Make appropriate cuts to the vegetables, with olives reserved separately, and measure out ingredients for the brine. Place vegetables, except for olives, into a heat-safe container and have another container ready that can easily fit on top to weigh the vegetables down at the end.
In a saucepan, or in a microwave-safe container, bring all of the ingredients in the brine to a boil. Pour the boiling brine over the vegetables, and top with the other container. If the mixture is close to the top, you may want to put it in a pan in case of overflow. If you need a little more weight, you can add a little water to the top container.
Let the pickling vegetables sit out at room temperature until they cool slightly (20 to 30 minutes). Once they are cool enough to safely handle, move them to the refrigerator. Keep in the refrigerator for a minimum of five to six hours until cool, but overnight to 24 hours is best.
Once the pickled veggies have cooled, transfer them to a large bowl and stir in the chopped olives and olive oil. Taste as you go and stop when you get to your desired balance of acid and fat. You can season to taste with salt, pepper or more pepper flakes as desired. If you feel like you would like a little more moisture in your olive salad, add some olive juice.
Once you are happy with the taste and viscosity of your olive salad, transfer it to jars or other storage containers. The salad will store for a month or more in the refrigerator.