Minty Beet and Mango Salad

BEET the heat with this lovely side dish that serves 4

INGREDIENTS:
2 1/2 cups chopped cooked beets (about 4-8 depending on size) *see
directions below
4 cups chopped mangoes (3/4” pieces), about 6 champagne mangoes
1/4 cup chopped mint
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
pinch of salt
pinch of cayenne

DIRECTIONS:
1. For the beets, remove greens and reserve for another use, leaving a 1-inch beet top. Wash beets thoroughly. Place beets in steamer basket set in large saucepan with 1 inch of water. Bring to boil; steam over high heat until beets can easily be pierced with thin knife, 30 to 45 minutes, depending on beet size. Reserve steaming liquid in a large liquid measuring cup. Cool beets slightly, and remove skins. You may want to use dish washing gloves while removing skins to avoid staining your hands. Chop into 3/4" pieces.
2. Mix the beets and the rest of the ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Refrigerate for at least twenty minutes Adjust seasoning to taste and serve.

*** Mint leaves are often used by campers to repel mosquitoes. Mint oil is also used as an environmentally-friendly insecticide because of its ability to kill common pests like wasps, hornets, ants and cockroaches. Mints are supposed to make good companion plants, repelling pest insects and attracting beneficial ones.
**Mint comes from the Latin word mentha, which is rooted in the Greek word minthe. In Greek mythology, Minthe, was a nymph who was transformed into a mint plant.
*Fresh mint leaves should be used immediately or stored up to a couple of days in plastic bags within a refrigerator.

Recipe by Cristina Paul