RECIPE: cherry garcia ice cream bars

I have a friend that is allergic to nuts and as a raw dessert enthusiast I rarely bring over a dessert without nuts. I usually beg for forgiveness and promise him I will one day bring him a dessert that he can enjoy. That one day never comes and then I feel guilty all over again as I debut yet another nut-filled dessert.

I have finally gotten my act together and created a simple recipe with seeds.

This recipe is like a two-fer. You get all this information about hemp seeds (which you then get to indulge in) AND you get chocolatey ice cream goodness. The shining ingredient in these bars are hemp and so before we get straight to the recipe let’s spend a few minutes glorifying this magical plant.

Hemp seeds are a real power house when it comes to nutrition. If you’re familiar at all with these little guys then you probably are aware that they are most recognized for their protein content (1 oz. has 10 g of protein!!). In fact, my hubby sprinkles hemp seeds on almost anything, hoping to glean some of this protein content (he also loves the nutty and slightly salty flavors). However, what most people don’t really know is that they are incredible nutrition sources for even more reasons.

Hemp goes beyond just the protein needed to build muscle mass. Protein is actually an important building block for our neurological and biological development. The protein in hemp seeds is a near-perfect makeup of the essential proteins and essential fatty acids needed in order to thrive. With an EFA count like that it automatically becomes a sort-of-superfood!

Ladies: this chocolate indulgence is for YOU!

Put everything into a blender and blend until smooth. If you do not have a high powered blender, blend the cherries with the maple syrup and a couple tablespoons of water first to break them down. Then add the remaining ingredients.

Pour into a baking dish lined with plastic wrap. The baking dish I used was about 4″ x 6″, so relatively small. Place in the freezer, covered, overnight. (I use these in the freezer to keep my goods covered) Do not add the chocolate layer until the bars are frozen completely … add the chocolate ganache the next morning just to be safe.

**disclosure: if you purchase anything I link to you via Amazon I make a small percentage out of it at no cost to you! So cool for me, so cool for you!

Place everything in a small bowl and, using a fork, mix everything until well incorporated. If it is not perfectly smooth then continue to adjust your proportions until just right. Then pour your chocolate over the ice cream bars and place in the freezer for 30 minutes to an hour to set before serving.

Important Tip: keep all of your tools completely dry while making the chocolate. Any moisture will cause the ingredients in the chocolate to seize and it will not be smooth enough to pour beautifully onto the bars!

Minerals found in Hemp Seeds

• Phosphorous (energy and bone density)
• Potassium (energy)
• Magnesium (detox, muscle relaxing, mild laxative)
• Sulfur (beauty and longevity)
• Calcium (relaxes digestive tract and muscular system, removes toxins)
• Iron (blood builder and oxygenator)
• Manganese (blood builder and oxygenator)
• Zinc (beauty mineral, supports skin and liver)
• Sodium (beauty mineral, supports adrenals)
• Silicon (beauty mineral, bone density)
• Copper (part of vitamin C complex)
• Platinum (an enzymatic master mineral)
• Boron (calcium absorption, stabilizes hormones)
• Nickel (enzyme metabolism)
• Germanium (antiviral, immune support)
• Tin (aids male pattern baldness)
• Iodine (a thyroid mineral, helps with hypothyrodism)
• Chromium (a pancreatic mineral)
• Silver (antiviral, antifungal, antimicrobial)
• Lithium (an alkaline, mood-improving mineral)