OK, it's hard to turn cookies into a health food, so perhaps it's better to label these deliciously fruity little bites as not-so-bad-for-you cookies. Most of the flour is whole wheat; a little heart-healthy canola oil and some applesauce replace the butter; plus, there are fiber-filled oats, dried apricots and chopped dates, making these cookies a reasonably nutritious sweet treat. So perhaps it is possible to have your cake and eat it.

Enjoy one of these Apricot and Date Cookies with a nice cup of tea, or pop one into your sweetie's lunch box.

_{Apricot and Date Cookies © 2008 Fiona Haynes, licensed to About.com, Inc.}