Spring!
After our region of the Midwest was hit with a historically bad winter, I have never been happier to see spring. With warmer weather and sunshine finally reemerging, my training has picked back up and with it my craving for sweets. Growing up I always eyed those prepackaged sugar Cookie rolls that people sliced and baked, but I was raised in a natural household where my mother would tint food with natural ingredients and make all baked goods from scratch. Little did I know I would be extremely disappointed the first time I tasted one of the coveted store-bought cookies.
With my toddler, I love passing down family traditions and the passion for healthy cooking. To limit artificial ingredients, I have carried on this tradition by using Salus Red Beet Crystals instead of food coloring. I love how these crystals are soluble and dissolve almost instantly. Beets have countless benefits, especially for us athletes. I take two tablespoons of Red Beet Crystals before my long runs, which has helped tremendously with curbing muscle fatigue and enhancing my energy.
I modified my great-grandmother’s recipe for shortbread so the texture of these cookies resembles a cross between a sugar cookie and shortbread. This recipe can be done over the course of several days if needed and the center design can be modified for every season. The process is worth the end result!
Ingredients
- 9 ounces gluten-free all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 4 ounces (1 stick) organic butter
- 6 ounces coconut sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 large egg
- ½ tbsp. Salus Red Beet Crystals
- Small flower-shaped cookie cutter, about 1.5"
Instructions
- Whisk flour and salt together in a medium bowl.
- In a separate bowl, mix butter and sugar on medium speed, stopping before it becomes light and fluffy. The texture should resemble coarse breadcrumbs.
- Add vanilla and egg to the other ingredients sugar mixture and mix on low speed for 2 minutes.
- Keep your mixer running on low speed and slowly add the flour mixture.
- Once your dough has formed, place 2/3 of the dough in reusable airtight wrap, then place in the refrigerator.
- In a separate small bowl, add 3-5 drops of water to the red beet crystals and combine until the crystals have completely dissolved.
Emily Goodwin is a Flora ambassador with a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy and more than a decade of experience as a yoga instructor. Emily has always had a passion for testing her abilities and challenging limits. Her primary motivation to run is to inspire others to stay active even while juggling a professional career and parenthood.
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