Apple Cinnamon + Brown Sugar Pull-Apart Bread

get it together.

Apple Cinnamon + Brown Sugar

Pull-Apart Bread.



Sometimes things fall apart.
Life gets overwhelmingly garbage-y and the impulse is to assume the defensive position, remain static, and hope nobody notices.
Because one can only handle so many
metaphorical kicks to the crotch...
But sometimes everything comes together in the most inconceivably, ridiculously perfect way possible.
So inconceivably, ridiculously perfect that a "cynical is my default position" person such as myself would suspect an elaborately staged practical joke before believing the truth.
Out of the blue, life got really good.
Then there was this bread.
Keep pushing through the gray, you guys.
There's sweet stuff under all those layers.

Get it together, pull it apart.

Cinnamon-Oat Crumble Stuffed Baked Apples

baking things inside of things.

Cinnamon-Oat Crumble
Stuffed Baked Apples.

again and again and again.

If I read (or consider writing) one more "tis the season" post I may vomit in protest. 

The seasons are changing, leaves are falling, it's cold all the time, we all get it. 

That being said... the "cooking things inside of other things" time of year is inevitably upon us. 

Most of these things inside of things fall into the traditionally squash-based category or the profoundly horrifying category (Turducken, anyone? Of course not, because it's fucking disgusting). 

Now I'm not much of a stuffed squash person and my views on the other thing should be abundantly clear, but there is something about the concept that feels kind of right. 

Putting foods inside of other foods seems appropriate as we're stuffing ourselves inside of long sleeve shirts inside of sweaters inside of coats. 

So bake this cinnamon-oat crumble inside of apples. 

It's like a winter coat for your insides. 

Plus it's a dessert you can eat for breakfast and we all need more of that in our lives these days.

soon to be much less colorful.

fallen.

Cinnamon-Oat Crumble Stuffed Baked Apples

(serves 5-6)

5-6 medium sized apples* (I use a mix of macintosh and cortland)

*make sure the apples will fit tightly into your baking dish, I use a 9" square 

which fits 5-6 depending on their size

1/2c vegan butter

1/2c unrefined sugar

1/4c light brown sugar

1/4c whole wheat pastry flour

3/4c rolled oats

2tsp ground cinnamon

1/2tsp ground sea salt

1tsp vanilla bean paste (extract will work, too)

1Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

*1/4c fresh cranberries, halved (optional)

vegan thanksgiving recipe round-up

STOP STRESSING!

Thanksgiving-ish Recipe Round-Up.

Have a seat, take a breath and check out these relatively simple, plant based recipes.

Including a few for breakfast. 

'Cause, you know, most important meal of the day and all...

Vegan Pumpkin-Walnut Sticky Buns

rosemary-balsamic roasted sunchokes & beets

because winter is long and one can only eat so many turnips...

Rosemary-Balsamic Roasted Sunchokes & Beets

Roast-y, root-y, gorgeous.

There are a lot of roots out there and it's time to start eating more of them. Over the past few years I've taught myself to love a long list of previously maligned and ignored tubers. Radishes are now a current obsession of mine; the mere thought of a world without them gives me panicky heart palpitations. Turnips and rutabagas have become an inexpensive winter go-to. Even the intimidating and somewhat confusing celeriac has made it in to the rotation. 

But sunchokes have held a steady, lonely spot on my "learn to love" list for too long. 

Time for a change.

So...

What's the best way to dip a proverbial toe in the water with this little root?

Roasting of course. 

And let's throw some beets in, for good measure.  

Beets and sunchokes, pre roasting.

Recipe notes:

Sunchokes do not need to be peeled (hooray for less work),  

just make sure to scrub them thoroughly before slicing. 

I used heirloom beets in the original recipe, but red beets would work just as well. 

Though be prepared for a little more color bleeding (read: pink roasted sunchokes).

Balsamic-Rosemary Roasted 

Jerusalem Artichokes & Beets

(serves 4)

1 bunch of medium beets (about 4-5), 

scrubbed and peeled

2 large sunchokes, washed and scrubbed

2Tbsp olive oil

1Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/4tsp sea salt

2 large sprigs fresh rosemary 

(approx. 2Tbsp)

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Rinse, pat dry and finely mince rosemary leaves.

Wash and scrub Jerusalem artichokes thoroughly and slice into roughly 1" pieces.

 Slice each beet into 1/2" wedges.

Whisk together olive oil, vinegar, sea salt and 1Tbsp of the fresh rosemary.

