Root vegetables are fall and winter’s best-kept secret. Packed with nutrients, natural sugars and starch, the humble root is a healthy and flavorful substitute for the ubiquitous russet potato and a superb way to get your vitamins and nutrients in the cold-weather season. A good peel of skin reveals a rainbow of antioxidant-rich colors ranging from magenta to ochre to buttery yellow, sure to brighten any gray day -- and your holiday table.

Feel free to mix and match roots, such as sweet potato, parsnip, rutabaga, carrot, celery root, and of course the dependable russet, to your taste and preference. Try to choose a balance of sweet and savory roots for even flavor, and mash them to your desired consistency. It’s OK if the mash is a little chunky -- it provides a nice rustic presentation.

This recipe calls for a combination of sour cream and Greek yogurt in the mash, which creates a balance of smooth richness and tangy lightness. So long as you use a combined amount of 1 cup, you can opt for all of one or the other.

Smashed Roots

Active Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

3 pounds mixed roots (such as 1 pound each of sweet potato, celery root and rutabaga)

Salt

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup whole-milk plain Greek yogurt

Freshly ground black pepper

Peel the root vegetables and cut into 1-inch chunks. Place the vegetables in a large pot with 2 teaspoons salt and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the vegetables are very tender, about 20 minutes.

Drain the vegetables and return them to the pot; cool 5 minutes. Add the garlic and butter and mash with a potato masher until the butter is melted. Add the sour cream and yogurt and continue to mash until the ingredients are blended and the mash is to your desired consistency (I like mine a little chunky). Add 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, taste for seasoning, and add more if desired.

Spoon into a serving bowl and serve warm.

Prepare ahead:

The mash may be prepared up to 1 day in advance of serving. Cool completely and transfer to a buttered gratin dish. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Remove from refrigerator 1 hour before serving.

To reheat, heat the oven to 325 degrees. Dot the top of the mash with about 1 tablespoon of finely diced butter and cover with foil. Bake in the oven until heated through, 30 to 40 minutes.

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This festive trifle will carry you through the holidays -- it’s a great do-ahead dessert with show-stopping results. Buttermilk pound cake is blanketed with layers of cranberry compote, orange-infused mascarpone cream and candied walnuts. Each bite is light and airy with the pop of sweet-tart cranberries and the crunch of cinnamon-dusted nuts, so be sure to get a little bit of everything in every spoonful.

Don’t let the length of this recipe deter you. It’s composed of several separate short recipes for each component that can (and should) be prepared well in advance of assembling the trifle, and the trifle can also be assembled in advance of serving. This will leave you with plenty of time to wrestle with that turkey.

Cranberry Orange Trifle With Candied Walnuts

Assembly Time: 20 minutes

Yield: Makes one large trifle, serving 8 to 10; or 8 individual trifles

1 buttermilk pound cake loaf (recipe follows or store-bought)

Cranberry Compote (recipe follows)

Orange Mascarpone Cream (recipe follows)

Candied Walnuts (recipe follows)

Finely grated orange zest, for garnish

Cut the pound cake into 3/4-inch cubes. Set aside a few whole cranberries from the compote for garnish.

Pour a thin layer of cranberry compote into the bottom of the trifle dish or individual serving glasses. Arrange a layer of pound cake over the compote. Top with a layer of cream. Sprinkle a few of the nuts over the cream.

Repeat the layering process, finishing with a layer of cream and nuts. Garnish with the reserved cranberries and finely grated orange zest.

Serve immediately or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 6 hours before serving.

(Optional: Brush each layer of pound cake with Cointreau or Gran Marnier for an adult version of this dessert.)

Buttermilk Pound Cake

Active Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes

Yield: Makes 1 loaf

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

3 large eggs, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment and butter the parchment.

Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl and set aside.

Cream the sugar and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla.

Add half of the flour, then the buttermilk, and then the remaining flour, mixing to combine after each addition.

Pour into the loaf pan. Bake until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes clean, about 55 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool 10 minutes. Invert the cake onto a rack and cool completely.

(The pound cake may be prepared up to 2 days in advance. Wrap with plastic and refrigerate until use.)

Cranberry Compote

Active Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Yield: Makes about 1 3/4 cups

12 ounces cranberries, fresh or frozen

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of salt

Combine all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the cranberries pop and release their juices, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and cool completely.

(The compote may be prepared up to 2 days in advance. Refrigerate until use.)

Candied Walnuts

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Yield: Makes about 1 1/2 cups

1 1/2 cups walnut halves

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking tray with parchment. Spread the walnuts on a separate baking tray and bake 10 minutes.

Heat the sugar over medium heat in a small saucepan. As soon as it begins to dissolve, stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar liquefies and is amber in color.

Immediately add the walnuts, salt and cinnamon and stir to coat. Remove from the heat and spread the walnuts on the parchment-lined baking tray. Cool completely, and then break into coarse pieces.

(The nuts may be prepared up to 1 week in advance. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.)

Orange Mascarpone Cream

Active Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Yield: Makes about 3 cups

8 ounces mascarpone cheese, chilled

1 1/2 cups heavy cream, chilled

1/4 cup sifted powdered sugar

1 tablespoon orange-flavored liqueur, such as Cointreau (optional)

1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest, plus extra for garnish

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Add the mascarpone to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a wire attachment and mix on medium-low speed to soften.

With the machine running, slowly add the heavy cream and mix to combine. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until soft peaks form.

Add the sugar, liqueur (if using), orange zest and vanilla, and beat until stiff peaks form.

(The cream may be prepared up to 6 hours in advance of assembling the trifle. Cover and refrigerate.)

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

I don’t bake muffins often, but when I do, I try to make them healthy and have them on hand for an easy breakfast or a snack. My issue with muffins is that they often resemble mini-cakes, packed with sugar and fat. To some extent, this can't be avoided if you wish to eat a muffin that doesn't resemble a hockey puck or bird food.

But I adjust, reducing some of the sugar and fat and adding healthy grains or cereals, fruit and nuts to the batter. I also add grated fruit, which is a key ingredient for natural sweetness and moisture.

Grated apple is the star of this recipe, which also includes raisins, chopped nuts and oats for extra fiber. As muffins go, they are reasonably healthy, while sufficiently naughty to indulge a craving for something moist and sweet. You can tweak this recipe if you like -- just make sure to follow the ratios. In place of apple, try adding grated carrot, zucchini or pear; and bran can be substituted for the oats. There’s no need to peel the fruit. The nutrients in the skin add a little extra healthy boost -- I’ll take my small victories where I can.

Apple Oat Muffins

Active Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Yield: Makes 12 (2 1/2-inch) muffins

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs, room temperature

1/4 cup unsulphured molasses

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup old-fashioned oats

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup raisins

1 medium sweet and crisp apple, such as Honey Crisp, grated, about 1 cup

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 12-muffin tin (or line with paper liners).

Mix the sugar and oil in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the molasses and vanilla, and then mix in the buttermilk.

Whisk the flour, oats, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a bowl. Add to the sugar mixture and mix on low speed until just combined, without overmixing. Stir in the raisins, apple and walnuts, if using.

Spoon the batter into the muffin tin or paper liners, filling them. Transfer to the oven and bake until a tester comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in the pan, then remove and cool the muffins completely on a rack. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS