Confession: I am a pickle addict.  Given my own way, I'd pickle anything...and that's not even getting into my current obsession with a good dirty martini made with my homemade pickling juice.  So naturally, I always like to have a jar of quick pickled veggies on hand.  They are healthier than the store bought varieties (read: less salt and other additives), you can choose your own seasonings, and they are a great way to spice up anything from a simple sandwich to an impromptu salad.  They even make a great appetizer on their own or with a little aged Gouda. Yum! 

Feel free to experiment with the veggies and spices you have on hand.  I've done this with just beets when I had too many on hand and swapped out the coriander with dill seed (or put in both!).  Or if you don't have apple cider vinegar on hand, swap it out with white vinegar.  Make sure to get organic veggies, too--you don't want the pesticides of non-organic veggies soaking in your brine.  Your local farmers market is a good place to get the ingredients.

Ingredients:

1 cup apple cider vinegar

1 cup water

1 yellow onion

6-8 radishes

1 cucumber

2 carrots

2 garlic cloves

1 teaspoon considerate seeds

1 teaspoon red chile flakes

1 teaspoon sea salt

Thinly slice all veggies and mix them up in a large bowl.  In a small saucepan, bring vinegar, water, spices, and salt to a boil (about 10 minutes on medium heat).  Remove saucepan from heat and let liquids cool for about 10 minutes.  While the liquids are still warm, pour over sliced veggies. Let sit until completely cooled then divide the veggies and brine equally into 2+ mason jars.  Store in fridge.  These pickles will be ready to eat in two hours but can last up to two weeks in the fridge.  Enjoy!