Place sunchokes and beets in a large mixing bowl; add dressing, toss to combine. 

Spread coated sunchokes and beets evenly onto a large rimmed baking sheet.

Roast for 35-40 minutes, flipping halfway through to let the 

sunchokes brown on both sides.

Test for doneness by poking them with a fork.

If it goes in easily, they're done.

Sprinkle the reserved rosemary over top before serving. 

 

Vegan Pumpkin-Walnut Sticky Buns

tuning out the (orange) noise...
Pumpkin-Walnut Sticky Buns.

Ending my seasonal pumpkin boycott.

We all suffer from pumpkin fatigue this time of year. You can't take half a step without running into something that has no business being pumpkin flavored.
I mean, pumpkin candy canes? Seriously??? That's just gross.
This annual pumpkin over-stimulation (not as dirty as it sounds...) reaches it's peak right around the week before halloween and doesn't let up until the thanksving leftovers are gone. So, as a result, I'm on a passive pumpkin boycott from October to December. I usually make one holiday pie of the pumpkin variety and that's it.
But the thing is, I ACTUALLY LIKE PUMPKIN.
So this year I'm tuning out the (orange) noise.
This year I'm making/eating pumpkin things.
Not because everyone else is, but in spite of it.
So there.
And it all starts with sticky buns...

Risen dough, turned out onto a prepared work surface.

Recipe notes: 

This is a slight modification of my original sticky bun recipe. Which is, in turn, a variation of this soft pretzel recipe.

Keep on evolving, folks! 

If using fresh pumpkin more power to 'ya but the moisture content is a bit higher, so you might need to add a little extra flour to keep the dough from getting too sticky. 

If whole wheat floats your boat, sub out 1c of  all purpose for 1c whole wheat flour.
The recipe calls for a stand mixer, but with more elbow grease it can be done by hand. 
You can find hand mixing instructions in the 
original soft pretzel recipe.  

Topped and ready to be rolled and sliced.

Swirly goodness.

Pumpkin-Walnut 
Sticky Buns
(makes 7-9 large rolls)

For the dough:

4c all purpose flour

1/4c pumpkin puree 

1 1/4c warm water

1 Tbsp active dry yeast

1/3c  + 1 tsp organic sugar

1/2tsp sea salt
1Tbsp olive oil

extra oil for greasing the bowl

For the sticky bun filling:

1/4c room temp vegan butter

1/3c packed light brown sugar

2 Tbsp ground cinnamon

1/3c raw walnut pieces

1tsp ground nutmeg (optional)

extra butter for greasing baking dish and topping pre baked rolls

Measure 1 1/4c warm water into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.

Sprinkle in the yeast and 1tsp of the organic sugar and whisk to combine.

Proof yeast mixture for 10 minutes or until frothy.
Add flour, remaining 1/3c of sugar, sea salt, pumpkin puree and olive oil to the bowl.
Mix at low to medium low speed for approximately 8-10 minutes.
You may need to stop the mixer occasionally to scrape the dough 

off of the hook or the sides of the bowl.

Time for the oven.

The dough should be smooth, elastic, not sticky and  pull away easily from the bowl.
If  too dry, add water a few drops at a time.
If too wet, add extra flour a pinch at a time.

Once dough is mixed, roughly form into a ball and place in a large well oiled bowl.

The dough will roughly double, so be sure your bowl is large enough.

Cover with a tea towel or plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm dry place (inside of an unheated oven with the light on works perfectly) for 1 hour.

Grease a 8" square or round glass, ceramic, or heavy duty aluminum baking dish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. 

Shape roughly into a rectangle.

Use a lightly floured rolling pin and roll dough out until it is about 1/4" thick,

maintaining the rectangular shape of the dough. 

Using your hands, spread the 1/4c of butter over the surface of the dough. 

It is ok if there are larger bits of butter here and there, just make sure that the butter 

covers the entire surface of the dough, up to the edges. 

Sprinkle the brown sugar over the butter covered dough, covering the entire surface. 

Do the same with the ground cinnamon and nutmeg.
Sprinkle walnuts over top, lightly pressing them down into the dough. 

Roll the dough, from the longer end, into a tight cylinder. 

Do not apply much pressure to the dough while rolling, 

but make sure it is tight enough where all of the layers are touching.

Use a pastry cutter or sharp knife to divide the rolled dough into 7-9 equal sized pieces, depending on desired thickness.
Place the sliced rolls into the prepared baking dish and top with a few bits of butter.
Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Oh yes, this will do.

