Fresh, creamy, vegan, and sort of good for you, what else could you want in a treat?!

We’ve been hibernating for a while now so if feels rights to tone it down a bit on the indulgent treats…and by that I mean the ones that are just straight up whipping cream, caramel, and other (super delicious) stuff. Don’t get me wrong, I am all about stuffing your face with the best pastries and desserts in the name of happiness, but, you know, we kinda want to feel a little more Gwyneth Paltrow for Spring and Summer and not so Betty Crocker.

These treats are pretty filling, and they taste amazing (like a fresh, sort of, grassy key lime pie). The ice cream has chlorella in it which is full of good stuff for your skin and guts, which by the way, may need a bit of healing after a severe winter diet haha.

Chlorella is an algae, but it’s not as intense as spirulina, I find spirulina has to be used in tiny amounts or everything will taste like a mermaid’s butthole. Chlorella can also taste like that if you use a ton of it, but, it gets along better when combined with other ingredients, in this case lime, coconut milk, and mint.

So what you say? Wanna give it a try? Here’s the recipe:

Chlorella Mint & Lime Ice Cream Sandwiches
Serves 6

Ingredients

For the ice cream:
– 1 can of coconut milk
– 1 1/2 cups pea milk (or other non-dairy milk)
– 2-3 tablespoons chlorella powder (taste it and make sure it’s not too strong before adding more)
– Zest and juice of 2 limes
– 1 tsp vanilla
– 1 pinch salt
– 1 bunch fresh mint
– 3 tbsp agave nectar (more if you like it sweeter, mind you, the crust will be sweet too)
– 1 tbsp corn starch

For the “cookie” part:
– 1 cup pitted dates soaked in hot water for 20 min
– 1/4 cup cashews soaked in hot water for 20 min
– 1/4 cup toasted walnuts
– 1/4 cup toasted rolled oats
– 1/4 cup pecans
– Splash of hot water
– Pinch of salt
– 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:
1. Place all of the ice cream ingredients except for the cornstarch in a blender and blend on high speed until smooth. Taste it and if needed add a touch more lime juice (for tartness) or agave. Place the contents in a sauce pan over medium heat, meanwhile dissolve the corn starch in a bit of cold water, then add to the warm chlorella mix in the pot, simmer on low heat for 5-7 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool.
2. While your ice cream mix is cooling, make the cookie part: place all of the ingredients in a food processor or blender, add a splash of hot water and blend until it forms a paste, you can leave some small chunks in so it’s crunchy. You may need to scrape and stir the mix in between so it all gets blended.
3. Grab a 9″-ish rectangular (or square) baking pan and line it with 2 parchment paper pieces to cover both sides (one for width one for length) make sure the parchment overlaps a bit, this will help you pull out the bars when they’re done.
4. Place half of the cookie mix at the bottom of the pan and press to make the crust, set aside.
5. Place the cooled ice cream mix in your ice cream maker (if you don’t have one, you can freeze the ice cream in a container beforehand). Once it’s done and ready, scoop the ice cream onto the baking pan with the cookie crust, flatten the ice cream with a spatula. Put it in the freezer and freeze for 1 hour. After this, test if the top is hard, if it is, add the rest of the cookie mix and flatten. Freeze overnight.

When they’re ready, pull them out of the pan (you may have to heat the sides a bit), then cut them into pieces, garnish with nuts and dig it!

SUGGESTION: maybe even dip them in chocolate?!

Enjoy!