Maple-Quinoa-Oatmeal Cookies with Pecans

These are subtle, delicate, gently addictive cookies—grown-up cookies, not the cinnamon-raisin chewy type of oatmeal cookies you remember from childhood. They are a whole new and delicious experience on several fronts. Instead of being sweetened with brown sugar, these contain maple syrup, which adds its own perfume and flavor. Be sure to use pure maple syrup, preferably the stronger-flavored grade B syrup. The cookies also call for three grains: whole wheat pastry flour, oatmeal and quinoa, the high-protein staple grain of the ancient Incas. An already quick-cooking whole grain, quinoa is now available in flakes, like oatmeal, which cook almost instantly as a breakfast cereal and are also terrific in cookies. One or two of these cookies with a cup of hot, vanilla soymilk-laced lapsang souchong tea will warm any February afternoon—or any afternoon any time of year. Adapted with permission from Crescent Dragonwagon from Passionate Vegetarian.