Cranberry Walnut Kale Salad with Fresh Cranberry Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

4 oz fresh cranberries 1/3 cup water 2 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/4-1/2 cup olive oil 8 oz fresh kale (preferably Tuscan, and young leaves) 1 cup dried cranberries 1 cup walnuts 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion additional salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a small sauce pan, place fresh cranberries, water and sugar over medium heat. Let it come to a boil and once the first cranberry pops, simmer for about 5 minutes until all the cranberries pop open. Place in a blender and puree till smooth. Add the vinegar, mustard, lemon juice, salt and pepper and blend. Add the olive oil and blend again. Adjust seasoning if necessary.

2. Trim kale by removing stems/stalks and tearing the leaves into bit sized pieces. Toss in a bowl with dried cranberries, walnuts, red onion and just enough dressing to lightly coat the kale. Reserve remaining dressing until ready to serve. Cover and refrigerate the salad for at least half an hour, or overnight.

3. Serve with a light drizzle of additional dressing if desired.