Raw Fennel-Balsamic Marinated Carrot Ribbons

because sometimes you need to bring the fancy...

Raw Fennel-Balsamic Marinated Carrot Ribbons.

The very fanciest of (carrot) pants.

It's time to up your carrot game a little. Shredded, sliced, raw and roasted are all tried and true, but ribboned? That's new and exciting territory. Fancypants territory. Just arm yourself with a vegetable peeler and get ribboning. If you can get your hands on heirloom carrots a) lucky you! and b) use them! The colors are gorgeous and the flavors are more complex than a traditional carrot. That said, any carrot will work in the recipe, just be sure they are at peak freshness. Once marinated, the carrots are a bright and flavorful addition to sandwiches or salads and make for a stunning side. 

Fancy raw carrots for Thanksgiving, anyone? 

We can't JUST eat biscuits and pie all day...

Oh yes, I brought the fancy.

Fennel-Balsamic Marinated Carrot Ribbons

(makes about 2 cups)

3-4 medium sized carrots, scrubbed and peeled

2Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1Tbsp balsamic vinegar

2tsp dried or fresh fennel

1tsp fennel seeds

1/4tsp organic sugar 

1/4tsp sea salt

black pepper to taste

Using a vegetable peeler, peel carrots lengthwise into ribbons.

In a large bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, sugar and salt.

Add carrot ribbons to bowl and stir, or use your hands to combine. 

Sprinkle fennel and seeds over the top and give it a quick stir.

Cover bowl tightly and allow to marinate in the fridge overnight. 

Will keep for up to a week in the fridge. 

Roasted Turnips and Sauteed Greens

let's eat the whole damn thing, leaf to root.
Roasted Turnips with Sauteed Turnip Greens

Perfect local red turnips from the Egleston Farmers Market.

Admittedly, my love affair with turnips is still in its infancy. For most of the nearly two decades I've spent as a vegetarian (ouch I'm getting old...) they were culinary persona non grata. As so often happens, in my mind turnips fell victim to the same stigma that follows the poor maligned Brussels sprout around. A vague childhood memory of something mushy and tasteless or a lifetime of people saying "Turnips? Yuck." turned me against them. A now familiar story in my culinary book, it was the pickle that first began to shift my view. Pickled turnips in Middle Eastern food were an absolute revelation. One that lead me to further explore the potential of these beautiful tubers.

They are an absolute nutritional powerhouse; the roots are chock full of vitamin C and the greens pack in the vitamins A, C and K as well as folate, calcium and lutein. Wowza. This recipe makes the most of the whole bunch; roasting the bulbs (which brings out their sweetness), sauteing the greens and serving them together. It's one of those leaf to root recipes we've discussed before. Perfect as a dish all on its own or paired with a grain or protein of your choosing. My absolute favorite way to serve up this dish is to simply plate the turnips and greens together and serve with pesto.
A perfect one bowl meal.

Scarlet turnips are readily available at my local farmers market this time of year, so that's what I use. They are smaller and more tender and do not need to be peeled before roasting. You can easily use a more traditional turnip variety in this recipe, just peel the larger ones, as the skin is much more fibrous.

Roasted Red Turnips and Sauteed Greens
(serves 2)

1 bunch of turnips
with greens attached
2Tbsp olive oil
2tsp lemon juice
3/4tsp regular or smoked paprika
1/2tsp salt
pepper to taste

To roast turnips:
Separate greens from turnips and set aside.
Scrub and rinse turnips well, leaving skins on.
Cut into equal sized wedges about 1/2" thick.



Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
In a glass baking dish or rimmed baking sheet combine turnips, 1 Tbsp of olive oil, 1tsp lemon juice, 1/2tsp paprika and  1/4tsp salt.
Toss to coat.
Roast for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through.

To prepare greens:
Thoroughly wash greens and trim lower , tougher stems.
If the higher parts of the stem appear more tender, leave them attached.
Now this is a matter of preference- the greens can either be left whole
or coarsely chopped before sauteing.
In a medium skillet, heat remaining olive oil and lemon juice over medium-low heat.
Add greens and stir to combine.
Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes until greens brighten and become tender.
Add 1/4tsp paprika, a pinch of salt and pepper and cook 1 minute more.

Serve roasted turnips and greens together, on their own or accompanied
by a protein or grain of your choice.

Roasted turnips and sauteed greens with a side of pesto.
Perfect, perfect, perfect.

Vegan Cranberry Orange Cornmeal Muffins

because... MUFFINS.
Vegan Cranberry-Orange Cornmeal Muffins

What better way to start your day?

