With intuitive eating, the goal is for you to be able to view all foods the same emotionally. That icecream sandwiches don’t provide you with guilt or shame when eating. That when you choose to eat dessert, it affects you the same as if you chose a fresh fruit instead. Neither is “better” or “worse”, it’s just food that you are eating at that moment.

Somedays you’ll want a sugar-laden icecream sandwich to satisfy a craving, and then you simply move on with life. If you view certain foods as “bad” or “forbidden”, it immediately sets off an alarm in your brain that tells you to want it even more.

Intuitive eating is also about learning to pay attention to how food makes your body feel. If I ate sugary icecream sandwiches every day, I probably would not feel great. All that sugar and refined carbs would leave me feeling tired, sluggish, moody, and hangry for more. So what can we do instead? Have healthier options that DO make our body feel good, that are also fun! This also plays into the final principle of Intuitive Eating, Gentle Nutrition. Choosing some foods that are good for your health, without strict food rules or inflexibility. For me, plant-based eating has always made me feel best. And the health benefits are incredible! I actually had to give a talk on plant-based eating yesterday for healthcare, due to its rising popularity in healthcare and dining. Did you know? Plant-based eating doesn’t have to be strict vegan or vegetarian, it simply means you are eating a pattern that has an emphasis on plants! Colorful fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes. Plant-based diets are linked with a reduced risk of Diabetes, Heart Disease, certain types of Cancers, & more. So with this recipe, made from plants, not only does it taste incredible, but it has some cool health benefits, too.

Plant-Based Chocolate Chip Icecream Sandwiches (vegan)

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These plant-powered ice ‘cream’ sandwiches are SO delicious and absolutely refreshing during these last few summer weeks. Packed with fiber, natural sugars, and healthy fats. Dessert that makes your body feel good, that’s delicious!

• Author: Caroline

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the Cookies:

• 1 cup raw walnuts
• 1/2 cup raw cashews
• 10 medjool dates
• 1/8 cup almond flour or oat flour
• dash sea salt
• 2 TBSP coconut oil, melted
• 2 TBSP maple syrup
• dash of cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Chocolate chips for topping (Enjoy life brand has delicious vegan mini chips)

For the Cashew ‘Icecream’

• 1 1/2 cups raw cashews, soaked overnight or at least 6-8 hours
• 1/4 cup coconut butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• dash sea salt
• 3 TBSP maple syrup or other sweetener
• splash of oat milk (or other non-dairy milk of choice) for blending

Instructions

Soak dates in hot water for a few minutes.

Mix all cookie ingredients together in a food processor and blend until smooth. Form into small flat cookies and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat with all dough. Top with chocolate chips and set in freezer while you prepare the icecream.

Drain cashews. Add cashews and all other icecream ingredients to a high powered food processor or blender. Blend until smooth and creamy – this may take a few minutes and a few breaks to scrape down the sides. Keep blending until a whipped like consistency occurs.

Take cookies out of freezer and top half of the cookies with a dollup of the cashew icecream. Place other cookie on top for sandwiches. Enjoy! Store in freezer and take out to room temp for a few minutes before enjoying. I like to cut them into bite sized pieces and snack on throughout the week!

Notes

This recipe is vegan and gluten-free.

So remember, you don’t have to be a strict vegan or vegetarian to enjoy plant-based foods (I sure am not one!) to reap the benefits. Can you simply add more nutritious plant-based foods into your day in ways you enjoy?Maybe you add some leafy greens to your omelet, start your day with a fruit & veggie smoothie, or swap out chicken for lentil or beans sometimes. It’s not about being perfect, it’s about choosing foods that make you feel good, don’t take up much brain space, and are balanced. Trust your body that it knows what it needs.