Insanely Tasty, Healthy Burger Salad

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground turkey (93% lean)*
• 8 cups romaine lettuce, chopped**
• 2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
• 2 cups white button mushrooms, chopped or diced
• 1 medium red onion, chopped or diced
• 1 English medium cucumber with skin, seeded,*** sliced and chopped into bite-sized cubes
• 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (full-fat or reduced-fat, optional)***
• 4 strips of bacon, pan-fried or oven-baked, sliced and chopped into tiny bits (see recipe, optional)
• 2 cups croutons, whole or crushed (see recipe, optional)****
• 1/2 cup Thousand Island dressing (see recipe, optional)
• 1 medium white or yellow onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2-3/4 teaspoon course salt, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste