Yellow Mustard With A Kick

This recipe, Yellow Mustard With A Kick, elevates many preparations with its spicy-hot blend of prepared yellow mustard, mustard powder, vinegar, and seasonings.

This recipe, Yellow Mustard With A Kick, makes the most of simple ingredients, prepared yellow mustard, mustard powder, and vinegar to create a creamy addition to mayonnaise, or other dressings.
Photo: Cynthia Dalton

Yellow Mustard With A Kick doesn’t mess around. It is pungent and assertive, not the type of condiment you’d want to eat by the spoonful straight from the jar (and if you do, you’re superhuman and not a little scary).

That said, this turns mayonnaise into a fantastic bread spread for a steak sandwich — just enough heat to bring out beefy goodness without overpowering it.

Its uses are many — marinades, salad dressings (both creamy and vinaigrette-style), soups, stews, sauces, pan sauces, and gravies — just to name a few. In fact, it would make a great extra addition to a Ranch Salad Dressing recipe. And, let’s not forget macaroni or potato salad.

For more about mustard, here’s a fun article from mentalfloss.com by Roma Panganiban, 13 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Mustard.

For example, the article points out:

Egyptian pharaohs stocked their tombs with mustard seeds to accompany them into the afterlife, but the Romans were the first to grind the spicy seeds into a spreadable paste and mix them with a flavorful liquid—usually, wine or vinegar.

And, interestingly enough:

As members of Brassica or Sinapis genera, mustard plants are close relatives to a surprising variety of common vegetables, including broccoli, cauliflower, turnips, and cabbage.

Makes sense come to think about it, those veggies do have a ‘mustardy’ component to their flavor profiles, especially in their raw state, and I remember my Mom often added mustard seeds to her cabbage dishes.

While this recipe isn’t excessive in its spiciness, if you like your flavors bold and with ‘personality’, I think you’ll take nicely to Yellow Mustard With A Kick!

Please let me know what you think in the Comments section below — I’d love to hear how you use mustard in your culinary creations.

 

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Yellow Mustard With A Kick
Simple ingredients make for a mustard with a real bite — this is a versatile condiment that adds real character to a variety of sauces, dressings, and dishes. © The Working Lunch Project
This recipe, Yellow Mustard With A Kick, makes the most of simple ingredients, prepared yellow mustard, mustard powder, and vinegar to create a creamy addition to mayonnaise, or other dressings.
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Course Multi-Use
Cuisine American
Prep Time 5 minutes
Passive Time 3 hours
Servings
1 (teaspoon) servings
Ingredients
Course Multi-Use
Cuisine American
Prep Time 5 minutes
Passive Time 3 hours
Servings
1 (teaspoon) servings
Ingredients
This recipe, Yellow Mustard With A Kick, makes the most of simple ingredients, prepared yellow mustard, mustard powder, and vinegar to create a creamy addition to mayonnaise, or other dressings.
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Rating: 0
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Instructions
  1. In a small bowl, thoroughly combine all ingredients.
  2. Cover, refrigerate, and allow flavors to develop several hours.
  3. Check the mustard for consistency — if mixture is too thick, add small drops of water until the desired texture is achieved.
  4. Transfer to a small, screw top jar and store in refrigerator. Keeps several weeks or more, as long as nothing errant makes its way into the jar.
Recipe Notes

Nutritional facts per serving:

10 calories

0.6g fat

29mg sodium

0.5g carbs

0.1g fiber

0.5g protein

 

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Chinese Tea Eggs (Slightly Non-Traditional)

Chinese Tea Eggs turn hard-boiled eggs into beautifully marbled jewels, perfumed with a tea and herbal infusion featuring star anise, green cardamom pods, cinnamon, fennel seed, and Chinese five spice powder.

Black tea is seasoned with soy sauce, and Chinese five spice powder.
Photo: Cynthia Dalton

Bored with the usual boiled egg for lunch? These Chinese Tea Eggs are anything but boring. These are fun to prepare and eat and although it is a three-step process, it’s easy to do, and the results are well worth the effort.

Chinese Tea Eggs begin with hardboiled eggs with evenly cracked shells (a decorative marble pattern will form later).
Photo: Cynthia Dalton

Step 1. Hard-boil 6 eggs (I actually boil up 7, in case one of the eggs ‘misfires’). Next, cool the eggs in an ice water bath until they can be held in your hands comfortably. Roll and gently tap the eggs until the shells are evenly and thoroughly cracked. Note: be careful to avoid breaking away large chunks of shell from the egg white underneath the shell.

