Woot and we’re on break! The post-exam freedom is always surreal at first, but I’m so ready to swap the med school grind for some family time this Thanksgiving! While sparkly decorations, decadent foods, and gift-giving may steal the spotlight of the holiday season, at the core it’s a time to remind ourselves of the joys of life. I’m extremely grateful to be in good health (in fact we’re starting a new family tradition of exercising Thanksgiving morning! How did we not think of that before??), for supportive and loving family and friends, and for being a med student period. As the sign in my apartment building’s elevator puts it, “Every day may not be good, but there’s something good in every day.” On that note, I present to you something good to jumpstart your mornings! Bake them with family Thanksgiving night, and you’ll have moist yet spongy, mildly sweet yet tart sustenance awaiting you Black Friday morning.

Butternut Squash Apple Cranberry Muffins

Adapted from Family Food

Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups (180g) whole wheat flour
• 1/2 tbsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup butternut squash puree
• 1 cup unsweetened apple sauce
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup honey
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Dried cranberries
• Walnuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line muffin pan.
2. Combine dry ingredients together: flour thru salt.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the wet ingredients: butternut squash puree thru vanilla. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet.
4. Divide the batter evenly among the lined muffin wells. Top with cranberries and walnuts. Bake for 25 min or till a toothpick comes out clean.