Spinach Salad With Warm Cranberry Vinaigrette

I heard this recipe described on the Daily Dish by Annie Copps, senior food editor at Yankee Magazine. It sounded so good, I had to try it. It's become one of our favorite salads.

• Ready In: 25 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• Salad

• 1  red onion, sliced into thin rings
• 2  tablespoons olive oil
•  kosher salt or  sea salt
•  black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
• 1⁄2 cup dried cranberries
• 1 (6 ounce) package  Baby Spinach, washed and dried
• 1⁄2 cup  pumpkin seeds, shelled and lightly toasted (pepitas)

• Warm Cranberry Vinaigrette

• 1⁄4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2  teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1⁄4 teaspoon mustard powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt or 1⁄2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
• 1  small garlic clove, minced
• 2  tablespoons cranberry juice
• 2  teaspoons honey
• 1⁄2 cup walnut oil

Directions

1. In a medium pan over medium-high heat, saute onion in oil until softened and slightly carmelized, about 10 minutes.
2. Season with salt and pepper.
3. While onions are cooking, combine vinegar, mustard, mustard powder, salt, pepper, garlic, cranberry juice, and honey.
4. Toast pumpkin seeds lightly.
5. Add vinaigrette and dried cranberries to onions and heat through.
6. Place spinach in a salad bowl (note: I usually can only find 7oz packages of spinach), pour warmed vinaigrette mixture over salad, add pumpkin seeds, and toss lightly. Serve immediately.
7. Notes: this makes more than 4 servings, but the original recipe said 4. Once I didn't have any cranberry juice, so I used jellied cranberry, and it was fine - the dressing was a little thicker, but still very good!