Chinese Tea Eggs steep overnight in the refrigerator in a fragrant tea and spice bath.
Photo: Cynthia Dalton

Step 2. Create a fragrant broth with which to flavor the cracked eggs by simmering together: water, black tea, herbal tea, soy sauce, a touch of honey, star anise, cinnamon, green cardamom, fennel seed, Chinese five spice powder, and Szechuan peppercorns.

A word of warning though, if you taste this stuff straight out of the pot, it doesn’t taste very good. That’s part of the magic of these Chinese Tea Eggs — the flavor doesn’t develop until the whole thing sits together and marries. So, with this recipe, go by how it smells as it is simmering, and skip tasting it (ok, I would too, but you’ve been forwarned).

Step 3. Flavor the eggs by combining them with the hot tea mixture.

Here’s where I depart from tradition. In most recipes for tea eggs, the boiled eggs are usually re-boiled in the tea mixture. This results in a firmer texture to the eggs that I don’t personally enjoy.  My solution to this is to skip the additional boiling. Instead, I create the tea/soy/spice infusion, combine it with the cracked eggs, and steep the eggs overnight in the refrigerator. As a result, my version is a little more subtle in flavor — but not too subtle — because I make up for the shorter time on the stove by using a bit more flavorings than you might find in a typical recipe for tea eggs.

For a more traditional recipe, here’s an article you might like from Food 52 for tea eggs.

Chinese Tea Eggs are weighed-down with a small bowl to keep them submerged in a soy, spice, and tea infusion.
Photo: Cynthia Dalton

To be well-flavored, the eggs need to be completely submerged in the tea/soy/spice infusion. So, weigh-down the eggs with a small plate or bowl to make sure all the eggs stay submerged (they love to float) and properly infused with flavor.

Chinese Tea Eggs are served with Szechuan peppercorn salt.
Photo: Cynthia Dalton

Twenty-four hours later, the Chinese Tea Eggs are ready to be peeled and their uncommon flavor enjoyed. But it’s not just the flavor that’s so pleasing. Once the cracked shells are peeled away, each egg sports its own unique, beautiful, marbled effect.

These are delicious as is, but delicately dipped in Toasted Szechuan Peppercorn Salt they’re over-the-top.

Speaking of boiled eggs, here’s something fun from Food 52, The Mesmerizing Way Danny DeVito Peels a Hard-Boiled Egg.

I hope you have fun with these naturally high-protein, low-carb treats, that are perfect for a light breakfast, lunch, or snack.

Please share your thoughts about this recipe for Chinese Tea Eggs in the Comments section below.

 

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Chinese Tea Eggs (Slightly Non-Traditional)
This recipe for Chinese Tea Eggs calls for herbal tea. You can use whatever variety you like or have on hand but please choose a tea that includes a combination of ingredients along the lines of: hibiscus flowers, orange peel, cinnamon, lemon grass, and rose hips.© The Working Lunch Project
Black tea is seasoned with soy sauce, and Chinese five spice powder.
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Course Breakfast, Lunch, Snack
Cuisine Chinese
Prep Time 45 minutes
Passive Time 24 hours
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Course Breakfast, Lunch, Snack
Cuisine Chinese
Prep Time 45 minutes
Passive Time 24 hours
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Black tea is seasoned with soy sauce, and Chinese five spice powder.
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Instructions
  1. In a medium saucepan combine the eggs and salt and bring to a boil.
  2. Remove from heat, cover and allow to sit undisturbed for 13 minutes.
  3. Remove eggs from saucepan and immerse in an ice water bath to stop the cooking process.
  4. In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring all remaining ingredients to a boil over high heat.
  5. Turn the heat to the lowest setting that will still maintain a gentle simmer, and simmer for 45 minutes or until reduced by about half.
  6. Meanwhile, crack the hard-boiled eggs all around by tapping with a soup spoon and/or gently rolling the eggs on a countertop. You want an even, cracked pattern around each egg, but you don't want large bits of shell falling off each egg.
  7. Place the prepared eggs in a deep bowl big enough to hold them, hold a strainer over the bowl and the prepared eggs, and strain the hot tea infusion into the bowl to cover the eggs.
  8. Weigh down the eggs with a small plate or bowl and store in the refrigerator for 24 hours to allow the tea infusion to flavor the eggs.
  9. Peel the eggs and serve. Covered, these will keep in the refrigerator for several days.
Recipe Notes

Nutritional facts per serving:

73 calories

5g fat

212mg sodium

1g carbs

0g fiber

6g protein

 

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Brown Nut Bread

This recipe, Brown Nut Bread, is a mildly sweet combination of toasted walnuts, plump raisins, and citrusy orange zest. Welcome year round, it also makes a great alternative to Irish soda bread for St. Patrick’s Day.

