Three Layer Caramel Ice Cream Bars (date sweetened and vegan)

Summer is here! Well, sort of here… It certainly is warming up and there are finally ice cream trucks on every corner and I can feel myself starting to crave all the cold food! It’s safe to say that ice cream is one of my favorite foods. Growing up I was a huge mint chocolate chip fan and the flavor still reminds me of endless summer days spent on the beach. So it was pretty natural for me to come up with this ice cream bar recipe as a nostalgic nod to the good old days.I’m currently out in Boulder once again and staying with a friend. And of course I’m attempting to be the best house guest ever by filling her freezer with goodies. To my surprise, when I arrived she already had a freezer full of homemade vegan no sugar added ice cream bars. And once I saw how beautiful they were I knew I needed to make them…with my own twist, of course. So after we devoured those bars we got to the kitchen and started playing around with ingredients and came up with these! I had had dinner with a friend the night before and we made quinoa and my chickpea miso stew. We had a ton of left over quinoa and I jokingly said, “give me the extra quinoa I will make a dessert.” But then I remembered the bars I wanted to make and I thought that would be such a good twist on the recipe and a great way to use leftover quinoa. So into the crust went the quinoa, along with dates and nuts, to create a sticky, sweet and nutty crust. The filling was also so easy. After pressing the crust into the pyrex I blended the filling ingredients together, making two batches so that I could try two separate flavors – mint chip and caramel. Once the filling was done I stuck it in the freezer, cleaned up the kitchen and made the chocolate shell. By the time the shell was ready, the bars were just cold enough so that when I put the shell on, it hardened right away.These bars are so easy to make. Don’t be intimidated by all the steps and the fancy looking three layers. They will impress your guests not only with their look but also with their ingredients and taste. Whether you are making them mint or caramel, you can’t go wrong.Base:

• 1 cup cooked quinoa (if you don’t want to use quinoa, you can use raw oats or any flour)
• 1 cup dates (pitted)
• 1 cup nuts
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Prepare a pyrex you can either spray it with coconut oil or line it with parchment paper so when its done you can easily take it out
2. Combine all the ingredients in a food processor or blender till well combined and a sticky like dough forms
3. Press evenly into the pyrex 9×4 1/2 — a loaf pan

Filling:

• 1 cup cashews (soak in warm water for 1-5 hours and then drained)
• 1 cup dates (pitted)
• 3/4 cup coconut cream (this is canned coconut milk with no added sugar. I found it in Trader Joes)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• *to make it mint flavor add in 1/2 cup steamed spinach and 1 teaspoon to taste of mint extract

1. Combine all ingredients into a blender blend until smooth. You may need to scrape it down and blend again especially if you are adding spinach!
2. Spread evenly over the crust and place in the freezer for at least 30 minutes to chill before putting chocolate topping ( a great time to clean up the kitchen )

Chocolate topping

• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 4 tablespoons melted coconut oil
• ***optional sweetener 1 tablespoon of choice. (I personally did not add any. I like bitter chocolate and I think the filling and crust are sweet so it’s a nice balance)

1. While the bars are chilling make the chocolate topping. Mix melted coconut oil and cocoa powder. Add sweetener as well if adding. Whisk together until smooth.
2. Once the bars are chilled pour the chocolate over. Keep in mind it will freeze right away like a chocolate shell. Shake around the pyrex to evenly coat the bars. You can sprinkle sea salt, nuts, coconut or whatever you like on top right away before the chocolate hardens.
3. Place back in the freezer for at least 3 hours to set
4. Once the bars are set take out of the freezer and let sit for a few minutes. I like to run hot water on the outside of the pyrex so it easily pops out. If you lined it with parchment just tug on the parchment and it should pop out. Run hot water over a sharp knife and cut the bars. The chocolate may crack a little but that is okay!
5. Store in the freezer in an air tight container and enjoy