Pear and Pomegranate Kale Salad

Step 1

Combine all ingredients together in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Cover and shake well. Shake again before adding to the salad.

Step 2

Combine dried cranberries and water in a microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup. Cover with microwave-safe plastic wrap and place in microwave for 1 minute on high power. Set aside to cool.

Step 3

Remove any remaining stems and finely chop the into very thin strips by bunching the kale together between your fingers and slicing thinly. Cut it a couple times, going in the other direction. You want the results to kale that’s chopped into small (about 1/2-inch) pieces. Place chopped kale in a medium-size bowl.

Step 4

Drizzle 3 tablespoons of the dressing over the chopped kale. With your fingertips, massage the kale for 2-3 minutes, or until all the kale has been coated with dressing and softens. You will also see a color change from dull to bright green.

Step 5

Add the dried cranberries and most of the parmesan cheese, drained pomegranate arils and sunflower seeds. Toss the diced pears with 1 tablespoon of the dressing and add pears to salad. Stir to combine. Salad can be refrigerated at this point for an hour or two.

Step 6

Just before serving, garnish with the reserved cheese, pomegranate arils and sunflower seeds. Serve extra dressing at the table.