Brown Nut Bread, perfect for toasting, slathered with butter.
Photo: Cynthia Dalton

I’ve had this recipe for years, having adapted it from a Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook, The Dieter’s Cookbook (1982 edition). It was hauntingly familiar to me from the beginning and apparently I come by it naturally.

I remember my Dad telling me that my ancestry is Scotch and Irish, my remote ancesters having left Scotland for the midlands of Ireland. And, busy lot that they seem to have been, they also found time to serve on several of the Crusades. At least, supposedly.

I have no idea if all of this is true for sure, or not, but something in the genes may explain why I love this stuff, and why I especially crave it toasted and slathered with Irish butter (it’s actually a low-fat recipe until I get at it). Does sound incriminating, doesn’t it?

In fact, this Brown Nut Bread is very similar to British brown breads I’ve tasted, although those breads are, more often than not, made with dates. not raisins.

It’s also reminiscent of Boston brown bread but without the cook having to get into the process of steaming the loaves.

At any rate, I’ve also been known to make a change of pace lunch of this by spreading  toasted slices with cream cheese I’ve flavored with orange zest, honey, and a dash of vanilla extract.

As I said earlier, I’ve been known to serve this bread instead of Irish soda bread on St. Patrick’s Day because this recipe has a larger yield — two nice, big loaves — if you’re feeding a crew as opposed to just a few people, this is a real plus.

Also, these can be made way in advance. The loaves freeze beautifully. Just take them out of the freezer and let them defrost at room temperature for several hours. I will say, I usually have this in my freezer, presliced, for easy toasting.

Whether you include this recipe for Brown Nut Bread in your St. Patrick’s Day Feast or stow it away in your freezer for quick breakfasts, lunches, or even snacks, I hope it  becomes a favorite of yours as well.

Let me know what you think in the Comments section below. In the meantime, enjoy!

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Brown Nut Bread
Homey, warming, and nostalgia-inducing, this Brown Nut Bread is quick to pull together and makes the house smell wonderful, and feel welcoming, while it's baking. © The Working Lunch Project
Brown Nut Bread, perfect for toasting, slathered with butter.
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Cuisine British
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50-55 minutes
Servings
servings per loaf
Ingredients
Cuisine British
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50-55 minutes
Servings
servings per loaf
Ingredients
Brown Nut Bread, perfect for toasting, slathered with butter.
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Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
  2. Spray two 8x4x2" loaf pans with vegetable cooking spray. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, mix together the first 4 ingredients (whole wheat flour through salt). Set aside.
  4. In a medium bowl, combine the next 6 ingredients (eggs through orange zest). Note: I like to finely zest the orange peel directly into the bowl of the wet ingredients to capture the essential oils from the peel as I zest. If you want to do this as well, instead of pre-zesting the orange peel and measuring a packed tablespoon, just thoroughly zest 2 good-sized oranges right into the bowl.
  5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and blend just until almost combined. Add the nuts and raisins and briefly stir to mix in the add-ins and finish combining the batter.
  6. Divide batter evenly between the two prepared loaf pans. Here's a trick I devised: to help the tops of each loaf rise attractively, use the handle of a wooden spoon to create a shallow indent down the middle of the top of each loaf lengthwise, from short end to short end. This helps prevent the naturally occuring crack on the top of each loaf from developing off-center, or on the side of the top of each loaf as they bake.
  7. Bake loaves on center rack of oven for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of each loaf comes out clean. Check the loaves toward the last 20 minutes of baking. I've always covered them loosely with foil at this point, to protect the tops of the loaves from over-browning.
  8. With oven mitts, carefully remove loaves from pans (they're hot) and cool loaves on a wire rack.
  9. Store each loaf in a plastic storage bag in the refrigerator. Use within a few days or freeze.
Recipe Notes

Nutritional facts per serving:

108 calories

2g fat

175mg sodium

21g carbs

2g fiber

3g protein

*Toast nuts on a rimmed baking sheet in a 350° F oven for 10-15 minutes, or until fragrant.

 

 

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Outrageous Chocolate Cookies

Chocolate, chocolate chip cookies.
Photo: Cynthia Dalton

It’s Valentine’s day, and that means I’m thinking all things chocolate.

These cookies were first published in Everyday Food in September 2003. This is my adaptation, using both semisweet chocolate and dark chocolate as well as instant espresso coffee.

