No Bake Raw Cookies with Strawberry Chia Jam

A friend of mine is training for a hard long-distance race, so I decided to make a healthy dessert for her. Plus, it's summer. It's hot. Who wants to turn on the oven anyway? I found this recipe in July/August 2014 issue of Vegetarian Times. I made a couple of minor adjustments to make them a little more healthy.

Makes 15-20 small cookies

Cookie Dough

• 2/3 cup raw cashews
• 1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
• 2 dates, pitted
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup rolled oats
• pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp cold almond milk (or water)

Berry Jam

• 1/2 cup strawberries
• 3 pitted dates, cut into small pieces
• 1 tbsp chia seeds

1. Combine raw cashews, coconut oil, dates, vanilla extract, rolled oats, and salt and pulse them in a food processor for a couple of minutes. Add cold almond milk (or water) and pulse for 30 more seconds or until thick smooth dough forms.

2. Line a cookie plate with parchment paper. Form small balls with your hands and place them on the cookie plate. Make little prints in the center of each cookie with your thumb. Refrigerate while you're making jam.

3. To make the jam, combine strawberries and dates in a food processor. Pulse until the jam looks smooth. Stir in chia seeds.

4. Spoon a small amount of jam unto each cookie. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.