The HappyCow CookbookRecipes from Top-Rated Vegan Restaurants around the World

Eric Brent, founder and director of HappyCow, first had the idea to create an online guide to vegan restaurants in the late 90s. As a 20-plus year vegan who has traveled to more than 50 countries, Brent knows firsthand how difficult it can be to find “safe” food upon arriving in a new city. More than a decade after launch, HappyCow.com garners about 850,000 visitors per month and helps vegans and vegetarians all over the world find great food nearby.

Glen Merzer is coauthor with Pamela A. Popper, PhD, ND of Food Over Medicine, with Howard Lyman of Mad Cowboy, with Howard Lyman and Joanna Samorow-Merzer of No More Bull!, and with Chef AJ of Unprocessed. Merzer is also a playwright and screenwriter, having most recently completed a screenplay from Mad Cowboy. He has been a vegetarian for 40 years and a vegan for the last 20.

Sublime Apple Crumb Pie à la Mode

Makes one 9″ pie

For the pie dough:

1¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons vegan butter substitute

3 tablespoons shortening

½ cup ice water

For the oatmeal streusel:

2¼ tablespoons vegan butter substitute

2½ tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons brown sugar

5 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2½ tablespoons oats

Pinch cinnamon

For the filling:

8 Granny Smith apples

1⅓ cups sugar

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

5 tablespoons vegan butter substitute

½ cup currants

2 tablespoons cornstarch

For the pie dough: Mix together the flour and salt. Use dough cutter to cut butter and shortening into the flour until crumbles are about the size of quarters. Slowly add in ice water sparingly (amount may vary). Keep the dough floury and dry. Wrap and refrigerate while preparing streusel and filling.

For the oatmeal streusel: Add the vegan butter and sugar to a mixing bowl. Using a mixer, cream together the butter and sugar, mixing well. Combine the brown sugar, flour, oats, and cinnamon in a bowl and whisk together. Add the dry mixture to the butter mix and combine.

For the filling: Peel and core apples, cut into quarters, and then slice them into thin slices. Cook the apples in a large pot on the stovetop over medium heat with sugar, cinnamon, vegan butter, and currants until half cooked, al dente (cooked so as to be firm but not hard). Remove and drain the juices into a container. Place those drained juices into the pot and bring to a boil. Make a slurry by whisking water with cornstarch until you achieve a thin, muddy consistency, and then add the slurry to the pot of apple juices boiling on the stove.

Bring to a boil for about 10 minutes while stirring carefully and cook the starch out. It will become a little thicker and not as light. Stir apples back into the cornstarch and apple reduction mix. Remove from the heat and set aside.

To assemble: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Roll the piecrust out on a floured surface and place it into a 9″ greased pie pan. Fill the pie shell with the apple mixture. Top with about ¼” streusel. Place the pie pan into the heated oven and bake for about 30 to 40 minutes. Remove and let it cool before cutting. Serve with a scoop of your favorite vegan vanilla ice cream.