Here’s a cake you can serve for the holidays and feel good about it, as it’s full of fruits and veggies. And don’t be nervous about the amount as they all blend in and bake nicely. The recipe calls for a 9 x 9 pan; I have an 8 x 8 and a 10 x 10 so used the larger. The cake came out a little short so I would recommend using a 9 x 9. The recipe is from Edible, A Celebration of Local Foods.

• 2 large carrots, finely shredded or grated
• 1 large parsnip, finely shredded or grated
• 1 medium zucchini, finely shredded or grated
• 1 tart apple, peeled, cored, and finely shredded or grated
• 1 1/4  cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup grapeseed oil, or another neutral-flavored oil
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, optional

Cider-Cinnamon Frosting

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons apple cider
• 1 cup powered sugar, plus more if needed
• Pinch of ground cinnamon, plus more if needed, and 1/4 teaspoon for garnish
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, optional

For the cake:  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 9 inch square baking pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper; set aside.

In a medium bowl, toss together the carrots, parsnips, zucchini, and apple; set aside.

In another medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and frothy. Add the oil and vanilla, and whisk until blended. Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and stir using a rubber spatula until just combined. Add the shredded vegetables, apple and the nuts, if using, and stir until they are completely coated with the batter. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.

Bake on the middle oven rack until the cake is uniformly brown and quite firm when lightly touched in the center, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes. Let cool on a rack for 15 minutes, then invert onto another cooling rack. Peel off the parchment paper and invert back onto a rack to continue cooling for at least 1 hour.

For the cider-cinnamon frosting:  In a small bowl, add the butter, cream cheese and apple cider. Using a hand mixer (or paddle on a stand mixer) whip together on medium speed until very smooth, about 3 minutes. At low speed, slowly add the powdered sugar and cinnamon and beat until blended. Taste the frosting and add more powered sugar or cinnamon as needed.

Spread the frosting evenly over the top of the cake, and on the sides if desired. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon and nuts, if using. Cover the cake in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (poke several toothpicks in the cake to keep the plastic wrap from sticking). Serve chilled. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator.

Serves 16

• 7 good quality eggs
• 1/2 teaspoons curry powder (your favorite)
• 3 tablespoons Greek plain yogurt
• 2 big pinches of salt
• 1/2 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 medium apple, chopped
• 1/4 cup almonds, toasted and chopped
• 1 small bunch of chives, minced

First off, you need to boil the eggs properly (the key to good egg salad!). Place the eggs in a pot and cover with cold water by a 1/2-inch or so. Bring to a gentle boil. Now turn off the heat, cover, and let sit for exactly seven minutes. Have a big bowl of ice water ready and when the eggs are done cooking and place them in the ice bath for three minutes or so - long enough to stop the cooking.

While the eggs are boiling and cooling, combine the yogurt, curry powder and salt in a tiny bowl. Set aside.

Crack and peel each egg, and place in a medium mixing bowl. Add the curried yogurt, onions, apple, pecans, and chives. Now mash with a fork. Don’t overdo it, you want the egg mixture to have some texture. If you need to add a bit more plain yogurt to moisten up the mixture a bit, go for it a bit at a time. taste and add more salt if needed. Enjoy as-is, or served wrapped in lettuce or between two slices of good, toasted bread.

Serves 3-4