the cooking and set aside in a colander to drain thoroughly.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a little olive oil to grease an 8-inch cake pan.

Whisk together the cottage cheese, yogurt, eggs, and oil, and salt and pepper to taste. In a medium mixing-bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, and baking powder. Fold the liquid mixture into the dry mixture until just combined (the batter will be thick). Do not overmix; it's fine if it's a little lumpy.

Arrange the cooked broccoli at the bottom of the cake pan. Sprinkle with the walnuts and raisins. Pour the batter evenly over the broccoli and smooth it out a bit with a spatula.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the top is golden and crispy. Let rest on the counter for 5 minutes before cutting.

To serve, run a knife around the pan to loosen the cornmeal crust, cover the pan with a serving plate, and flip quickly (protect your hands with oven mitts, of course) so the cake lands, broccoli-side up, on the plate.

Cut in wedges, preferably with a sharp knife so as not to smoosh the broccoli. Serve warm, at room-temperature, or cold. Reheat leftovers for ten minutes in the oven if you wish to revive the crispiness of the crust.