Granola Cookie Pie

This whimsical cookie pie saves you the time needed to scoop out individual cookies, making it even sweeter to be a cookie monster. Milled from soft wheat, whole wheat pastry flour is a baker’s secret for less dense baked goods than you get when using regular whole wheat flour. You could also use gluten-free flour such as brown rice or quinoa. Dried cherries provide each bite with a tart kick, but dried blueberries, dried cranberries, or chopped dried apricots will work too. À la mode options include your favourite vanilla or mocha ice cream.

1 large free-range egg
1/4 cup (60 mL) melted unsalted butter or melted coconut oil
1/2 cup (125 mL) coconut sugar, sucanat, or other raw-style sugar
1 tsp (5 mL) almond extract
1/2 cup (125 mL) organic whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup (125 mL) organic rolled oats 
1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground ginger
1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground allspice
1/4 tsp (1 mL) baking soda
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt 
1/4 cup (60 mL) chopped walnuts
1/4 cup (60 mL) dried cherries
1/4 cup (60 mL) dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Line bottom of 8 in (20 cm) round cake pan or springform pan with parchment paper and lightly grease sides of pan.

In bowl, lightly beat egg and stir in butter or coconut oil, sugar, and almond extract. In separate large bowl, combine flour, oats, ginger, allspice, baking soda, and salt.

Add wet ingredients to flour mixture and stir gently until combined. Fold in walnuts, dried cherries, and chocolate chips. Add mixture to pan and spread out into even layer using spatula.

Bake for 15 minutes, or until centre is just barely set. Let cookie pie cool for a few minutes before removing from pan, and cool further on wire rack. Cut into 8 wedges.

Serves 8.

Each serving contains: 223 calories; 4 g protein; 12 g total fat (6 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 28 g total carbohydrates (14 g sugars, 2 g fibre); 150 mg sodium

source: "Sweets for Your Sweetheart", alive #376, February 2014