So we all know the drill by now. Vegan muffins usually follow the same trajectory as vegan cupcakes; they're either dry and tasteless or over-the-top sugary. So how 'bout this: a homemade vegan muffin with a slightly savoy/ slightly sweet taste, a delicate crumb, awesome muffin-top crunch and packed full of start-your-day-off-right goodness like whole wheat, fresh cranberries and walnuts. The tartness of the cranberries blends perfectly with the subtly sweet, crunchy cornmeal and the
addition of olive oil add a rich savory note.
Sounds pretty good, right??
So...
Let's get baking.

Sliced fresh cranberries, measured and ready to go. 

Cranberry Orange Cornmeal Muffins
 (makes approximately 15 muffins)
3/4c all purpose flour
3/4c whole wheat flour
3/4c cornmeal
3/4c organic sugar
1tbsp baking powder
1tsp baking soda
1/2tsp salt
1tbsp vinegar (white or apple cider)
1tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2c halved fresh (or frozen) cranberries
1/4c raw walnut pieces (optional)
1 1/2tsp grated orange zest (optional)
1c unsweetened non-dairy milk
1/4c orange juice
1/4c olive oil*

*you can use a more neutral oil, like canola or grapeseed,
but I prefer the richer flavor olive oil

Fresh cranberries before being folded into muffin batter. 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Line muffin tin with paper liners.

Measure out 1 1/2c of cranberries, cut each in half, toss in a small bowl, set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl combine flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt
and 1/2c of the sugar, whisk to combine.
Add the remaining 1/4c of sugar and 2 tbsp of the dry flour mix to the cranberries and toss gently until cranberries are well coated.
Stir in orange zest.

Add non-dairy milk, orange juice, vinegar, oil and vanilla extract to flour mix.
Stir until well combined.
Add in walnut pieces.

GENTLY fold cranberries into wet mix.
If using fresh you can be a wee bit more aggressive, but the frozen will bleed.

Muffin cups filled, sprinkled with sugar and ready for baking. 

Fill muffin liners 2/3 full and shake pan gently to distribute.
Sprinkle the tops of each muffin with a pinch of sugar.
Bake for 12-15 minutes, until tops are light golden brown and
tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool and enjoy!

Bourbon Pickled Cranberries

cranberry picklemania.
Spiced Bourbon Pickled Cranberries

Fresh cranberries and pickling spices: cinnamon, whole cloves, and black peppercorns.

It has been said before but bears repeating; I am a firm believer that almost any fruit or vegetable can be improved by pickling. I am also a firm believer than almost any dish can be improved by adding a wee bit of Bourbon. These pickled cranberries certainly prove both statements true. Fresh spiced cranberry sauce is a regular on my Thanksgiving table and I  always add a dash of  bourbon to top it off. Using the same flavor profiles, with the addition of cider vinegar, I whipped up this brining recipe. Boozy pickled cranberries! The first jar has only just been cracked open, but already my mind is spinning with the possibilities. While drinking a tonic spiked with pickled cranberries for breakfast this morning images of beautiful cranberry-topped cocktails were dancing through my head. I can also envision these as a great addition to a winter salad, an accompaniment to a holiday appetizer spread, even tossed into a batch of hot mulled cider.  I'll be stocking up on fresh cranberries before they disappear for the season and canning up a bunch of these for holiday gifts. 

Prepared canning jars and brined pickled cranberries, ready to pack. 

Spiced Bourbon Pickled Cranberries Recipe

(Yields 4 pints or 2 quart jars)

2 12oz bags of fresh cranberries

2 1/2c apple cider vinegar

2c organic vegan sugar

1/4c Bourbon/ Whiskey 

1/2tsp whole cloves

1/4 tsp black peppercorns

2-4 whole cinnamon sticks (1 per jar)

*One note for this recipe: save your leftover pickling liquid! It can be used to poach other fruits,
like pears or apples, or used to make a batch of refrigerator pickles.

Sterilize your canning jars and in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. 

Prepare your lids and bands in a small saucepan of simmering water.  

If you are new to canning, here is a helpful page on preparing your jars:

ehow: how to prepare canning jars and lids

In a medium saucepan combine vinegar, sugar and bourbon. 

Bring to a gentle boil over medium high heat.

Stir until all sugar is dissolved.

Add cloves and peppercorns to brine.

Add cranberries, stirring to combine and cook for 5 minutes, 

returning to a boil and stirring frequently. 

