Pickled vegetables are an excellent way to add flavour to your meals, especially if you're looking to lose weight.  Not only are pickles low in calories, but studies have also shown that adding vinegar to your diet can help keep you feeling fuller and more satisfied for longer.  And it's not just about weight loss:  other studies have shown that vinegar can lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels as well as blood pressure;  the pectin in apple cider vinegar can also help with constipation.  I used cucumbers, onions, and red jalapeños in this recipe, but feel free to experiment with other produce to see what kind of pickles you like best.  You can serve these pickles after a few hours in the fridge, but they taste best after a few days.  Read on for the recipe.

Ingredients

3 unpeeled small pickling cucumbers, thinly sliced

1 small white onion, thinly sliced

2 red jalapeños, seeded and sliced

½ cup sugar

½ cup white vinegar

½ cup organic apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon celery seeds

Directions

1. Layer cucumbers, jalapeños, and onion in a large sterilised jar;  set aside.
2. In a saucepan, heat sugar, vinegars, salt, mustard seeds, and celery seeds over medium heat, stirring just until sugar dissolves.
3. Pour vinegar mixture over cucumbers, jalapeños, and onion in jar and set aside to let cool.  Cover and refrigerate for at least several hours before serving.

Makes about 17 servings.  Nutritional info for one serving (about ¼ cup) is below.