Minted Beet Salad

Lunch

We have neighbors who share vegetables from their garden, and every year my husband and I look forward to their beets. My interest in Mediterranean food inspired this beet salad recipe—the vinegar and oil dressing with fresh mint will tone down the sweetness of the beets, and the kalamata olives add a salty touch.

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TOTAL TIME: Prep: 20 min. Cook: 15 min. + chilling
YIELD: 6 servings.

Ingredients

5 medium fresh beets (about 2 pounds)
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons champagne vinegar or rice vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, quartered
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh mint, divided

Instructions

1. Scrub beets; trim tops to 1 in. Place in a single layer in a large microwave-safe dish. Drizzle with water. Microwave, covered, on high until easily pierced with a fork, turning once, 14-15 minutes; let stand 5 minutes.
2. When cool enough to handle, peel and cut beets into 3/4-in. pieces. In a bowl, whisk vinegar, oil, salt and pepper until blended. Add olives, beets and 1 tablespoon mint; toss to coat. Refrigerate, covered, until cold, at least 1 hour. Top with remaining 1 tablespoon mint.

Nutrition Facts

1/2 cup: 123 calories, 6g fat (1g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 406mg sodium, 16g carbohydrate (12g sugars, 3g fiber), 3g protein.
Diabetic Exchanges:
1 vegetable, 1 fat.