When cranberries begin to pop, remove from heat.

Pickled cranberries; packed, brined, and ready for their lids.

Once the sterilized jars are removed from the water bath, add 1 cinnamon stick to each.

Ladle pickled cranberries into prepared jars with a slotted spoon.

Pour remaining brine over the top of packed cranberries, 

leaving 1/2 inch of headspace in each jar.

Wipe the rims of your jars with a clean, damp cloth; then apply your lids and bands.

Place in boiling water bath, making sure jars are covered with at least 1 inch of water. 

Process for 10 minutes.

Remove jars from water bath once the processing time is up.

Place on a cooling rack or other heat surface.

Allow to cool for 24 hours.

Remove bands and check seals. Place any unsealed jars in the fridge.

Now you can eat 'em up!

Spiced bourbon pickled cranberries in tonic. Pretty close to perfect.

No-Fail Vegan Cornbread

we all have our vices...
No-Fail Vegan Cornbread

I dare you to not eat it all. 

 I'm not going to lie. I ate an entire pan of this yesterday, and another is in the oven as I type this. It appears I may have a problem. I recognize that as far as vices go vegan cornbread is a pretty innocuous one, though complaints have begun to surface from other members of the household for my lack of "sharing skills". Hence batch number two. This is a pretty bad-ass recipe; you should make it. Its the perfect blend of sweet and savory and is a wonderful side for that vegan chili I posted yesterday.
The decision was made to stock up on local corn at the end of the season this year and freeze it up for winter use. Brilliant, right? Not so much. Only once this was done did I realize I'm not a super big fan of frozen corn. What to do? Cornbread! A 1/2 cup of fresh or frozen corn kernels really makes this recipe sing.

Homemade hempmilk turning into vegan buttermilk.

No-Fail Vegan Cornbread Recipe
1/2c whole wheat flour
1/2c all purpose flour
1c cornmeal
1/4c vegan sugar
1tbsp ground flax seed
3tbsp hot water
1tbsp baking powder
1c non dairy milk
1tsp white vinegar
1/2tsp salt
1/4c olive oil
1/2c corn kernels, fresh
or frozen

Preheat oven to 400 degrees then grease a 9" square baking dish.

Prepare your vegan buttermilk:
Measure out 1 cup of non dairy milk, add 1tsp white vinegar.
Stir gently and set aside for 10 minutes and allow to curdle.

Prepare your flax egg:
Combine ground flax seed with the 3tbsp of nearly boiling water.
Whisk mixture well and set aside.
Allow to sit until cooled and thickened, about 10 minutes.

In a medium mixing bowl combine flours, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt.
Whisk together.

Frozen corn kernels, being incorporated into batter.

Add olive oil, vegan buttermilk, flax egg mixture, and corn kernels.
Stir well until all ingredients are combined.

Spread mix evenly into greased baking dish.
Bake on center oven rack for 20-25 minutes,
or until top is lightly browned and cake tester comes out clean.

Allow to cool then EAT!

Vegan cornbread, fresh out of the oven.

Brown Sugar Whipped Sweet Potatoes

because Martha knows. MARTHA ALWAYS KNOWS.
Vegan Grand Marnier 
& 
Brown Sugar Whipped Sweet Potatoes.

Vegan brown sugar whipped sweet potatoes, plated up and ready to eat. 

All credit to Martha Stewart on this one. Though the recipe I use today only slightly resembles her original, she provided the framework. Her "Martha Stewart Living Cookbook" was a life raft for me during my early teenage vegetarian years. 

The original recipe includes a topping of caramelized apples and a more than healthy dose of dairy. The first years I followed the recipe verbatim, over time I phased out the dairy, toyed with the add-ins and eventually started making the dish sans caramelized apples. Today I make a simple sauce of coconut milk, brown sugar, vegan butter, and a splash of Grand Marnier (or other orange liquor)  to whip into the baked potatoes. Super easy, super quick, and undeniably delicious. These potatoes are not only a perfect thanksgiving side, an easy yet impressive dish to add to your repertoire, but great for the entire season.       

I encourage you to give the Martha recipe a try, but if you're looking for something a little simpler (and a little more vegan) mine is below.

You can find the original recipe here: 

http://www.marthastewart.com/344434/sweet-potatoes-with-caramelized-apples 

Save your skins! They make a great snack.

