Arugula and Olive Salad

Prep the Ingredients

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F. This is for making the croutons.
2. If you didn't purchase the triple-washed 14-ounce package of arugula, it's bath time. Wash the arugula (I prefer using my salad spinner) and remove any tough leaves and stems. Spin the leaves dry or use a kitchen towel.
3. Pit the olives unless you purchased pitted oil-cured black olives and cut them into ½-inch pieces, yielding about ½ a cup.
4. Trim the crust from the bread and cut it into ½ cubes.

Making the Croutons

1. Put the bread cubes into a bowl, and then add 1½ teaspoons of olive oil. Mix this up with your hands GENTLY so as not to end up with many breadcrumbs.
2. Place the oiled cubes on a baking tray and bake for 8-10 minutes until they are nicely browned. Remove and reserve for the salad.

Preparing the Dressing

1. In the bowl, you plan to serve the salad, add the lemon juice, olive oil, and salt & pepper. Whisk them all together.

Serving the Salad

1. When you are ready to serve, add the arugula to the bowl with the lemon dressing and toss. You can add the croutons and olives to this bowl or plate the greens on separate salad plates and top with croutons and olives—your choice.