Brownie Cookie Dough “Ice Cream” Bars

I waited long enough to share this recipe with you guys, but I think Easter is the perfect occasion.

Not only is this Easter weekend, but it’s also my birthday weekend! It’s actually my 23rd birthday today, but since I’m working all day, I’ll be celebrating tomorrow.

I think this week was the busiest week of my internship yet. First, it was a staff experience week, which means I took over the dietitian’s workload for the week. I was working in oncology, psychiatry and the HIV clinic all week. I also had to spend some time at night writing down a self-evaluation about my daily performance as part of my staff experience week. I then spent the rest of my evenings testing recipes for the blog, photographing recipes, editing photos, writing blog posts and other little tasks. Then, since the end of my internship is near, I had to allow some time for my big therapeutic update (reading some scientific articles. Yay!). As if that wasn’t enough, my grandfather was at the hospital for open heart surgery. My family was in Saint John for the week and I spent every free second with them in my grandfather’s hospital room. It’s been a little overwhelming.

I’m probably boring you, sorry! Sometimes I just need to vent. I want this place to be as positive as possible, but I also want to share my struggles. I am human after all.

So, back to the fun stuff.

This weekend, Shaun and I are driving to Moncton to see the family. We’re going hiking all day at Fundy and then we’re going out for my birthday at my favorite vegetarian restaurant. Exactly how I want to spend my birthday! I’m not even sure we’re celebrating Easter this year, but we never do anything big anyway. I’m happy with a quiet weekend with my family and Lola. 🙂

And finally, the recipe!

I made these frozen slices in November, but I never got around to sharing them. Mostly because I wasn’t completely satisfied with the results and I wanted to test them again before posting the recipe. Then it got too cold and I started craving warm breads and cookies, not frozen desserts. Well, I’m happy to say that it’s now getting warmer here and I’m ready to test more spring and summer recipes.

Let me explain this recipe step by step…

Step one is making the delicious little cookie dough balls. Those raw bites are made with oats, cashews, dates and vanilla. All you need to do is blend the ingredients in a food processor until the mixture sticks together when pressed, then stir in some cocoa nibs. Roll the mixture into little balls an set aside.

Step two is making the raw brownie layer. Using the same food processor, you simply process roasted cashews, vanilla, cocoa powder, cocoa nibs and dates. When the mixture is done, just press it at the bottom of a loaf pan. Think of it as the bottom layer of a Dairy Queen cake, but healthy. YUM.

Step three is making a creamy nice cream using frozen bananas, a splash of coconut milk and a few spoonfuls of nut butter if desired. Once again, all is blended in the same food processor (no cleaning necessary). Scoop the nice cream over the brownie layer, then toss the cookie dough on top. Make sure the cookie dough is covered into the nice cream, then cover the dish and freeze it overnight or for at least an hour.

It may sound a little complicated, but I promise, it’s easier than it sounds. There’s hardly any cleaning involved and it’s done in about 20 minutes. Every minute is worth it. Trust me.

If you try this recipe, make sure to tag your photo #unsweetenedcaroline on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Don’t forget to also tag me @unsweetened.caroline on Instagram so I can see your creations!