Q. Dear Recipe Doctor, I have my grandmother's recipe for gingersnap cookies but they call for shortening, white flour, and lots of cinnamon sugar. Can you tweak them so they are bit more nutritious?

A. We can do a few things to create a better-for-you gingersnap cookie with more fiber and fewer calories from sugar and saturated fat. Instead of shortening we are using a less-fat margarine (8 grams of fat per tablespoon and no trans fat) and less of it. We are adding a little more molasses to boost the flavor while decreasing the sugar by 33 percent and switching to brown sugar instead of white (this deepens the flavor as well). Two-thirds of the flour is now whole wheat, which works well in this moist, dark cookie. We can also use egg substitute in place of the large egg.

And, instead of rolling all of the balls of dough in cinnamon sugar, I increased the cinnamon in the cookie dough and topped the cookies off with a pecan half (adding smart fats, fiber and phytochemicals).

Original recipe contains 135 calories, 7 grams fat, 2 grams saturated fat, 9 mg cholesterol and .5 grams fiber per cookie.

NOT YOUR GRANDMA'S GINGERSNAP COOKIES

• 1 1/4 cups whole-wheat flour

• 3/4 cup unbleached white flour

• 1 tablespoon ground ginger

• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)

• 2/3 cup less-fat margarine (with 8 grams fat per tablespoon, low saturated fat and no trans fat)

• 2/3 cup brown sugar, packed

• 1/4 cup egg substitute (1 higher omega-3 egg can be substituted)

• 1/3 cup dark molasses

• 24 pecan halves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or coat nonstick cookie sheets with canola cooking spray.

In medium bowl, combine flours, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon and salt (if desired) with whisk.

In large mixing bowl, cream margarine with brown sugar until well blended. Beat in the egg substitute and molasses. Gradually add the flour mixture while beating on low speed until soft dough forms. Scrape sides of mixing bowl to incorporate all of the ingredients.

Use a cookie scoop to place balls of dough (about 1/8 cup each) onto prepared cookie sheets with space between them. Place a pecan half in the center of each cookie ball and gently press to flatten cookie slightly.

Bake about 10 minutes or until desired doneness. Cool cookies on a wire rack and, to keep them soft and moist, store cookies in an airtight container.

Makes 24 cookies.

• Per cookie: 112 calories, 2 g protein, 15 g carbohydrate, 5 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 2 g monounsaturated fat, 2 g polyunsaturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 1.2 g fiber, 120 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 39 percent. Omega-3 fatty acids = .2 gram, Omega-6 fatty acids = 1.6 grams. Weight Watchers POINTS = 2

Elaine Magee is author of "The Recipe Doctor Cookbook" and "The Flax Cookbook." Readers may reach her through her Web site at www.recipedoctor.com. Personal responses can't be provided.