The cookies travel well, making them ideal to take to the office to celebrate a special occasion, pack in a lunch for a welcome self-indulgence, or to take to a meeting to sweeten dispositions.

Like the brownies I shared in my previous post, these are even more pleasing with a big glass of ice-cold milk, or hot, black coffee.

Enjoy!

 

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Outrageous Chocolate Cookies
It's important not to over-bake these — they're supposed to be soft and chewy. They store nicely for several days in an airtight container at room temperature, although I do like to give them a few seconds in the microwave to bring them back to 'just-out-of-the-oven' perfection. Adapted from, Everyday Food, September 2003. © The Working Lunch Project
Chocolate, chocolate chip cookies.
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Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12-15 minutes
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12-15 minutes
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Chocolate, chocolate chip cookies.
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Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
  2. Line 2 baking sheets with a silicone mat each and set aside.
  3. In a saucepan over very low heat, melt chocolate and butter.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
  5. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, brown sugar, instant espresso coffee, and vanilla on high speed until fluffy and light. Beat in melted chocolated mixture.
  6. Fold in flour mixture until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
  7. Drop by heaping tablespoons 2 to 3 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. You should have 12 cookie dough mounds for each sheet.
  8. Bake cookies for 12 to 15 minutes, rotating sheets half way through baking time. The cookies should look crackly and shiny, with soft centers.
  9. Cool on baking sheets 10 minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store airtight, at room temperature, for several days.
Recipe Notes

Nutritional facts per serving:

174 calories

9g fat

71mg sodium

27g carbs

2g fiber

2g protein

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Basic Chocolate Brownies With Dark Chocolate Chips

Fudgy Chocolate Brownies
Photo: Cynthia Dalton

I love brownies. The darker and denser the better! But, I also like more cake-like versions, versions with nuts and other additions, or just unadulterated. I love them all.

This is a recipe from way back that I’ve continually tinkered with since I first got my hands on it, adding  dark chocolate chips and instant espresso coffee somewhere along the way.

The recipe is from Cook’s Country magazine,  the charter issue, and was republished in the San Diego Union-Tribune, in August 2005.

These cry out for either a cup of hot, strong, black coffee, or a tall, ice-cold glass of milk.

A truly grand afternoon snack!

With Valentine’s day coming up, it’s a good excuse to treat yourself to these timely indulgences, or surprise a special someone with an edible gift, and while your at it, you might want to share some with your coworkers — or not.

Here’s my adaptation of the original.

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Basic Chocolate Brownies With Dark Chocolate Chips
For chocolate lovers only, these brownies need to be cooled completely before cutting, but a single serving, run through a few seconds in the microwave, to warm, makes for some heavenly eating, right here on earth. © The Working Lunch Project
A chocolate brownie for a delicious snack or dessert.
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Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40-45 minutes
Passive Time 2 hours (cooling time)
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40-45 minutes
Passive Time 2 hours (cooling time)
Servings
servings
Ingredients
A chocolate brownie for a delicious snack or dessert.
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Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350° F
  2. Line an 8 inch square baking pan with foil and grease with some butter. Set aside.
  3. In a sauce pan over very low heat, melt together the unsweetened chocolate, butter, and espresso. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.
  4. In a small bowl, mix together the sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add to chocolate mixture in pan, along with the eggs and the vanilla extract. Whisk until well combined and beginning to look glossy. Fold in flour just until combined — do not over-mix.
  5. Stir in dark chocolate chips, and scrape batter into prepared pan, smoothing top and making sure batter is level and smoothed into each corner of the pan.
  6. Bake on middle rack of preheated oven 40-45 minutes, until the top looks slightly crackled and glossy, and a toothpick inserted half-way between the edge of the pan and the center of the pan comes out clean.
  7. Using the foil, lift brownies from pan, place on a cooling rack, and cover loosely with additional foil. Allow to cool 2 hours before cutting into 16 servings.
Recipe Notes

Nutritional facts per serving:

221 calories

14g fat

68mg sodium

27g carbs

2g fiber

2g protein

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Pickled Beets With Rosemary And Burgundy Wine

Full-flavored, earthy beets pair with fresh rosemary and red wine.
Photo: Cynthia Dalton

One cloudy, still, Sunday afternoon, when I was about ten years old, my parents came home from a farmstand hunt with several bunches of ruby-colored beets with the most luscious leafy greens I had ever seen.

Mom and Dad were downright triumphant over their find. In tandem, they paddled around the kitchen, perfect partners, happily and meticulously washing and peeling those jewel-like orbs, and lovingly bathing the sand from the unfurling greenery.

