I’m not a drinker and I don’t use drugs, but during challenging times, I have leaned heavily into the antioxidant known as dark chocolate. It’s really just salad, you guys. I have previously made this argument. Chocolate comes from the cacao bean, which is a bean, which obviously does count as a vegetable *in my opinion*. I am not a doctor, but if I were, I would probably say that chocolate is not a vegetable, but it is a powerful antioxidant and is beneficial to those who can eat it. Milk chocolate isn’t the same. Sorry to all the milk chocolate fans out there. It doesn’t pack the antioxidant punch due to the added dairy and sugar.
If you see me in the pantry stuffing my face with a square of dark chocolate containing dried blueberries, keep walking. I’m eating health food and practicing resilience. 
* in the film Chocolat, Johnny Depp’s character’s favorite chocolate is hot chocolate. But that is a film, and although hot chocolate is delicious, it is not my favorite, and it is not candy. Give me a high-quality 70% or higher dark chocolate, and I am a happy girl. Nothing against Hershey’s, but Special Dark is not special. There’s too much sugar, and it is not smooth. Belgian chocolate is the absolute best.
And as a reminder, cacao pods grow from the trunk of the Theobroma cacao tree, and cocoa comes from the seed inside the pod. Seems that no one can agree if it’s a fruit, vegetable or a nut. Just remember this: it is health food.
Two songs came to mind while I was thinking of a response to this prompt. One was Candy Girl by New Edition – a the happy little bop that I know by heart.
The second song was Under the Milky Way by The Church. This is one of my favorite songs, and it has been since it was released. I am not sure why, but I can get lost in the smoothness of that song. See what I did there? Smoothness? Milky Way?
Have a sweet day, everyone.
Sometimes when this place gets kind of empty, Sound of their breath fades with the light. I think about the loveless fascination, Under the milky way tonight.
Lower the curtain down in Memphis, Lower the curtain down all right. I got no time for private consultation, Under the milky way tonight.
Wish I knew what you were looking for. Might’ve known what you would find. Wish I knew what you were looking for. Might’ve known what you would find.
And it’s something quite peculiar, Something shimmering and white. It leads you here despite your destination, Under the Milky Way tonight.
Wish I knew what you were looking for. Might’ve known what you would find. Wish I knew what you were looking for. Might’ve known what you would find.
And it’s something quite peculiar, Something shimmering and white. Leads you here despite your destination, Under the Milky Way tonight.
Wish I knew what you were looking for. Might’ve known what you would find. Wish I knew what you were looking for. Might’ve known what you would find.
