sweet miscellany

As I sat down to write this post and look back at what happened this year, it became really hard to fathom that another entire year has gone by. 12 months. 365 days. It seems to fly by so fast and before you know it, you’re ushering in yet another new year. This year has been one of self discovery. Figuring out who I am and what I want to do. Even if it means changing my mind and career trajectory a few times. I’ve had a lot of anxiety lately over my career path and a lot of worry/fear. It seems that my default is to play the “what-if” game which only ends up de-railing me in the end if I let it win. As I watched one of my favorite musicians last night, I suddenly got the message the universe has been trying to tell me. He was talking about how it’s no way to live if you are constantly afraid of tomorrow. Tomorrow is no guarantee so you might as well live life right this damn minute. Take charge! Do something! Do everything! Thank you Shakey, you’re so wise 🙂

I don’t share a whole lot about my personal life here on the blog, but here’s an update on where I am and where I’m going in 2016. I start yoga teacher in January and couldn’t be happier. Yoga has done a lot for me and I couldn’t imagine life without it at this point. It will be such an honor to pass this gift on to others as an instructor. I’m also planning on bringing the baking business side of Sweet Miscellany back from its hiatus! This means finding a new farmers market, completely overhauling my etsy shop, and creating a product line-up. And, I’m still planning on blogging and developing/photographing recipes as much as I can. I’ve dreamed of moving to Austin for a long time so it’s possible that may occur in 2016 though I’ll have my hands full enough as it is 🙂

Before I leave you with my list of favorites from this past year, I want to take the opportunity to thank each and every one of you that actually takes the time to read my blog. I know you have millions of other things to do, so thank you for making me a part of your day! Have the happiest of new year’s celebrations friends! I’ll be back in January with more tasty morsels for you 🙂

dark chocoalate cardamom mousse tart with coconut & candied ginger crust (this one helped me celebrate my 29th birthday at the beginning of the year)

late spring crostini with fennel frond gremolata (this beauty reconfirmed the fact that I love the shit out of eating things on toast)

solstice watermelon wedge salad (one of my favorite salads to date!)

spiced cacao maca shake (…and this one is my favorite shake/smoothie to date…mmmmmmm)

buckwheat scones with spiced butternut squash butter (I’m pretty sure I devoured all of these scones after shooting the photos…oops)

dark chocolate pumpkin truffles with smoked sea salt (pumpkin truffles…hell yes!!)

tahini dark chocolate chunk blondies with candied ginger & figs (I still dream about these blondies but haven’t made them lately for fear of eating the entire pan in one sitting)

roasted kabocha & fennel soup (one of my favorite soups)

sweet potato & sage corn muffins (best little corn muffins in Texas…haha)

gingersnap pumpkin pie (basically my pie dreams brought forth into reality)

vanilla spice sugar cookies (planning on making these again very soon, very soon indeed)

Citrus Polenta Bars with Maple Roasted Pecans (vegan/gf recipe) | seasonal plant-based recipes via The Sweet Miscellany Blog

These citrus polenta bars with maple roasted pecans have pecan pie vibes but in a more wholesome package. Maple syrup adds sweetness while orange zest, rosemary, and thyme add lovely flavor. These gluten free and vegan bars are perfect for a holiday brunch spread!

This December in particular has felt crazier than the others because I’ve been working a retail job. I’m inviting you to slow down with me and quit stressing over everything. Maybe you spend the day with your family watching a silly movie instead of waiting in long lines just for the sake of purchasing a gift. Or, maybe you drive around one evening looking at Christmas lights instead of going on a Netflix binge. Whatever way you choose to spend the next few days leading up to Christmas, make sure you are doing things you love with people you love!

These polenta bars are the last addition for this year’s edition of cookie month. They’re not the best option for wrapping up and gifting, but they are great for a holiday party or meal spread. And, you can even get away with serving them as part of a breakfast or brunch spread because they aren’t overly sweet and the ingredients are relatively wholesome.

In addition to the recipe for the bars, You’ll find some last minute edible holiday gift ideas below. And, to make it easy on you, many of them don’t involve baking! Have the happiest of holidays friends! I’ll be back after Christmas sharing my favorite posts from this past year 🙂

Gluten Free & Vegan Edible Holiday Gift Guide

+ candied ginger snowballs
+ vanilla spice sugar cookies
+ salted dark chocolate nibby cookies (grain free)
+ dark chocolate dipped vanilla mint macaroons (grain free)
+ tahini dark chocolate chunk blondies with candied ginger & figs
+ banana bread with pecans & chai spices
+ maple roasted pecans with nutmeg & poppy seeds (grain free)
+ chocolate cherry hazelnut haystacks (no bake)
+ minty coconut & dark chocolate patties (no bake & grain free)
+ hazelnut espresso truffles (no bake & grain free)
+ cardamom & rose scented ladoo (no bake & grain free)
+ dark chocolate pumpkin truffles with smoked sea salt (no bake & grain free)
+ superfood muesli (no bake)
+ homemade marmalade (grain free)
+ seckel pears in spiced honey syrup (contains honey)
+ almond coconut hemp butter (grain free & no bake)
+ cocoa hazelnut spread (grain free & no bake)
+ chai spiced hot cocoa mix (grain free & no bake)

Citrus Polenta Bars with Maple Roasted Pecans

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Author: Courtney West

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Description

Ingredients

Units Scale

for the bars:

3/4 cup dried polenta (corn grits)
1 can full fat coconut milk
3 tbsp maple syrup
zest and juice of 1 orange
1 tsp minced fresh rosemary
1/2 tsp minced fresh thyme
pinch of fine sea salt
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla extract

for the pecan topping:

3/4 cup whole pecans
heaped tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp maple syrup
coarse sea salt or fleur de sel

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Instructions

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease an 8×8 square pan with coconut oil, then line it with parchment paper leaving an overhang for easy removal of the bars once they are baked.

Put the coconut milk, maple syrup, juice of the orange, and a pinch of salt in a pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once the mixture comes to a boil, whisk in the polenta, vanilla, nutmeg, herbs, and orange zest. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Whisk the poleta continuously for 5 to 10 minutes until it has thickened significantly. Pour the polenta into your prepared pan and smooth out the top with a spatula. Set it aside while you make the pecans.

In a small pan set over medium heat, combine the coconut oil and syrup. Once the oil has melted, add the pecans. Toss the pecans occasionally as the syrup mixture begins to bubble and thicken. When the syrup mixture is the consistency of honey, add a good pinch of coarse sea salt then toss the pecans once more before removing the pan from the heat. Spread the pecans in an even layer over the polenta making sure to press them in a bit to help them adhere.

Bake the bars at 400 degrees for 25 minutes until the pecans are deeply golden and the polenta has pulled away from the sides of the pan. Cool the bars completely before slicing. Store leftovers covered at room temperature for 1-2 days, or 5 days covered in the fridge. Makes 9 to 16 bars depending on how small you slice them.