pomegranate wonton salad

This is my twist on a salad my cousin Mindy chose for our family's 2010 Christmas Eve dinner. I loved it then, and decided to make it for dinner at my in-laws' house tonight. It was a hit. It's like salad candy.

Note: Salad ingredients are customizable - put in as much or as little as you like! Also, you can find the wonton wrappers (or egg roll wrappers - they're the same thing, but larger) and pomegranate arils (already removed from the pomegranate) in your grocer's refrigerated produce section. You can make your own candied walnuts, or buy them pre-glazed in the baking aisle. You can get a great bag of dried cherries at Costco, though the salad is great without them.

Also, add some chopped grilled chicken and this salad becomes a meal!

POM WONTON SALAD

Salad Ingredients:
3 heads romaine lettuce, rinsed
1 cup pomegranate arils
3/4 cup candied walnuts
1 pkg. feta cheese
2 handfuls dried cherries (optional)
1 large avocado, diced (optional)
wonton wrappers, cut into strips and fried

Dressing:
1/2 cup mayonnaise (try the low-cal olive oil kind or vegenaise)
1/2 cup sugar (or 2 Tbs. agave nectar + 2-3 packets raw stevia)
1/4 tsp celery salt
pinch celery seeds
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

DIRECTIONS:
Chop lettuce and place in large serving bowl. Top with pomegranates arils, walnuts, feta cheese and cherries. Toss. Place dressing ingredients in a jar (or other container with lid) and shake until well-combined. Serve wonton strips, avocado and dressing  on the side, as leftovers will not keep well if they are mixed in.

**Keep in mind that I have a LARGE family of in-laws, and this makes a huge salad. Adjust accordingly if you're cooking for a smaller group.

POST-EDIT: I have added lower-cal and lower-sugar substitute ideas in the dressing recipe. I have tried them, and the dressing tastes just as good!