Romaine & Avocado Salad

This salad is a good healthy start for any meal. It is a quick and easy way to add flavor and nutrition to your meal all year round. The light dressing makes this salad lower in fat than most without losing flavor.

Prep and Cook Time: 10 minutes Ingredients:
1 large head romaine lettuce, outside leaves discarded
1 large tomato chopped
1 small red bell pepper cut in thin julienne, 1 inch long
1/2 small avocado cut into chunks
*Optional: 2 TBS coarsely chopped walnuts

Dressing
2 TBS lemon juice
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
extra virgin olive oil to taste
Salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Directions:
Remove outer leaves of lettuce heads and discard. Cut off tops of leaves and discard. Tops are bitter. Chop remaining inner leaves. Rinse in cold water, and if you have a salad spinner, spin lettuce to dry. If you don't have one, remove as much water as possible in a colander and then dry with paper towels. This will keep the flavor of the salad from getting diluted.

Whisk together lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl and toss with salad greens. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts if desired.