sweet miscellany

At the end of last year I made a commitment to myself to start doing some much-needed inner work. There were (and still are) a lot of patterns I’d become accustomed to that were not serving me anymore and were trending towards detrimental rather than helpful. For instance, I was finding myself in a recurring pattern of having a big dream or goal, writing it down, then thinking it was impossible to do so I would quit before I ever started. Basically I have an issue with getting in my own damn way. And it was time to break that familiar pattern.

So what exactly does that have to do with an evening ritual? In times of change, flux, stress, or instability, rituals create structure. They present a source of stability or earth when it feels like everything else might be toppling or shifting. Rituals take otherwise mundane or normal tasks and give them intention and purpose.

Since I’m a Capricorn, I thrive on structure. When I was a kid I wanted to know the exact plan for events and was even known to ask about things months in advance of them actually taking place so I could plan accordingly. As an adult, having a certain sense of structure helps me stay focused and grounded. One way I’ve created that for myself is with my current evening ritual. It provides a bookend to the day and signals to my brain it’s time to stop working and wind down. It’s also become a way for me to devote at least one hour per day strictly to MYSELF. Here’s the ritual I’ve created:

My Evening Ritual

I’m a night owl so my evening ritual begins later than those of an early riser. At around 10pm (sometimes earlier, sometimes later), I disconnect from whatever work I’m doing or shows I’m watching and head to the shower. The shower is both a literal and figurative rinse from the current day.
After I’ve showered and dressed, it’s time to take care of my face. I use either one of my own hydrosols or one from Marble & Milkweed, then I apply a nourishing serum (also from Marble & Milkweed). While I’m applying the serum I massage my face and throat, specifically the areas around my sinuses and lymph nodes.
Next it’s time for herbal tea. I don’t drink the same blend every night. Sometimes it’s an Herb & Stone blend, sometimes straight chamomile, or sometimes it’s an intuitive blend of what my body needs. While the tea steeps for roughly 10 minutes or so, I get my bed ready, tend to my sourdough starter, and take a couple of light stretches if needed. Or I simply close my eyes and pay attention to my breath.
Once my tea is done I head back to my room. While I enjoy my tea, I journal. I fill in at least one page with random thoughts from the day or whatever else I need to get down on paper. It helps my mind feel clear and eliminates that monkey mind feeling as I’m trying to go to sleep.
The last part of my ritual is to read for a bit while enjoying the last of my tea. Sometimes I can read a chapter in a book, other times I’ve barely read a page when my eyelids grow heavy. When I start to feel that heaviness and my focus starts to wan, I brush my teeth and drift off to sleep.

If you want to learn more about rituals, specifically with regards to herbal tea, check out my workshop coming up on March 29th! You can find the details here.

cacao nib macaroons | plant based magic via the sweet miscellany blog

These vegan and gluten free cacao nib macaroons are chewy, nutty, and perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth all year round! Cacao nibs lend a deep chocolate flavor without any added sweetness.

I hold so many fond memories of Sweet Miscellany’s farmers market days. During market season (roughly April-November), Fridays meant leaving work to rush home, change, load up my car, and head to the small commercial kitchen space I rented. For several hours I would bake, package, and label all by myself. Usually I was done before midnight, but not always. Little sleep was had as my alarm would go off at 6:30 the next morning to get ready for the market. I’d set up everything meticulously by myself, then came my favorite part: interacting with customers and market goers.

I’m not an extroverted person, but I value meaningful discussions and interactions. During the four hours of the market I got to talk about something I loved and was really passionate about. Often my customers were people with dietary restrictions, but not always. I really enjoyed being able to share something with them, both in the form of a gluten free/vegan baked good and the connection that it provided.

I left the farmers market scene when I moved back to Houston in 2014. I initially thought about trying to do the same thing here but something always gave me pause. What I didn’t realize at the time was that pause was an indicator that things were shifting and evolving. In an effort to see if my heart was still in it, I ramped up for a market in November of 2017. The projected number of people ended up not showing at the market and I came home with an ungodly amount of product. Eventually I realized it was time to close that chapter and move on. It just wasn’t my thing anymore. And that was okay.

After some time passed and I could look at things with more clarity, I realized that I still love connecting with people over food. I love being able to answer questions and share something new. I love being able to photograph food in a way that conveys how I see and process it. And I love being able to develop recipes. So, in an effort to foster that connection, I’m sharing an original Sweet Miscellany product recipe I developed over 7 years ago for these cacao nib macaroons. It felt silly holding onto something that brought so many people joy. It’s time this recipe found its way into kitchens and hands other than my own!

Cacao Nib Macaroons

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Author: Courtney West
Total Time: 33-35 minutes
Yield: 18–20 macaroons 1x
Diet: Vegan

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Description

These vegan and gluten free cacao nib macaroons are chewy, nutty, and perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth all year round! Cacao nibs lend a deep chocolate flavor without any added sweetness.

Ingredients

Units Scale

3/4 cup finely shredded unsweetened coconut
3/4 cup almond meal
1/3 cup organic cane sugar
good pinch of sea salt
a heaped 1/4 cup of cacao nibs
1/4 cup coconut milk
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp golden flaxmeal (ground golden flaxseed)
1 tsp vanilla extract

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Instructions

Pre-heat your oven to 325 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Mix together the coconut, almond meal, sugar, and salt in a bowl until well combined. Stir in the cacao nibs next, making sure they are evenly distributed into the dry mixture. Set this aside for now.

Add the coconut milk, coconut oil, and flaxmeal to a small sauce pan. Set it over low heat to allow the coconut oil to melt. Once it’s melted, remove the pan from the heat and add the vanilla extract. Whisk the wet ingredients together until they are smooth, the pour them over the dry ingredients.

Using a spatula or wooden spoon, mix the wet ingredients into the dry until you have a cohesive macaroon dough that sticks together when pressed. You should easily be able to roll it into a ball. If it seems to dry, add a splash or two of coconut milk. Alternately, if it seems a bit too wet, add a bit more almond meal.

Using a small tablespoon-sized cookie scoop (or a tablespoon measure), scoop out level scoops of the cookie dough and place them on your lined baking sheet. (I make sure they are level by scooping, then scraping excess dough off the scoop onto the rim of my mixing bowl) Continue this process with the remaining dough, leaving at least one inch in between each macaroon. Bake the macaroons for 23 to 25 minutes or until the edges and tops are beginning to turn golden. Cool the macaroons on the pan for at least 15 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

This recipe makes 18-20 small macaroons. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 23-25 minutes
Category: dessert