1. Sift the flour, baking powder and baking soda into a mixing bowl. Add the oatmeal, bran and sugar, and mix well to combine.
2. Add the margarine and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add 4 tablespoons milk and stir in well so the mixture forms a soft dough. If the mixture is a little dry, add the remaining 1 tablespoon milk.
3. Turn the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap and shape it into a log about 25 cm long. Wrap the plastic around the dough and roll it gently back and forward to make a smooth shape. Twist the ends of the plastic together to seal. Chill the dough for about 30 minutes. (It can be kept for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.)
4. Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Unwrap the dough and, using a very sharp knife, cut it across into slices 1 cm thick. Use parchment paper to line a baking sheet and place the dough slices on it. Bake for about 12 minutes or until lightly browned.
5. Transfer the sweet whole-wheat cookies to a wire rack and leave to cool completely. They can be kept in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

PER COOKIE

51 calories
1 g protein
2 g total fat
0.3 g saturated fat
0.1 mg cholesterol
8 g total carbohydrate
3 g sugars
1 g fibre
62 mg sodium

All forms of sugar contain 4 calories per gram. A cup of white sugar contains 770 calories, while a cup of densely packed brown sugar contains 820 calories.