On hot days, like the ones we are having now (103 degrees where I live yesterday!), all I want for dinner is a nice cold vegetables salad with something like grilled chicken, seafood or tofu. I came up with this version for last night's dinner and it came out great.

Ingredients:

4 golden beets
2 medium heads of broccoli
2 medium peaches
1/4 cup olives
1/4 cup of walnuts
1 tablespoon of apples cider vinegar
Juice from one lemon
1-2 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Serves four.

Preparation:

Boil beets fro 30 to 40 minutes, until tender
Place them in a bowl with cold water and slide the outer skin off them, it will come of very easily.
Cut beets into thin rounds, place in bowl and drizzle with apple cider vinegar and lemon juice while hot. Place them in the fridge to chill.
Cut broccoli into small crown pieces, steam until tender, place in fridge to chill.
Let the veggies chill for 15 to 20 minutes.
Cut peaches in to bite size chunks
Gently mix broccoli, beets, peaches, walnuts and olives.
Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, season with salt and pepper.

Note: drizzling hot beets with vinegar and lemon juice makes them taste less earthy and sweeter. As a result even people who usually dislike beets find them tasty.