Vegan Apple Crisp

Started in Ms. Reyes's classroom twice a week before my full student teaching placement in October. I sit in the back and observe and take notes on everything. There are seven kids in the class, ages eight through ten, with a range of learning disabilities and communication needs. One kid — I will call him M. — comes in every morning and immediately does a lap of the room, touching each wall in order, before sitting down. Ms. Reyes does not stop him. She has cleared a path. When I asked her about it she said "That's what he needs. My job is to figure out what each of them needs and make space for it." I wrote that down immediately.

I am going to be okay at this job. I think I might be more than okay. Something about being in that room — watching Ms. Reyes notice each child, watching the kids work through things that are genuinely hard for them, watching the small victories — makes the whole semester and the grief leave and the coming back and the cost of it feel entirely worth it. This is what I was working toward. I can see it now from here.

Made apple crisp this week — the first apple recipe of fall. Apples from the farmers market, six of them for a dollar fifty, peeled and sliced, tossed with sugar and cinnamon. Topped with a mixture of rolled oats, butter, brown sugar, flour, a little salt. Baked at 350 for about forty minutes until bubbling and golden. The dorm kitchen smelled incredible. Courtney came in and said "Whatever that is, thank you."

We ate it warm out of the pan with a scoop of vanilla ice cream from the small carton in the communal freezer — Courtney's, she offered it, which was generous of her. Apple crisp is September food. It says: the hard season is starting, but you have this, you have apples and butter and the warmth coming out of the oven, and that is something to hold onto.

This is the recipe I made that week — the one that filled the dorm kitchen with warmth and brought Courtney in from the hallway. It’s simple and forgiving, which is exactly what I needed after those first days in Ms. Reyes’s classroom left me feeling so full of something I couldn’t quite name. The vegan version works beautifully with coconut oil in place of butter, and if you’re working with a dorm kitchen and a bag of farmers market apples, this is where you start.

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 40 minutes | Total Time: 55 minutes | Servings: 6

Ingredients

For the filling:
6 medium apples, peeled, cored, and sliced (about 6 cups)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
For the topping:
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup coconut oil, solid but softened

Instructions

Preheat the oven. Set your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease an 8x8-inch baking dish.
Prepare the filling. Toss the sliced apples with the granulated sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and 1 tablespoon flour. Spread evenly in the baking dish.
Make the topping. In a medium bowl, combine the rolled oats, 1/2 cup flour, brown sugar, and salt. Add the coconut oil and work it in with your fingers or a fork until the mixture forms clumpy, coarse crumbles.
Assemble. Scatter the oat topping evenly over the apples. Don’t pack it down — you want it loose so it crisps up.
Bake. Bake for 38 to 42 minutes, until the filling is bubbling around the edges and the topping is golden brown.
Cool slightly. Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving. It’s best warm, straight from the pan, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if you have it.

Nutrition (per serving)

Vegan Apple Crisp — September Food for Starting Over