WW Sweet Heat Pickles

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These are crisp, tangy, with the perfect amount of kick of spice combined with a touch of sweetness, WW Sweet Heat Pickles. They are ideal to be added in sandwiches, burgers, wraps, or even as a snack after a quick jog. This one has plenty of large flavor and still manages to keep the calories and points at a minimum. This basic brine uses vinegar and an alternative sweetener to make an easy refrigerator pickle recipe that can be ready in hours but is even better after 24. So you can crunch into WW Sweet Heat Pickles to have the crunchiness you desire with the added spicy kick after taste that gives them a memorable bite.

STATS

  • Diet: Weight Watchers-friendly
  • Course: Side, Snack
  • Cuisine: American
  • Time for prep: 15 minutes
  • Cooking time: 0 minutes
  • Working time (total): 15 minutes (plus chilling)
  • Size/serving: 4 slices
  • Level of difficulty: Easy
  • Mode of cooking: No-cook (refrigeration)
  • Total yield: About 32 pickle slices

EQUIPMENT

  • Large mixing bowl
  • Sharp knife or mandoline slicer
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Medium saucepan
  • Glass jar with lid (quart size)

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 cups sliced cucumbers (about 2 medium)
  • 1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup white vinegar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar substitute (like monk fruit or stevia blend)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • One teaspoon of mustard seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • One-fourth teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (adjust for heat)

INGREDIENT NOTES

Cucumbers:

  • Fresh firm cucumbers always have the best crunch. Both English or pickling cucumbers will do fine. Not too seedy, crisper will come out.

Onion:

  • A bit of onion gives depth of flavor. There is a color burst with red onion and still mild flavour with the white one.

Vinegar:

  • Uncolored vinegar offers a crisp tang, but apple cider vinegar will give it a bit of an extra whiff of fruitiness.

Sugar alternative:

  • Sugar substitute enables pickles to be sweet without consumption of SmartPoints. Ensure it is heat-stable hence dissolve itself well in brine.

Salt:

  • Kosher salt is the best to use because it easily dissolves and does not give a bitter taste.

Mustard seeds:

  • Bring a mild tanginess and a mild earthy flavor.

Celery seeds:

  • Add that old fashioned pickle flavor that you are familiar with on deli pickles.

Turmeric:

  • Provides color, and some mellow light.

Crushed red pepper flakes:

  • The hot ingredient- add as much or as little as you like depending on your preference of hot food.

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Slice cucumbers and onions thinly and place them in a large mixing bowl.
  2. Add the vinegar, water, sugar replacement, salt, turmeric, celery seeds, mustard seeds, & crushed red pepper flakes to a medium pot.
  3. Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring to fully dissolve the salt & sweetener.
  4. Over the slices of cucumber & onion in the bowl, carefully pour the hot brine. To ensure even coating, stir.
  5. Give the mixture half an hour or more to cool to room temperature.
  6. Pour everything into a quart-sized glass jar, making sure the onions and cucumbers are completely submerged in the liquid.
  7. To allow the flavors to develop, cover and chill for at least 4 hours before serving. If you want the most taste, overnight is best.
  8. Serve cold as an accompaniment to your favorite WW-friendly dishes or as a snack.

TIPS

  • Cucumbers are cut into equal slices so that there is uniformity in the texture.
  • To decrease the level of heat, add only a pinch of the crushed red pepper.
  • To make them even crisper, soak cucumber slices in ice water for 30 minutes and then add brine.
  • Multiply the recipe by two again to make larger batches-these will store nicely in the fridge.

DATA STORAGE

Refrigerate:

  • Keep for a minimum of three weeks in the airtight jar. With time, the flavor might get stronger.

Freezer:

  • Not advised because freezing alters the pickles’ texture.

FAQS

May I use fresh dill in this?

  • Sure, you can pop in a few sprigs of fresh dill into it along with the sealing the jar technique just to make this extra herb-y.

Is the brine something that I need to heat?

  • Cooking allows the sweetener and the salt to completely dissolve and also draws out flavor in the spices.

Zero points for these pickles?

  • They can count as zero points according to your WW plan, provided you use a zero-calorie sweetener.

Do I have to use zucchini?

  • Yes, equally good spiced in the same brine, it is done with Zucchini slices.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Calories: 5
Protein: 0g
Carbohydrates: 1g
Dietary Fiber: 0g
Total Fat: 0g
Saturated Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 120mg
The total Weight Watchers points per serving for WW Sweet Heat Pickles Recipe is estimated at 0 points.