 Vegan Whipped Brown Sugar Sweet Potatoes

4-6 large sweet potatoes

4 tbsp of vegan butter (such as Earth Balance)

3 tbsp vegan light brown sugar

1/3 cup of light coconut milk or other non-dairy milk

1/3c Grand Marnier (or other orange liquor)

Scrub sweet potatoes and pierce several times with a fork

Bake in a pre-heated 450 degree oven for approximately 40-45 minuted or until they can be pierced through with a knife

Allow potatoes to cool, then remove skins and place flesh in a bowl

Add a pinch of salt and mash with a fork

In a medium saucepan melt butter over medium heat

Add brown sugar, stir until dissolved

Whisk in milk and Grand Marnier,

Heat for 5 minutes or so, continuing to stir, until liquid is slightly thickened

Pour over mashed sweet potatoes and use a fork to incorporate liquid, stirring and mashing until potatoes are light and fluffy

Spoon potatoes into an oven safe dish

If you're making this for a thanksgiving of christmas dinner they can be prepared a day ahead of time, stored covered in the fridge, and baked to heat through. Another super easy holiday dish, how awesome is that?? Less time cooking, more time eating, isn't that what we all really want?

And don't toss those sweet potato skins! Sprinkle with a little sea salt and throw them back in the oven to crisp up a bit. They make an excellent (and easy) snack. 

Vegan Pear and Cranberry Crumble

eat it for breakfast, eat it for dessert, eat it all day long.
Vegan Pear and Cranberry Crumble.

Pears from the Egleston Winter Farmer's Market and local cranberries. 

When the first local cranberries start to appear, I get uncontrollably excited. Like jumping up and down and dancing for joy excited. Why? Because it means crumble season has arrived. And you guys, crumble season IS THE BEST SEASON. Tart cranberries offset by fragrant pears and baked to warm, gooey, crunchy perfection makes (winter) life worth living. Seriously. It was originally conceived as a dessert dish, but a couple of years ago the dangerous equation of 1 pre-baked thanksgiving morning crumble + 2 hungry and impatient people morphed it into a breakfast dish. So now it's a little of both.
A bit to start thanksgiving day, a bit to end it and a whole lotta carbs in between. 

Assembled crumble, ready to bake.

Breakfast is (sadly) often overlooked on big cooking holidays like thanksgiving and christmas. But breakfast is important, dammit, and cooking on an empty stomach sucks. Enter the crumble. It can easily be assembled the day or night before, stored in the fridge, and freshly baked in the morning. Or pre-assemble it to bake later in the day. One less thing to pull our hair out over about on thanksgiving or christmas morning? Yes please. And hey, be sure to stock up on cranberries while they're available. They freeze beautifully and can provide a much needed burst of color and taste in winter dishes. If pears are in short supply, apples work just fine, or you can do a mix of the two. 

Gorgeous local pears, soon to be crumble-d. 

Vegan Pear and Cranberry Crumble Recipe

(serves 8-10, or two if you're me and mine)

8 pears peeled and cut into roughly 1/2" pieces

3 cups fresh cranberries

3/4 cups white flour + 1/4 cup whole wheat flour, combined

2 1/4 cups rolled oats

3 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 cup vegan sugar

1 cup vegan butter, chilled

1 tsp cinnamon 

1/2 tsp salt

If baking right away, preheat oven to 400 degrees.

To prepare the topping:

In a food processor, combine flour and butter and pulse until small crumbs form. 

Add 1/2 cup of the white sugar, brown sugar, oats, cinnamon and salt. 
Pulse until mixture forms into coarse crumbs. 
Set aside. 

If you do not have a food processor, no worries. 

Follow all the same steps, just cut the butter into cubes and get in there with your hands, working the ingredients until everything clumps together nicely. 

To prepare the filling:

Peel and cut pears into 1/2" pieces.

Combine pears, cranberries, other 1/2 cup of sugar, and lemon juice in a large bowl.

Toss to incorporate all ingredients.

Using about half of the crumble, gradually take the pieces and break them up in your hand, adding to filling.

Toss to combine, making sure things are more or less evenly distributed.

Transfer to an ungreased 9" x13" baking dish 

(or two 8" sq dishes, or a dozen or so ramekins)

Sprinkle remaining crumble over the filling 

Place on center rack in oven and bake for 34-40 minutes or until fruit has begun to 

bubble around edges and topping has reached a nice golden brown color.

If refrigerating unbaked, cover tightly with plastic wrap and store for 24 hours max. 

Take baking dish out of the fridge and allow to reach room temp before baking.

Baked and ready for eatin'.

Keeps for up to a week in the fridge, though (trust me)

there's no way it will last that long. 

Enjoy!