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Vegan, Gluten-Free, Double Chocolate Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches for One (or Two)

It is Adam's birthday this weekend so I wanted to make him a little treat. And little is the key word.

Adam lives a very disciplined life. He works harder than anyone I know, is a terrific dad and husband, works out almost every day and tries to eat a healthy diet.

Unfortunately for him, sticking to a healthy diet is sometimes a chore. Unlike me, he does not get excited about broccoli, kale, chickpeas or brown rice.

Nope, his favorite foods are: meat(ANY), chocolate, ice cream, cookies and cake.

But he rarely indulges.

Every year on Father's Day he gets a Blizzard from Dairy Queen and every year on his birthday, his parents buy him one of those gigantic cookies from Mrs. Field's covered in icing. I look the other way while he and the girls gorge on all that white flour, sugar and saturated fat.

So knowing that he has the cookie coming, Adam said I could bake him a treat, but it had to be "mini" so that he doesn't pig out TOO much this weekend.

I wanted to make him something dairy-free so he wouldn't have to worry about remembering to take his Lactaid pills and I felt like experimenting with vegan/gluten-free ingredients. Lately I am starting to feel as if this is the only "politically correct" way to cook/bake as to not exclude anyone from the fun.

This makes enough for one hungry/chocolate craving person or two more disciplined people.

These may be vegan and gluten-free, but you won't believe how decadent, fudgy and rich they taste!

Heaping 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (dairy-free for vegan)
2 tsp instant espresso powder + 2 tbls boiling water
1/4 cup + 2 tbls apple sauce
2 tbls sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup coconut flour
2 tsp cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt

1 pint Coconut Bliss Dark Chocolate ice cream

Dissolve espresso powder in water and set aside. Place chocolate chips in microwave safe bowl and microwave for 45-55 seconds, stirring at least once midway. Stir until smooth. Add espresso liquid and stir. Chocolate may seize (become lumpy), but if you keep stirring it will smooth out. Add apple sauce, sugar and vanilla. In small bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add to wet ingredients and mix until combined. Scrape batter into one greased mini loaf pan or divide between 2 greased muffin tins. Bake at 350F for about 25 minutes. Let cool COMPLETELY in pan before removing.

If you used a mini loaf pan, cut the loaf in half and then cut the two halfs in half again lengthwise. Take a scoop of Coconut bliss and place it on one brownie bottom quarter, sandwich with a top quarter. Do same with remaining two quarters. If using muffin tins, slice your two brownie muffins in half lengthwise, top bottom halves with a scoop of Coconut Bliss and then place top half over ice cream. Enjoy!

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