Lemon-Parmesan Vinaigrette & Lillian's go-to salad

For the salad:
1 pack spring mix (in this salad I used "herb mix" from Walmart and really liked it)
1/2 C loosely packed flat-leaf parsley, leaves only
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1/2 red onion, sliced as thin as possible
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 ~ 1/2 C sliced almonds (or any chopped nuts you like--hazelnuts are really good in this, too)
1/2 C dried cranberries, cherries, or blueberries (cranberries are my favorite)
1 firm bosc pear, sliced thin
1/4 C finely grated Parmesan cheese (I used Pecorino Romano instead, but any hard Italian cheese works well here)
Lemon-Parmesan dressing (recipe follows)

1. In a medium bowl, place the sliced onion and cover with cold water.  Let soak, draining and replacing the water as needed, for about 20~30 minutes, drain and set aside.  (This will remove the harsh bite that raw onions have, while maintaining good flavor and texture)
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Place the sliced almonds on a baking sheet in a single layer, and place in the preheated oven until lightly toasted and fragrant, about 10~15 minutes.  Let cool completely.
3. In a large serving bowl, combine all ingredients and toss with dressing just before serving.

For the dressing:
2 T fresh lemon juice (juice of about 1 lemon)
2 T red wine vinegar
1 T dijon mustard
coarse salt and fresh ground pepper--to taste
pinch of sugar or 1/8 t honey or agave nectar
3/4 C extra virgin olive oil (or a more neutral oil can work better, depending on the salad)
1/4 C fine grated Parmesan cheese

Place all the ingredients into a jar large enough to hold 1.5 C of liquid.  Shake until emulsified.  (or you can use a blender) Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.  Shake before using.