Summer should be a care-free time of late mornings followed by slow, unhurried afternoons. When the heat becomes unbearable, a brief cat nap in the shelter of leafy, shaded canopy is more than just socially acceptable, but practically mandatory. When fireflies appear along with the onset of nightfall, the warm evening seem to stretch on forever, infinite as the number of stars brightening the dark sky.

Summers are precious. Don’t force yourself to work when every fiber of your being wants to play. While some commitments are unavoidable, there’s so much more extraneous noise that we could tune out. That’s why I’m happy to spend less time in the kitchen to make those moments count.

This is a quick snack I originally devised to feature a favorite vegan ice cream brand, taking their chocolate-covered raspberry-acai ice cream off the stick and into a fresh parfait. The shatteringly crisp dark chocolate shell gives way to a silken frozen custard filling. Chopping it into cubes makes each layer instantly accessible, without the fear of drips or mess to spoil the snack. Nestled on top of a super fast, fruity chia pudding, the combination is much more substantial than the average novelty to stave off hunger through the most vigorous match of yard darts or pickle ball.

Unfortunately, that brand is no longer the magnificent purveyor of plant-based indulgences I originally fell in love with, so those bars are off the table. Many more have stepped up to the plate, however, making such a simple concept that much more accessible overall.

What brands make the best dairy-free chocolate-covered novelties?

• Must Love Bananas Frozen Dessert Bars
• Sorbabes Bars
• Magnum Non-Dairy Ice Cream Bars Dip
• Alden’s Dairy-Free Ice Cream Bars
• Chloe’s Dipped Pops
• Daiya Frozen Dessert Bars
• Haagen Dazs Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert Bars
• So Delicious Cashewmilk, Almondmilk, and Coconutmilk Ice Cream Bars

There’s no hard and fast rule that you must used a chocolate-covered pop, but it’s that textural contrast that makes it so compelling. Mix and match flavors at will, swapping in seasonal fruits based on availability, add nuts, sprinkles, or chocolate chips, and most importantly, don’t overthink it. It’s a stretch to call this a full recipe, but for the sake of convenience, here’s the basic blueprint so you can bookmark it for later.

Now get back out there and enjoy the sun. Summer only comes once a year.

Yield: Makes 1 - 2 Servings

Chocolate-Covered Ice Cream Bar Parfait

Elevate the average vegan ice cream bar into a downright decadent dessert. These parfaits only take 15 minutes and a 4 ingredients to make.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Additional Time 15 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 Packets Frozen Acai Puree, Thawed (or 3/4 Cup Mashed Banana, Peach Puree or Applesauce)
• 1/2 Cup Fresh Raspberries, Blackberries, or Blueberries
• 2 Tablespoons Chia Seeds
• 1 - 2 Chocolate-Covered Vegan Ice Cream Bars

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, combine the puree and berries, roughly mashing with a fork to coarsely mix together. Add the chia seeds and stir well. Let stand for about 15 minutes to thicken. If it's REALLY hot out, stash the bowl in the freezer to make it cooler and more refreshing.
2. Transfer the mixture to 1 or 2 glasses. Chop the ice cream bar into cubes and remove the stick. Top the chia pudding with ice cream cubes and enjoy!

Recommended Products

Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. I have experience with all of these companies and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something through my links.

• 
  No Sugar Added Vanilla Coconutmilk Frozen Dessert
• 
  Navitas Organics, Organic Acai Powder, 4 oz
• 
  California Gold Nutrition, Superfoods, Organic Chia Seeds, 12 oz (340 g)

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

2

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 319Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 38mgCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 11gSugar: 25gProtein: 5g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimations.

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