Whole30 Cauliflower and Yam “Potato” Salad

November again. Thanksgiving approaches. This will be my second without Mama, my first with Derek in the picture. The planning begins: Cascade Heights, Curtis's house, the table that Mama built. Darnell is coming from Clarksville. Andre is flying from LA. Miss Ernestine will be delivered from assisted living. And this year, I'm inviting Derek. Not to stay — not for the full meal, not yet, that's a family-only table and Derek understands boundaries — but for dessert. After. A late-evening introduction to the Jackson family Thanksgiving that says: this man is part of my life and my life includes this table.

I told Curtis. He said, "The quiet one?" I said, "Yes, Daddy." He said, "He can come for pie." Pie. Curtis Jackson has granted Derek Washington permission to attend Thanksgiving for pie. This is the Jackson equivalent of a state dinner invitation. I will take it.

The food drive is underway. Third year running it. This year we're aiming for 120 families. The donations are coming in faster — the church has grown the program, the community knows about it, and a local business (a grocery store on Jonesboro Road) donated fifty turkeys. FIFTY. I called the manager to say thank you and she said, "My daughter is in your Set the Table program." I said, "Which one?" She said, "Faith." Faith, the fourteen-year-old who was referred by her school counselor. Faith's mother owns a grocery store and donated fifty turkeys because her daughter learned to cook on Saturday mornings in a church kitchen. The circle. The circle keeps widening.

Made sweet potato casserole for a test run — still with the pecan streusel, still without marshmallows, still mine. Added a touch of bourbon this year (don't tell the church). The bourbon gives it a warmth, a depth, a grown-up quality that marshmallows could never achieve. Curtis will not be told about the bourbon. Curtis will eat it and say "hm" and that will be the review and the bourbon will be our secret — mine and the casserole's.

The bourbon sweet potato casserole is locked in for the Jackson table — pecan streusel, Curtis’s unsuspecting approval, our secret intact. But when you’re feeding 120 families through a food drive and thinking about what lands on tables that aren’t yours, you start wanting a yam recipe that travels differently: lighter, no oven required at the last minute, something that holds up in a foil pan and still feels like care. This Whole30 cauliflower and yam salad has been my answer to that question — same sweet, earthy root vegetable, same warmth, just built for a different kind of giving.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 25 min | Total Time: 40 min + 30 min chill | Servings: 8

Ingredients

1 medium head cauliflower, cut into 1-inch florets
2 medium yams (about 1 1/2 lbs), peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
2 tablespoons avocado oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
1/3 cup Whole30-compliant avocado oil mayonnaise
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Whole30-compliant Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
3 stalks celery, finely diced
1/4 cup red onion, finely minced
3 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)
3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and roughly chopped

Instructions

Preheat and prep. Heat oven to 400°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Spread cauliflower florets and yam cubes in a single layer, drizzle with avocado oil, and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Toss to coat evenly.
Roast the vegetables. Roast for 22 to 26 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until yam is fork-tender and cauliflower edges are golden. Do not overcrowd — the vegetables should roast, not steam. Remove from oven and spread on a clean sheet to cool for 15 minutes.
Make the dressing. While the vegetables cool, whisk together the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, and smoked paprika in a large bowl until smooth. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
Combine. Add the slightly cooled cauliflower and yam to the dressing bowl along with the celery, red onion, parsley, and dill. Fold gently to coat without breaking up the yam cubes. Fold in the chopped hard-boiled eggs last.
Chill and serve. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to let the flavors come together. Taste once more for seasoning before plating. Garnish with a pinch of smoked paprika and a few extra parsley leaves if desired. Serves well cold or at room temperature.

Nutrition (per serving)

Whole30 Cauliflower and Yam “Potato” Salad — When the Sweet Potato Has More Than One Story to Tell