Did you know watermelon rind is edible? I had no idea! I remember growing up being told that eating the white part would give one stomachaches, so I avoided going past the pink area for at least two dozen years. At some point in the last decade I learned the rind is, in fact, edible, and have been meaning to give pickled watermelon rinds a go ever since!

The following recipe is a great way to use the rind and introduce your family to pickled watermelon. The flavors are reminiscent of dill pickles and are well-received by young and old alike. The next time you get a watermelon, give this recipe a go and tell me what you think!

1 Watermelon rind (washed, red flesh removed and cut into strips)
2-3 tablespoons of salt
Dill (sprigs or heads)
Garlic (2-3 cloves, or more if you like it!)
1 tbsp. whole peppercorns
1 tsp. mustard seed (optional)
1 Bay leaf
1 quart mason jar or fermentation vessel

INSTRUCTIONS:
Scrape the pink flesh from the watermelon rind. Peel the outer green skin from the watermelon rind. Cut the watermelon rind into 1-inch squares.
Prepare a light brine by combining 2-3 Tbsp. of salt and 1 quart of filtered water.
Place watermelon rind strips, garlic cloves, dill sprigs and any spices you desire into a mason jar or fermentation vessel. Fill up the remaining space in the jar with the salt solution. Use a wooden spoon to release any air bubbles trapped along the sides of the jar.
If necessary, weigh the rind pieces down under the brine. I use cabbage leaves and sterilized river stones to weigh my ferments (you can sterilize any rock that will fit in a mason jar by washing it well and putting it in the oven at 300 degrees or higher while you bake or roast dinner. I just keep my rock there when not in use).
Cover each jar with a tight lid, airlock lid to prevent oxygen from entering the culture.
Culture at room temperature (60-70°F is preferred) for 3-7 days, until desired taste is achieved. If using a tight lid, burp daily to release excess pressure.
Once the culture is finished, put a tight lid on the jar and move to cold storage. The flavor will continue to develop, albeit more slowly.

This is one of those recipes that emerged from beginning one thing and discovering it could not be done. I set out to make wine stewed apples, only to discover that the leftover wine had been poured down the sink. I wasn’t about to open a fresh bottle, since we have been struggling to get through a bottle of wine without it going bad for months now. So instead, I took all the apples I had already had and crafted an apple crisp from a conglomeration of recipes found online and my own flavor preferences. Here’s the result; tell me what you think!

• 5 medium sized apples, chopped into chunks (peel first, if desired)
• 1.5 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp Chinese five spice
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 tbsp coconut oil or butter, melted
• 3/4 cup gluten free rolled oats (NOT instant)
• 1/4 cup gluten-free flour
• 1/4 cup crystallized ginger, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
• 1/4 cup sucanat or date sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt

1. Place apples in the bottom of the instant pot.
   Add spices and maple syrup and stir to mix. Drizzle water over apples.
2. In a small bowl, add oats, flour, sweetener, ginger, walnuts, salt and melted fat. Mix well, then spoon on top of apples.
3. Set Instant Pot on manual for 5 minutes. Let pressure release naturally and sit for about five more minutes, so sauce can thicken.
4. Serve warm, with ice cream if desired.

Serves 4-5