If you want more cancer-fighting, health-promoting, high-antioxidant, anti-inflammatory foods in your diet, this delightful summery salad is a great place to start. It combines brightly-colored beets–such a great source of vitamins and minerals–tangy red onions, immune-boosting garlic, and cool refreshing mint in a salad that is pretty to look at, delicious to eat, and fabulous for our health.

This is a perfect potluck or backyard barbecue offering, and it’s easy to make, too. Read the recipe for Minty Beet Salad here.

INGREDIENTS

5 cups beets, sliced into thin rounds
2 cups water
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely minced
Freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
Sprigs of fresh mint, for garnish

1. Place beets, water, and salt in a medium-sized pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer, cover, and allow beets to simmer for about 10 minutes until they are soft. Remove from heat, drain, and set aside.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Add the drained beets and stir together.

3. Chill salad for 1 or 2 hours to allow beets to absorb the flavors in the sauce. Scoop into a serving bowl and serve chilled. Garnish with a few sprigs of fresh mint.

Serves 4 to 6.