Wholesome Strawberry Thumbelina Cookies

These are wonderful breakfast and snack cookies.

1 cup (250 mL) whole wheat pastry flour 1/2 tsp (2 mL) baking soda 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt 1/2 tsp (2 mL) cinnamon 1/4 tsp (1 mL) poudre douce* (optional) 1/4 cup (60 mL) rolled oats 1/2 cup (125 mL) apricot purée see cookie makeover tips 1/4 cup (60 mL) date purée see cookie makeover tips 1/4 cup (60 mL) almond butter 1/3 cup (80 mL) sugar-free strawberry jam

Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C).

In mixing bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, poudre douce, and oats (if possible, give oats a whiz in a coffee grinder before mixing into flour).

Incorporate fruit purée and almond butter. Using a 1 oz (30 mL) cookie scoop, measure dough and form into balls, flatten with your palms, and place on oiled baking tray. Using the back of a small spoon, form a shallow well in each cookie. Fill each well with 1 tsp (5 mL) jam.

Bake in preheated oven, watching carefully, for about 14 minutes or until the cookie edges are browned. Let cool. Serve.

Makes 13 cookies.

*To make your own poudre douce, mix together:

3 Tbsp (45 mL) ground ginger 2 Tbsp (30 mL) sucanat 1 1/2 Tbsp (22 mL) ground cinnamon 1 tsp (5 mL) ground cloves 1 tsp (5 mL) ground nutmeg

Store leftover poudre douce in a glass spice jar with lid.

Each serving contains: 94 calories; 3 g protein; 3 g total fat (0 g sat. fat); 18 g carbohydrates (5 g sugar); 2 g fibre; 138 mg sodium

source: "Cookie Makeover", alive #335, September 2010