Date-Filled Tahini Cookies

1. Make the filling first. Place the dates and the water in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Add the maple syrup and blend the mixture in the blender. Set the filling aside until it is needed. 2. In a mixing bowl, cream together the tahini, oil, maple syrup, and vanilla. Slowly mix in the flour to form a stiff dough. Mix with your hands and knead the dough a few times, if necessary, to make it hold together. 3. Roll the dough into 18-20 balls the size of small walnuts. Place the balls of dough on an oiled cookie sheet. Make a “well” in the center of each cookie by pressing it with your thumb. If you wish, you can shape the well with your fingers. Drop 1 teaspoon of filling into each well. 4. Bake at 350F for 15 minutes on the top rack of the oven. If the cookies are not cooked on the top, turn your oven to broil (without raising the temperature) and cook for a couple of minutes more. Watch closely so they doe not burn. Taken from: “Foods that Heal”, by Dr. Bernard Jensen, p.257.