Junk food be damned!!

OK, so trying to prepare for my 11yr old to have his tonsils and adenoids removed, I asked people on my Facebook what foods they would recommend to help with recovery.  Many people commented, or messaged me with the usual things.  Popsicles, ice cream, Jello....  We eat a whole food, organic diet the majority of the time.  My child is not used to junk food.  It seemed almost mean to assault his body with high amounts of sugar, artificial dyes, and in general, a lack of nutrients, when his immune system was vulnerable following surgery.  I started digging for healthier options.  Various people pointed me towards great options.

These are the things I decided on:
Organic applesauce
Avocado chocolate pudding
"Jello" made with agar agar instead of gelatin
Banana "ice cream"
Homemade chicken stock
Sherbet (This was the least healthy option on the menu.)
Organic, frozen fruit juice  "popsicles"
Avocado strawberry "fluff"

We are same day as surgery so far, and this has been the consensus:
The applesauce is yummy.
The avocado chocolate pudding is "delicious"!
We haven't tried the banana ice cream yet.
The homemade chicken stock is not his favorite, but he is willing to drink it in order to have more treat type stuff.
The sherbet is a favorite, but he understands that there are better options available, and so far has chosen them.  He had one small bowl of sherbet today.
Organic, frozen fruit juice "popsicles" are tasty.
Avocado strawberry fluff has also not been tried yet.

The recipe for avocado chocolate pudding is as follows:

1 avocado
1 banana
1/4 cup cocoa powder (I used 100% natural, non-GMO cocoa powder)
1 cup milk alternative  (I had hemp milk on hand, so that is what I used.)
2 tablespoons honey

Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smoothe.  I used an additional 1/2 banana because it was pretty runny.  The hemp milk did not make it taste horrible, thankfully.


The agar agar Jello alternative recipe is as follows:
4 cups liquid of choice
4 tablespoons agar agar.  For those of you unfamiliar with agar agar, it is dried seaweed flakes.  It is also EXPENSIVE.

Mix both ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer while stirring for 5 minutes, or until flakes are dissolved.  Place in bowl and chill in refrigerator.

Homemade chicken stock is also VERY EASY to make and is MUCH better for you than the sodium and artificial ingredient filled stuff you buy at the store.

What you need for chicken stock:
1 whole, uncooked chicken OR the leftover bones from an already cooked chicken
1 gallon of water
2 carrots
2 celery stalks
1 onion
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (raw and unfiltered)
1 bunch parsley

Place the water, chicken/chicken bones, carrots, celery, and onion (chopped), and apple cider vinegar into a pot, and let sit for 30 minutes.  Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat and simmer for 24-72 hours.  Add in parsley the last 15 minutes.  Strain and place in large bowl in fridge or allow to cool on the counter, covered.  Skim the fat from the surface, and then either freeze, or keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.

I will update as we use the other recipes.