Wash green leaf lettuce thoroughly under cold running water to remove any grit. Spin dry in a salad spinner or pat gently with clean towels until mostly dry. Tear leaves into bite-size pieces (about 1-2 inch pieces) and place in a large salad bowl. If using baby spinach, add to the bowl now.

Vegetables & Add-ins

Prepare the other vegetables: halve the cherry tomatoes, thinly slice the cucumber and red onion, julienne or shred the carrot, dice the avocado and place these in a separate bowl. If using nuts, toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant and lightly browned; cool briefly.

Add the prepared vegetables and toasted nuts to the bowl with the lettuce. Sprinkle chopped parsley or basil over the top. Gently toss to combine so the ingredients are distributed evenly but the lettuce leaves remain mostly intact.

Dressing

Make the dressing: in a small bowl or jar combine lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey (or maple), minced garlic, salt and pepper. Whisk or shake until combined. Slowly stream in the olive oil while whisking (or add to jar and shake vigorously) until the dressing is emulsified and slightly thickened.

Taste the dressing and adjust seasoning as needed — more lemon for acidity, more honey for sweetness, or a pinch more salt.

Dress the salad: drizzle about three-quarters of the dressing over the salad and gently toss with salad tongs until leaves are lightly coated. Add more dressing if desired, but avoid overdressing to keep the green leaf lettuce crisp.

Finish and serve: season with the remaining 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper to taste if needed. Serve immediately so the lettuce stays crisp.