How to make Garden Salad

Cut the Romaine lettuce into four sections and chop it up, discarding the core.

Fill a salad spinner bowl with cold water and add the chopped Romaine lettuce to clean it.

Remove the strainer from the water, place it in the salad spinner bowl, cover, and spin to remove excess water.

Rinse the cucumber, tomatoes, avocados, and carrots.

Cut the cucumber into quarter slices, using only half of it.

Cut the Roma tomatoes into quarter slices, using two tomatoes.

Chop half of the purple onion into medium-sized chunks.

Shred two carrots.

Prepare the avocados by removing the stem, cutting them in half, removing the seed, and scooping out the insides to cut into medium-sized chunks.

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Melt 1/2 cup of organic butter and blend it with 3 cloves of garlic in a food processor for about 1 minute.

Cut the Italian bread in half and slice 4 to 5 slices thickly for croutons.

Spread the garlic butter mixture on both sides of each slice of bread and cut into medium-sized cubes.

Add the bread cubes to a baking pan and spread them evenly.

Bake the croutons in the preheated oven for about 7 minutes, then let them cool completely.

In a large bowl, add 5 cups of Romaine lettuce, 2/3 cup of quartered tomatoes, 1/2 cup of sliced cucumber, 1/2 cup of chopped purple onion, 1/2 cup of shredded carrots, and 2/3 cup of whole black olives, tossing after each addition.

Add 2/3 cup of croutons and toss again, or save them for later.

Add 2/3 cup of fresh avocado, tossing or saving for garnish.

Transfer the salad to a smaller bowl for storage in the refrigerator for up to four days.

Drizzle light ranch dressing on top before serving.

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary