Beet and Goat Cheese Salad

If you want to roast beets instead of using canned beets, refer to the instructions in the last paragraph of the post. :)Place the lettuce in a large bowl.Remove the pit and peel of a ripe avocado. Chop into small pieces and toss with lemon juice. Add to the lettuce.Drain the mandarin oranges and add those.Drain and rinse the whole beets. Allow to dry. (Depending on how many beets you want in the salad, you may only want to use half the can. I'm crazy about beets so we generally use 3/4ths the can in the salad and then eat the rest with dinner)Chop up the whole beets and add to the salad.Toss the salad with the dressing (see instructions below) and then add the toasted pistachios and crumbled feta or goat cheese.Do not toss the salad with the dressing until right ready to enjoy the salad. This salad doesn't store or sit well.Combine all of the ingredients except for the poppyseeds in a small blender or food processor (I used a Twister jar with my Blendtec). Blend and taste. Adjust to personal preference and then stir in the poppyseeds.Toss however much dressing you want with the salad. Leftover dressing will stay good up to a week in an airtight container in the fridge.If you aren't planning on eating this salad all in one sitting, do not toss all the ingredients together or toss with the dressing. If making it ahead of time, keep the lettuce separate, the dressing separate, and all the veggies/toppings separate. Toss all together right before enjoying.