Only 86 calories per serving!

By Mark Hyman, MD   –   Cleveland Clinic

Stewed leek and carrot slices in frying pan with jalapenos and vegetable oil on the wood table

This quick and simple recipe is the perfect vegetable side dish that uses jalapenos to spice up any meal. The jalapenos, ginger and garlic are especially aromatic as you cook.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 cups carrots, sliced
3 shallots, sliced into thick rings
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1/2 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded and minced
1/2 teaspoon Chinese Five Spice
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 green onions, thinly sliced

Directions

1. Mince the jalapeños, ginger and garlic. Slice the shallots into rings.
2. In a large sauce pan heat olive oil over medium-high heat and add the carrots and shallots.
3. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, then add the garlic, ginger, jalapeños, Chinese Five Spice, salt and red pepper flakes.
4. Sauté for 4 to 5 more minutes and add the green onion to finish. Carrots should be tender but still crisp in the center.

Chef’s notes: If Chinese Five Spice is not available, you can simply leave it out. However, if you can find this seasoning, it adds a flavorful touch to the dish. To peel ginger quickly and safely use the edge of a small spoon and scrape the peel away from the ginger root to remove all the skin before chopping.

Nutrition information

Each serving (1/4 of dish) contains:

Calories 86
Fat 4g
Saturated fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg
Fiber 2g
Protein 1g
Carbohydrate13g
Sodium 346mg

By Ree Drummond   –   Today.com

Nathan Congleton / TODAY
These BBQ Sliders use pickled jalapeno slices to spice them up.

• From inmamamaggieskitchen.com

Balsamic Jalapeno Steak

2 pounds steak

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 jalapeños, finely diced

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

5 cloves of garlic, finely diced

Trim any visible fat. Place steak in a resealable plastic bag. Add all the ingredients. Turn to coat all sides of the meat with the marinade. Let sit in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. Overnight is best. When ready to cook, take the meat out of the refrigerator. Heat the grill to 350-375 degrees, medium heat. Cook for 10-15 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness of the meat. Meat is done when the second side “bounces back” or the internal temperature 145 degrees for medium rare, 160 degrees for medium, 175 degrees well done. Let meat rest for 10 minutes in a foil tent before slicing.

By Beth Lipton

Homemade Pickle Popsicles are great for summer!

These days, you can find fancy ice pops at your local farmer’s market or grocery store in countless flavor combinations, and it’s not uncommon to see popsicles infused with everything from lavender to matcha to mint. One flavor you probably haven’t yet tried? Pickle juice popsicles.

Hear us out: Pickle juice is delicious and readily available, of course. And it contains electrolytes, which may help boost hydration, especially during the hot summer months. For additional health perks, opt for fermented pickles, such as Bubbies (not all store-bought pickles are fermented; some are soaked in brine). Research has suggested that fermented foods such as pickles, miso, and tempeh may help boost immunity.

One concern about using pickle juice in this way is that it can contain a lot of sodium, so we added fresh cucumber to make the recipe more hydrating (cucumbers are more than 95% water). The result is an easy-to-make, slightly tangy, refreshing, and unexpectedly delicious summer treat.

Pickle Popsicles Recipe

Yield: 2 1/2 cups of liquid, or approximately 6 popsicles

1 English cucumber (about 15 oz.), peeled, seeded, chopped
1 cup pickle juice
1/4 tsp. honey, optional

1. Combine cucumber and pickle juice in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.
2. Taste and season with honey (optional).
3. Pour into ice-pop molds and freeze.

You will need popsicle molds in order to make this recipe. I like Zoku Mini Pops Mold ($17; bedbathandbeyond.com). Don’t have pickle juice on hand, or want to try a different flavor? Sauerkraut juice would work well, too—you can use actual juice drained from fermented sauerkraut, or buy bottled sauerkraut juice

Reprinted from the Milwaukee Wisconsin Journal Sentinel article at www.jsonline.com.

From store receipt to the walls of their kitchens

Sophie Papendieck, born in 1876,was known for these mustard pickles; the family believes they were sold in the meat market owned by her husband, William, in Sheboygan. The family lived above the store, where they raised their six children.

Lisa Gutoski of Sheboygan got the recipe from her 85-year-old mother, Patricia Papendieck, whose husband was Sophie’s grandson. The recipe was written by Sophie on a store receipt.

“My Dad, William Papendieck, was very proud of his heritage and this recipe,” Gutoski wrote. “One year for a Christmas gift he decoupaged a copy of this original pickle recipe onto bread boards and gave them to all 10 of his children (yes, 10 kids!). This bread board now hangs proudly in all of our kitchens.”

Sophie Papendieck recorded her mustard pickle recipe on a store receipt. (Photo: Courtesy of Papendieck family)

The recipe here was fleshed out from the original, which had very little in the way of instructions. It was also safety-checked and further revised for us by master preserver Christina Ward, who additionally cautions: “When making pickling solutions, always cook with the lid on the pot. Evaporation will cause the solution to go out of balance and become too salty, too sweet, or too sour.”

Makes 12 to 16 pint jars

Cucumber brine solution:

• 4 quarts water
• 2 cups 100% pure salt (see note)
• 1 quart sliced unpeeled cucumbers

Vegetable brine solution:

• 2 quarts of water
• 2 teaspoons 100% pure salt

Vegetables:

• 1 quart peeled, pearl-size white onions (can substitute chopped white onion)
• 1 quart chopped green beans
• 1 quart chopped peeled carrots
• 1 quart chopped green tomatoes
• 1 large head of cauliflower, cut into small florets
• 1 large green bell pepper, chopped
• (Note: All vegetable pieces should be uniformly cut to approximately ½-inch pieces)

Pickling solution:

• 2 quarts white distilled or cider vinegar
• 3 ½ cups sugar
• 6 tablespoons ground mustard powder
• 1 ½ tablespoons ground turmeric

Prepare cucumber brine solution in a large, non-reactive bowl. Place cucumbers into brine solution. Cover bowl with a light kitchen towel. Set aside on kitchen counter or table for 24 hours.

In a large, non-reactive stockpot, mix water and salt for vegetable brine solution. Stir over medium heat until salt is dissolved and solution begins to boil. Cover pot and remove from heat.

Place chopped vegetable mix in a large, non-reactive stockpot. Pour heated vegetable brine solution over vegetables. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat, drain, and set vegetables aside.

Remove cucumbers from brine solution.

Make pickling solution: In large non-reactive stockpot, combine vinegar, sugar, mustard and turmeric. Bring to a boil while covered over medium heat, making sure that sugar is dissolved.

Remove from heat. Add cucumber slices and drained vegetables.

Ladle vegetable and pickling solution mixture into 12 to 16 clean pint canning jars. Add extra pickling solution from the pot to ensure that vegetables are completely covered and within the required ½-inch headspace. Poke down into jars to remove bubbles.

Put on lids and process in hot water bath 20 minutes.

Wait three weeks before using.

Note: Canning, kosher or sea salt all can be used — just be sure the label says 100% salt. Do not usetable salt.