Garden Salad Recipe

Prepare vegetables

Wash all produce thoroughly under cold running water. Spin or pat the mixed salad greens dry to remove excess moisture. Trim ends of cucumber and slice into 1/4-inch rounds or half-moons to yield about 1 cup. Thinly slice half a cup of red onion into rings or half-rings. Core, seed and thinly slice the bell pepper to yield about 1 cup. Chop or halve tomatoes to make 1 cup. If using fresh herbs, chop finely.

If using optional add-ins: crumble 1/4 cup feta or goat cheese and toast 2 tablespoons of nuts or seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring, until fragrant (2–3 minutes). Let cool.

Assemble salad just before serving: place 6 cups of mixed greens in a large bowl. Add cucumbers, onions, bell pepper, tomatoes and chopped herbs. Toss gently to combine.

Make the dressing: in a small bowl or jar combine 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice or red wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon honey (if using), 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.

Whisk or shake vigorously until the dressing emulsifies and becomes slightly thickened, about 20–30 seconds. Taste and adjust seasoning — add more salt, pepper or a splash more lemon/vinegar to balance.

Dress the salad: drizzle about half to two-thirds of the dressing over the assembled salad and toss gently to coat. Add more dressing as needed to taste. Sprinkle the toasted nuts/seeds and crumbled cheese over the top and give a final gentle toss or leave on top for presentation.