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.

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 ½-inch) pieces. Place chopped kale in a medium-size bowl.

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.

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.

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