Prep the produce: Slice the tomatoes into wedges, the cucumber into half-moons, and the red onion into thin slivers. Core and slice the bell pepper. Halve the cherry tomatoes if using. Roughly chop parsley or mint. Tear the romaine or rinse the mixed greens.

Quick lemon-herb dressing: In a small jar, combine 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, juice of half a lemon, 1/2 teaspoon Dijon, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, a pinch of red pepper flakes, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and several grinds of black pepper. Shake until emulsified. Adjust lemon and salt to taste.

Marinate the onions (fast): Toss the sliced red onion with 1–2 tablespoons of the dressing and set aside for 5 minutes to soften its bite.

Dress the chickpeas: In a bowl, combine chickpeas with 1 tablespoon olive oil, a squeeze of lemon, a pinch of salt, black pepper, and chopped parsley or mint. Stir in a few capers if you like briny flavor.

Assemble the platter: On a large board or platter, arrange greens as a base in one section. Fan out tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and cherry tomatoes in clusters. Add a mound of chickpeas, a pile of olives, and a few spoonfuls of roasted red peppers or artichokes if using.

Add the creamy elements: Place a generous bowl of hummus on the platter. Crumble or slice the feta and nestle it alongside. Drizzle both with a little olive oil and a pinch of oregano. If using avocado, slice and season with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon.

Finish with dressing: Drizzle some of the lemon-herb dressing over the veggies and chickpeas. Keep extra on the side for topping.

Warm the bread (optional, no-cook trick): If you don’t want heat, wrap pitas in a clean towel and let them sit on top of a sunny windowsill or near a warm spot for a few minutes. Or serve at room temp.

Serve: Let everyone build plates with greens, veggies, chickpeas, feta, olives, and generous swoops of hummus. Add bread for scooping. Finish with extra herbs and lemon wedges.