Quick Pickled Vegetables

Fermented foods get all the probiotic glory, but quick pickles offer their own gut benefits without the wait. The vinegar brine creates an acidic environment that supports digestive enzyme activity, whilst the raw vegetables retain their prebiotic fibre and enzymes that feed beneficial gut bacteria. It's not true fermentation, but it's a simple way to add gut-friendly foods to your routine without waiting weeks for sauerkraut to cure.

Ingredients (makes 2-3 jars):

• 2 Lebanese cucumbers, sliced into rounds

• 2 medium carrots, julienned or sliced into thin rounds

• 1 bunch radishes, thinly sliced

• 3 cloves garlic, smashed

• 1 tsp black peppercorns

• 1 tsp coriander seeds

• 1 cup white vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)

• 1 cup filtered water

• 2 tbsp sea salt

• 1 tbsp coconut sugar or raw honey (optional)

• Fresh dill or bay leaves (optional)

Method:

1. Prep the vegetables: Slice cucumbers, carrots, and radishes as evenly as possible. Pack them into clean glass jars along with garlic, peppercorns, coriander seeds, and any herbs you're using.

2. Make the brine: In a small saucepan, combine vinegar, water, salt, and sugar. Heat gently over medium heat, stirring until salt and sugar dissolve completely. Don't let it boil.

3. Pour and cool: Pour the warm brine over the vegetables, ensuring they're fully submerged. Leave about 1cm of space at the top. Let the jars cool to room temperature.

4. Refrigerate: Seal the jars and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, though they're better after 24 hours. They'll keep for 2-3 weeks in the fridge.

5. Serve: Drain and add to salads, grain bowls, sandwiches, or eat straight from the jar.

Serving Suggestions:

• Chop and toss through a Buddha bowl for crunch and tang

• Layer into a banh mi-style sandwich

• Serve alongside grilled fish or roasted chicken

• Add to a cheese board for contrast

• Mix into a simple rice bowl with avocado and sesame seeds

The Recipe’s Health Benefits:

• Vinegar: Supports stomach acid production and digestive enzyme activity. Apple cider vinegar in particular contains beneficial acids and trace probiotics from the "mother."

• Raw vegetables: Retain their natural enzymes and prebiotic fibres that feed beneficial gut bacteria, unlike cooked vegetables which lose some of these compounds.

• Variety of fibres: Each vegetable offers different types of fibre. Cucumbers provide soluble fibre, carrots contain pectin, and radishes contain compounds that support gut lining health and digestive function.

• Minimal added sugar: Unlike many shop-bought pickles loaded with unnecessary sweeteners, homemade versions let you control what goes in, keeping the focus on the vegetables and their natural gut-supporting compounds.

Product Spotlight

Gut health shows up everywhere: digestion, skin, mood, even how well you absorb nutrients. Pickled vegetables support the microbiome from the outside in, but real gut repair starts at the lining.

Vital Beauty Collagen delivers more than skin benefits. Collagen contains specific amino acids like glycine and glutamine that help repair and maintain the gut lining, reducing permeability (what people call "leaky gut") and supporting better nutrient absorption. A healthy gut lining means less inflammation, better digestion, and yes, clearer skin as a bonus.

Pair gut-friendly foods like quick pickles with collagen supplementation, and you're addressing both microbial balance and structural gut integrity, the foundation for everything else to work properly.