We all need a comforting, vibrant meal to turn to just when it sets in that the holidays are over, and winter is here to stay. This recipe is a promise that there is so much to look forward to still.

Cumin- and lime-rubbed baked sweet potatoes burst open to reveal their vivid, creamy interiors before disappearing under a heaping mound of lime-spiked radish slaw and sour cream, with enough crunchy toppings to delight anyone in the deepest of winter doldrums. For maximum effect, choose a variety of sweet potato colors, such as orange, purple or yellow. If you can only find very large sweet potatoes, simply bake two instead of four.

Serve as a lunch, brunch or dinner — and remember, sometimes food tastes best eaten right off the sheet pan.

Baked Cumin-Lime Sweet Potatoes with Radish Slaw

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ teaspoon ground cumin

Zest from 1 lime

Coarse (or flaked) sea salt and pepper

4 small sweet potatoes

5 cups shredded cabbage

2 cups thinly sliced radish or purple daikon

1 bunch green onion, thinly sliced

1 jalapeño, seeded and thinly sliced

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Sour cream for topping

1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

For topping: toasted cumin seeds, toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas), sea salt flakes

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and drizzle it with the olive oil, ground cumin, lime zest and coarse salt and pepper.

Use a fork to poke holes into the skin of the sweet potato, and then rub the skins in the olive oil mixture on the parchment paper before placing it in the oven to bake for 1 hour, until the potato skin has puffed up, and you can easily pierce the sweet potatoes with a fork.

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Meanwhile, combine the cabbage, radish, green onion, jalapeño and lime juice in a large bowl and season generously with salt. Mix to combine and allow to sit while the sweet potato bakes, in order for the flavors to meld and the cabbage to soften slightly.

Cut a slit lengthwise along the top of each sweet potato and fluff up the insides a bit with a fork. Heap a generous mound of radish slaw over the top. Drizzle with sour cream and top with fresh cilantro, toasted cumin seeds, toasted pumpkin seeds and sea salt flakes. Serve immediately.

Registered dietitian and food writer Laura McLively is the author of “The Berkeley Bowl Cookbook.” Follow her at @myberkeleybowl and www.lauramclively.com.