It’s been over a month since my surgery, but I’m still feeling some of its effects, like making weird mistakes, experiencing fatigue and low energy, and having digestive problems. Apparently, anesthesia puts the entire body to sleep, including the digestive system. My system didn’t want to wake back up, which is why I ended up in the hospital for longer than originally anticipated. My digestion is still not up to speed, so to speak, but I’ve ditched the medicines the doctors gave me in favor of more natural approaches. One of the things I’ve been trying is chia pudding, which is much, much tastier than the doctor recommended milk of magnesia. Because of the combination of almonds and shredded coconut, this pudding had me singing, “sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don’t”, like in the old candy bar commercials, so I’ve decided to call it “Almond Joy.” I like making it in the evening right before going to bed and having it the morning for breakfast. Ingredients:
- ¼ cup chia seeds
- 1 cup non-dairy milk
- 2 tablespoons raw cacao powder
- 2 tablespoons slivered almonds
- 2 tablespoons shredded, unsweetened coconut
- 2 tablespoons agave nectar or maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
Instructions: Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl or mason jar. Cover and store in the fridge for at least two hours before serving. If you’re not feeling like a nut, omit the almonds and use coconut or vanilla extract instead of almond extract. Serves 2
