Homemade dressings can be made in minutes, and if you make lots you can have lots of salad throughout the week. Simple or fancy, once you start making your own salad dressings, you will never go back to bottled.

I find dry roasting sturdy vegetables on a grill pan, without any oil or salt, to be a stirring way to dress up a hardy winter salad! Note how the vegetables are then steamed to finish cooking. Here’s one combination of vegetables that goes alongside any protein, such as steak, lamb chop, or chicken.

Here’s what can be done with a few kitchen staples, some cooked white beans, kale, and a Parmesan rind. Steps such as cooking down tomato paste for extra flavor, blending a portion of beans with stock for body and creaminess, adding a parmesan rind for rich & satiating deliciousness, sautéing the kale to tenderize it, and chopping fresh herbs for a punch of flavor & freshness, all may seem tedious but please take note as they are tips for achieving heightened flavor and texture, and ultimately a satiating dish.

This week I replicated the tomato soup I enjoyed while in France last month. I started by roasting the last of the tomatoes from my garden. My version is mildly spicy and quite satisfying.