You know how Christmas smells like pine trees? Well in my house, autumn has a smell too. Apple crisp. Baking this recipe on a brisk, sunny day, burnt-orange leaves falling past the windows, the aroma of cinnamon and apples wafting from the oven, there is a fleeting moment when I feel just like Martha Stewart. Of course I have to take care to keep my eyes tightly closed so I can’t see the curtains that need hemming and the floors that need scrubbing, but the moment is lovely while it lasts. Try this easy recipe and you too can have a home that smells like Martha Stewart’s. When the feeling passes – it always does – you can indulge in a bowl of scrumptious apple crisp to ease your disappointment!

The recipe that follows is my clean, vegan version of a buttery old favorite. Your mouth won’t know the difference but your body will thank you. Brad had been eating the old version for years before I switched things up and he never even noticed a change. There’s still plenty of sugar and fat in this dessert, but it’s entirely plant-based and whole grain.

Autumn Apple Crisp (vegan)

• 4 heaping C sliced, peeled apples *use Gala, Macoun, or another variety that is firm and tart
• 1 tsp brown sugar plus 1 1/2 C packed brown sugar
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 C spelt flour *use whole wheat flour if you can’t find spelt flour
• 1 C old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/8 C chia seeds
• pinch of fine sea salt
• 1 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 1/3 C coconut oil
• 1/3 C non-hydrogenated vegan margarine

TIP: You will need 6-8 apples to produce 4 heaping cups of thin apple slices. Use an old-fashioned, hand-crank apple peeler/corer/slicer to make quick work of it.

1. preheat the oven to 375 degrees F
2. combine the apple slices with 1 tsp brown sugar and the lemon juice in the bottom of a 9×12 glass baking dish
3. in a large bowl, mix together the rest of the brown sugar with all the dry ingredients
4. add the coconut oil and margarine to the dry ingredients and mix it all together with your hands until it is completely combined and forms large crumbs
5. spread the crumbly mixture all over the top of the apples in one thick layer
6. bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees

Can be served warm or cold. My favorite way to enjoy it is warm with a scoop of non-diary vanilla ice cream.