What A Smart Cookie!

Love your holiday goodies…But not the holiday guilt? We can relate, so we lightened up four all-time favorite recipes. These treats hit the sweet spot between diet-friendly and decadent.

• PB&J Thumbprints

  SERVES 4
  PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES
  COOK TIME: 25 MINUTES
  MAKES ABOUT 24 COOKIES
  1 1⁄2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
  1⁄4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
  1 teaspoon baking powder
  1⁄2 cup natural creamy peanut butter (no salt added)
  1⁄4 teaspoon salt
  1 medium banana, mashed
  1⁄2 cup light brown sugar
  1 large egg white
  1⁄4 cup all-fruit raspberry jam

  1. Preheat oven to 175°C. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, oats, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, combine peanut butter, banana, sugar, and egg white until smooth with a wooden spoon or electric mixer set to medium. Add the flour mixture and beat until combined.
  4. Form dough into 2.5cm balls, place on baking sheet 2.5cm apart, and make an indentation in the center of each cookie with your thumb. Fill each indentation with about 1⁄2 teaspoon of jam. Bake for about 10 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned and jam is just starting to bubble. Let cool 5 minutes on sheet; transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

  Nutrition score per serving (1 cookie):
  90 calories, 3g fat (0g saturated), 14g carbs, 3g protein, 2g fiber, 13mg calcium, 1mg iron, 38mg sodium

  *For the full article please refer to Shape January 2012 Issue