Soon, the dreary day mattered not at all. It was replaced by the fascination aroused by a big pot, atop the stove, sporting onions, garlic, bacon fat, beets, and beet greens. In no time at all, the house was filled with a smoky, earthy, perfume I’ll never forget.

Some people won’t touch beets, and I’m sure it’s because they’ve never been ‘properly introduced.’ I was properly introduced. Dinner that night was a simple but sublime feast, deeply flavored, tasting of the earth and sun, and all things good and real. Crusty french bread, dipped in the pot-liquor that pooled in the bottom of our soup bowls was a treat almost better than chocolate, that I will never forget.

That night, all was right with the world, and beets, even canned beets, will always be near and dear to my heart.

So, needless to say,  I usually have beets around in one form or another. And, here’s how one recipe can lead to another.  I  recently shared with you my recipe for Lentil Soup With Burgundy Wine and I had some wine leftover. While retrieving something from my pantry, I spied a lone can of low-sodium sliced beets (of course) and my mind made the connection — some fresh rosemary from the garden and I was in business.

Enter pickled beets with rosemary and burgundy wine.

With their robust earthiness, these grapey, herby slices add a little something special to any salad that includes any combination of meats, cheeses, and egg.

Give these a try — I think you’ll like them! Let me know in the Comments section below.

Print Recipe
Pickled Beets With Rosemary And Burgundy Wine
Quick to prepare, these taste great almost immediately, but a rest in the refrigerator to chill them, makes them even better. If your beets are not low-sodium, take the salt level down to just a pinch — you can always add more later, but at least you won't over do it to start with. You can easily double this recipe, but I think of beets as a 'mood piece' so I kept the yield small. © The Working Lunch Project
Full-flavored, earthy beets pair with fresh rosemary and red wine.
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Course Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine French
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 4 minutes
Passive Time 3 hours
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Course Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine French
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 4 minutes
Passive Time 3 hours
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Full-flavored, earthy beets pair with fresh rosemary and red wine.
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Instructions
  1. In a medium saucepan, bring the first 4 ingredients to a simmer and allow to reduce slightly, approximately 2 minutes.
  2. Add beets and fresh rosemary sprigs to the pan and increase the heat to bring liquids back up to a simmer. Simmer for 2 minutes.
  3. Remove from heat, make sure all the beets are spread out flat enough in the bottom of the pan to drink up their brine. Cover partially, and allow to cool to room temperature.
  4. When the beets are room temperature, transfer to a glass container, cover, and chill 3 hours or longer, to allow flavors to mellow and meld. Use within 1 week.
Recipe Notes

Nutritional facts per serving:

82 calories

0g fat

219mg sodium

9g carbs

1g fiber

0g protein

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Pickled Carrots Taco Shop Style

A healthy, crispy vegetable pickle.
Photo: Cynthia Dalton

Fred’s a friend of mine and one day we were going to be working together on a big project. We knew the day would be hectic with no time to cook, so on his way to my place, Fred stopped at his favorite taco shop for our lunchtime provisions.

Fred picked up a spread that included all the usual suspects — beans, rice, chili rellenos, and, of course, tacos.

Included in the feast was pickled carrots. The perfect counterpart to the richness of the meal, the pickles were an unexpected treat. At once, gently spicy, satisfyingly al dente, and meaty.

Needless to say, I had to try my hand at duplicating those little gems and if I do say so myself, I nailed it.

If you like carrots, and you like peppers, and you like pickles,  I think you’ll love these!

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Pickled Carrots Taco Shop Style
Bracing, with a spicy tang, these pickles make a great snack (especially with your favorite cheese). They are also a great addition to a variety of meals and they are a nice change of pace from chips with a sandwich. © The Working Lunch Project
A healthy, crispy vegetable pickle.
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Course Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine Mexican
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 7 minutes
Passive Time 3 hours
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Course Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine Mexican
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 7 minutes
Passive Time 3 hours
Servings
servings
Ingredients
A healthy, crispy vegetable pickle.
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Instructions
  1. In a medium saucepan, bring to a boil the first 7 ingredients (everything except the sliced carrots.
  2. Add the sliced carrots to the boiling mixture and reduce the heat to medium high.
  3. Simmer carrots uncovered for 7 minutes (for al dente).
  4. Remove from heat, cover the pot, and allow carrots to cool in their brine to room temperature.
  5. Transfer the pickled carrots and pickled pepper rounds with brine to a glass container, cover, and allow to chill several hours for flavors to meld. Keep refrigerated and use within 1 week.
Recipe Notes

Nutritional facts per serving:

37 calories

0g fat

468mg sodium

8g carbs

1g fiber

.5g protein

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