Beetroot and lentil salad with random moments

My big sister is eating healthy these days.  I have been impressed at watching her salad making.  Perhaps it was the inspiration for this salad.  It was just the sort of thing we needed after a hot summer day.

It was a busy day.  Sylvia had her first sleepover at our place the previous night.  Her little cousin Ashy was just lovely.  In the morning they dressed in their princess dresses and played shops.  Then we went to the outdoor pool with a school friend where Sylvia found just how cold the water is when it is stinking hot.  (There were screams!)  In the evening we watched Star Wars.  It now always makes me think of a little swimming friend of Sylvia's who wanted to dress up as Jabba the Hut for her birthday party.  (Sadly she never did!)

I didn't watch all of Star Wars.  I was making salad.  But I kept an eye on it.  A classic movie.  I have watched it many times but always feel I was never paying enough attention the previous time.  (Why don't I remember the bit at the start with the uncle and aunt?)

The salad also seemed like the sort I have made many times and was easy to put together.  I had everything in the kitchen.  The capers were inspired by a friend who recently made us pizza with them on it and raved to me about using capers.  I really loved the yoghurt dressing.  I dolloped genteel amounts on my salad for the dressing.  But once served I added heaps more.  Even so there was leftover dressing to use for another salad.  This was a most satisfying yet light dinner with just a few other vegies on the side. 

Now I have a couple of random moments to share:

• I recently had a dream about a snake and a crocodile outside the house.  When I woke I was compelled to read the Drover's Wife by Henry Lawson.  I was horrified we didn't have a copy of this classic Australian short story.  Thank goodness for the trove of literature online.
• E really wanted to go and buy a CD on sale while on leave between Christmas and New Year.  Then he worked out he would save about $4 and pay about $6 to go into the city by train and decided it was not a bargain after all.
• Sylvia has been very keen to clean out the cupboards.  She told me I had promised to do it another day and didn't.  Then came the killer line: "You broke a promise and that's illegal."  Imagine how full the gaols would be if the police arrested everyone who didn't get around to their cleaning!

I am sending this salad to:

• Lisa for No Croutons Required, the monthly vegetarian salad and soup blog event that she hosts with Jacqueline.
• Shaheen for Eat Your Greens, an event for bloggers to share dishes using green vegies.
• Elizabeth for No Waste Food Challenge, an event to share dishes using ingredients that might otherwise have gone to waste.  I find salads great for using up odd vegies.  This salad also used up leftover yoghurt from a tub I had opened for haggis nachos.

Previously on Green Gourmet Giraffe:
One year ago: NCR Vegan caesar salad
Two years ago: Weekend samosa, nectarine marmalade, raitia and slice
Three years ago: What vegetarian is that?
Four years ago: Chocolate cake - the way mum made it
Five years ago: Tetris, the Foolish Hedgehog and Brunch
Six years ago: Miso Soup for after the feasting!
Seven years ago: Scrumptious Sugarfree Slice

NOTE TO WORDPRESS BLOGGERS: I seem to be having problems with commenting on WordPress - I know of at least one bloggers who says my comments were in her spam.  I am not sure if this is just me or a glitch in WordPress.  Any advice on this is welcome.

Beetroot and lentil salad with yoghurt dressing
Adapted from Gourmet Traveller
Serves 2 as a main meal

2 handfuls of baby spinach leaves
2 tbsp capers
400g tin of brown lentils, rinsed and drained
2 cooked and peeled beetroots, chopped
1 spring onion, chopped

Dressing:
1/2 cup yoghurt
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp seeded mustard
1 garlic clove
1-2 pinches salt
freshly ground black pepper

Arrange salad ingredients on large shallow salad bowl (I layered in the order they are written).  Whisk together all salad ingredients.  Drop spoonfuls of dressing on the salad and serve with more dressing on the side.

On the Stereo:
Country Christmas: Loretta Lynn