By January cold. The lungs feel it, same as last year, same as every winter since the diagnosis. The morning cough, the scarf technique, the inhaler routine. Managed. I am a man who manages his lungs and cooks his food and walks his miles and the managing and the cooking and the walking are the three legs of the stool that holds my life up, and if one of them breaks the stool falls, so I don't let them break.
Made white bean soup with kale Tuesday. The healthy soup. The Diane-approved soup, full of vegetables and fiber and the kind of nutrition that a man with compromised lungs should eat, according to the articles Connie prints and leaves on the kitchen counter like passive-aggressive pamphlets. I eat the soup. I eat the kale. I don't complain because the kale is in a soup and the soup is hot and hot food in January is a non-negotiable comfort that overrides my opinion about kale, which is Betty's opinion, which is that kale is a garnish that people confused with food.
Earl Thomas turned two in April — wait, that was last year. He's approaching two and a half now, talking in full sentences, running everywhere, and has started asking why about everything, which is the age where the questions begin and never stop and the grandfather who can answer why is the grandfather who matters. Why is the sky blue. Why do beans take so long. Why does PawPaw cough in the morning. That last one I answered with because PawPaw worked in a place with a lot of dust and the dust stayed, and he accepted that the way two-year-olds accept explanations — completely, without follow-up, until next week when he'll ask again.
The bean soup does the heavy lifting most weeks, but I don’t make it every night—some nights I need something faster and simpler that still falls inside the lines of what a man with my history is supposed to eat. Baked cauliflower is that thing. Connie doesn’t have to print an article about cauliflower because cauliflower has never offended anyone, and Earl Thomas, who asks why about everything, has not yet thought to ask why about cauliflower, which I consider a gift. It roasts while I do the other managing, and when it comes out it’s hot, and in January hot is enough.
Baked Cauliflower
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into florets
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat oven. Heat oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly coat with nonstick spray.
- Prepare cauliflower. Cut the cauliflower head into evenly sized florets so they roast at the same rate. Pat dry with a paper towel—excess moisture is the enemy of browning.
- Season. In a large bowl, toss the florets with olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
- Arrange and roast. Spread florets in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between them. Roast for 25–30 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until edges are golden and the cauliflower is tender when pierced with a fork.
- Finish and serve. If using Parmesan, sprinkle it over the cauliflower in the last 3 minutes of roasting. Remove from oven, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve immediately.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 110 | Protein: 4g | Fat: 7g | Carbs: 9g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 190mg