Garden Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

A great starter to any meal! (This makes enough for 4 people).
Ingredients:

• Green leaf lettuce, washed and drained (enough to make 6 cups when shredded)
• 4 hydroperfect tomatoes on the vine, washed (sold in a plastic package in the vegetable section of your grocery store)
• 1/2 large cucumber, washed, peeled and seeded
• 1/2 cup black olives
• 1/2 cup garbanzo beans (chick peas)
• 4 teaspoons chopped onion
• 2 rings canned pineapple in 100% juice (optional)
• 8 slices canned beets (optional)
• 1/2 cup roasted nuts (optional)

Dressing:

• 2 parts aged balsamic vinegar (use the best kind you can find)
• 1 part extra virgin olive oil
• Salt, pepper, garlic powder, and dried basil or parsley to taste

Directions:

1. Shred the lettuce and divide evenly among 4 prepared salad bowls (about 1.5 cups each).
2. Cut the tomatoes (1 each) and cucumber (1/8 of cucumber each) and add to the bowls.
3. Add 1/8 cup garbanzo beans, 1/8 cup black olives, and 1 teaspoon chopped onion to each bowl. If desired, add 1/2 ring of canned pineapple, 2 beet slices, and 1/8 cup roasted nuts to each bowl.
4. Sprinkle with a little bit of dressing when serving (add more if desired). ENJOY!!

Dressing:

1. Combine the olive oil, vinegar, and spices in a bottle.
2. Shake well before serving. (You can vary the amount of dressing you want, keeping the 2:1 vinegar to olive oil ratio).