Everyday Green Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette

I made this fresh and crisp green salad to accompany our meal for Cinco de Mayo.  After dressing and tossing, when I took this picture, the carrots, cucumbers, and tomatoes seem to have disappeared!  But trust me, they were in that bowl of goodness and the entire bowl was empty by the end of our meal.

You can make the vinaigrette up to a week ahead.  Just let it come to room temperature and shake well to combine all the ingredients before dressing your salad.  The onions will pickle nicely in the vinegar and olive oil.  

Top with tortilla strips right before serving if you'd like a little extra crunch!

Vinaigrette:

1/3 cup distilled white vinegar

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup olive oil

1/2 t. Dijon mustard

1 garlic clove, minced or pressed

1/2 cup slivered red onion

1 1/2 t. kosher or coarse sea salt, or to taste

1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

1/2 t. sugar, or to taste

1 head butter or red leaf lettuce, leaves separated, rinsed, dried, and torn into bite-sized pieces

4 carrots (about 12 oz.) peeled and thinly sliced on the diagonal

1 large cucumber (about 12 oz.) peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and thinly sliced

2 ripe tomatoes (about 12 oz.), quartered, seeded and thinly sliced crosswise (or use cherry tomatoes)

1 large ripe Hass avocado, halved, pitted, meat scooped out and thinly sliced***

In a jar or a plastic container with a lid, combine the vinegar, oils, mustard, garlic onion salt, pepper, and sugar.  Cover tightly and shake 10 seconds, or until the vinaigrette is well emulsified.

Alternatively, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and mix with a whisk or fork, or blend in a blender or food processor.

Place the lettuce, carrots, cucumber, and tomatoes in a large salad bowl.  Pour in a generous amount of the vinaigrette and toss; the salad should be coated with the vinaigrette, but not drenched.

Arrange the avocado slices on the top, drizzle on a bit more vinaigrette and serve immediately.

***I didn't add avocado, due to my allergy of that fruit.

Recipe courtesy of Pati's Mexican Table by Pati Jinich