As you know I never use artificial ingredients in my baking - so what makes these pink you wonder? The answer may surprise you... beetroot! Not the pickled variety of course, but the lovely fresh root vegetable. Not only does it add a great colour to these cookies, but it helps bind the ingredients together well too. The flavour? Honestly, I can't taste even a slight hint of beetroot. I taste the sweetness of the honey and the great tang of the goji berries. Using natural ways to colour food means you - and more importantly your children - won't be exposed to harmful artificial chemicals.
Goji berrries are a highly nutritious and medicinal fruit, wonderful for strengthening the immune system and preventing illness. Unlike other fruits they contain all essential amino acids, and the highest concentration of protein in any fruit. They also contain more carotenoids than any other food (antioxidants that protect against chronic disease), vitamin C, fibre and numerous trace minerals. You can find them in most supermarkets and wholefoods stores - usually in dried form, but they can be soaked in water overnight and used in smoothies or teas.
What you will need: (makes about 40)
50g butter
50g coconut/avocado oil
6 tblsp honey
1 beetroot
50g dried goji berries
275g fine wholewheat flour
Method:
In a large bowl melt the butter and oil, and stir in the honey.
Add the flour and mix well.
Peel and dice the beetroot into small chunks, then blitz into a pulp in a food processor.
Add the beetroot to the bowl and blend with a wooden spoon until it's all mixed in.
Chop the goji berries into small pieces and add to the bowl.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the mixture out to about 0.3cm thick.
Cut out heart shapes using a pastry cutter, and place onto baking trays. Pop into a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes.
Allow to cool on a wire rack.
If you'd like to give these as a gift you can simply decorate a jar using stickers and tape, ribbons, glue and glitter... or whatever you can think of!
If you enjoyed this post, please follow me for more seasonal healthy recipes and crafts throughout December!
Many thanks.
All ideas and photos in this post are my own original.
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