Step 1

Toast the pine nuts or seeds in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, till golden brown. Watch them carefully, they can easily go from brown to burned if you're not careful. As soon as they're toasted, remove them from the hot skillet to keep them from browning further.If your dried cranberries are super dry and not very soft, you can soak them in hot water for 5 minutes to plump and revive them. Drain the cranberries and pat dry before assembling the salad.

Step 2

Cut the thick stalk ends off of the kale, then chop the kale leaves into bite-sized pieces. You should end up with around 8-10 cups of kale leaves.

Step 3

Place the kale leaves into a salad bowl and pour the olive oil over them. Massage the olive oil into the kale with clean fingers for 2-3 minutes till the kale is softened and slightly wilted. This will help remove bitterness from the kale.

Step 4

Add the lemon juice, diced pear, cranberries, and toasted pine nuts to the bowl and sprinkle the salt evenly across the top. Toss the salad till well mixed.

Step 5

Let the salad sit for at least 5 minutes at room temperature. Toss again, then serve. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed Tupperware dish for up to 2 days.