Being a romantic at heart, I secretly like Valentine’s Day.

I love the concept and romance of the day, though I can do without the commercialization, the fuss and the pressure to live up to some concocted ideal of the perfect love.

I like that there’s a day purposefully set aside to show love and affection, because life sometimes does get in the way of the good stuff.

In a perfect world, everyday would feel like Valentine’s, to be celebrated however we want – peonies on Saturday mornings, week-long dates, a year of Sundays with breakfast in bed, or a love story with its own soundtrack…

Or sharing the joy of life’s humble pleasures, like making something uniquely different, something delicious, decadent and possibly red…

I used Valentine’s Day as an excuse to make these sweet buttery beet rolls, it’s perfect – with its stunningly distinct red colour, buttery sweet and subtle flavour.

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Sweet Buttery Beet Rolls

This recipe uses a bread machine, you can also make thiis bread by hand using the instructions here

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup beet juice (or beet puree*)
• 1/4 cup butter (2 oz.), melted
• 1 tablespoon ground flax + 3 tablespoon water
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (3 cups)
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• More melted butter

DIRECTIONS

1. Put all ingredients in the baking pan of the bread machine, in the order suggested by the manufacturer
2. Program and select the Dough cycle and press Start
3. When the cycle ends, let the dough rest in the bread machine pan for up to an hour
4. In the meantime, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and line a baking tray with parchment paper and set aside
5. When the dough is ready, turn out onto a flour-covered surface and roll out, flatten to about 1/2 –inch thickness
6. Cut out shapes (using large cookie cutters) from dough and arrange on the baking tray
7. Cover loosely, and let rise in a draft free place for approximately one hour, until it’s almost doubled in size
8. Uncover rolls, brush the tops with some melted butter and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until lightly browned and crusty
9. Remove from oven and dust with powdered sugar, or a brush with more butter and sprinkles
10. Enjoy!

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*To make beet puree, Peel 1 – 2 medium beets and chop into small pieces. Puree in a blender or food processor with 1/2 cup coconut milk until mixture is smooth and free of lumps.
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