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GOODNESS
Carrots: We all know that carrots are good for your eyes, but did you know they have anti-cancer properties as well? They have the nicely named carotenoids that are antioxidents -- chemicals that mop up the damage that results from ordinary metabolism. That, in turn, helps to keep your cells from turning rogue and hanging with the cancer gangs. If that's not enough to make you grab a carrot, they turn out to be immune-system stimulators as well, meaning you'll have fewer occasions to ask "What's up, doc?" Yes there's a little sugar in them, but also a lot of fiber to buffer it, so only the most sugar-restricted people should worry. By the way, the vitamin K in carrots is easier to absorb if you eat them with a bit of oil or fat, like a dip.
Celery: Celery isn't just for Bloody Marys, although that's as close as many people get to this healthful veggie. Celery may have been used as a hangover cure in ancient Rome, but its real power lies in its ability to lower blood pressure and to keep your weight under control. If you have either of these problems (and they often travel together) you could do worse than grabbing a stalk of celery to chew on.
Mustard seed: Mustard is the seed of a type of brassica, making it a cousin to broccoli and cabbage. As such it loaded with powerful cancer fighters. We're not talking about the yellow American stuff that you find in ballparks (not always top quality), but the hearty seeds in your spice rack or what you might find in a quality condiment. The quality seeds are good for both your liver and your circulation.
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Recipe

Pickled Vegetables

serves
prep time: 10
cook time: 40

ingredients

  • pickling liquid
  • 2 1/2 cups distilled white vinegar
  • 3 cups water
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried hot red-pepper flakes
  •  ,
  • vegetables
  • 1 head cauliflower (2 pounds), trimmed and broken into 1- to 1.5 inch florets (1 1/2 quarts)
  • 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 4 carrots, cut diagonally into 0.5 inch-thick slices (2 cups)
  • 4 celery ribs, cut into 1 inch-thick slices (3 cups)
  • 1 cup drained bottled whole peperoncini (1/2 cup)
  • 1 cup large brine-cured green olives (preferably Sicilian, 3/4 cup)
  • 1/2 cup oil-cured black olives (3/4 cup)

directions

Make pickling liquid:

Bring pickling-liquid ingredients to a boil in a 3 quarts nonreactive saucepan over moderate heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Transfer to a 1 gallon nonreactive bowl and cool about 30 minutes.

Cook vegetables:

Bring about 1 1/2 gallons unsalted water to a boil in an 2 gallons pot. Have ready a large bowl of ice and cold water. Add cauliflower to pot and boil until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes, then transfer with a slotted spoon to ice bath to stop cooking. Cook remaining vegetables separately in same manner, allowing 4 minutes each for bell peppers and carrots and 2 minutes for celery. Drain vegetables in a colander and spread out on 2 large kitchen towels to dry.

Add cooked vegetables, peperoncini, and olives to pickling liquid. Weight vegetables with a plate to keep them submerged, then chill, covered, at least 1 day.

Cooks' notes:

Stainless steel, glass, and enameled cast iron are nonreactive, avoid pure aluminum and uncoated iron, which can impart an unpleasant taste to recipes with acidic ingredients.

Pickled vegetables keep, covered and chilled, 1 week.