Like everyone else out there, I’m a creature of habit.   As it is, I wake up the same time every day, have a rotation of the same three t-shirts I wear every week (much to my girlfriend’s dismay), like to eat at the same restaurants, and always put my right sock on before my left.  Heck, I even listen to the same music every day at CP.  But that’s mainly because Eric is like the Energy Bunny of playing the same playlist over and over and over again.  I swear to god I’m going to go fall on a knife if I hear Linkin Park one more time.

Above all, nothing defines our “habits” more than the food we eat.  We all have our likes and dislikes as far as what we put down out pie holes.  As such, I’ll be the first to admit that I tend to eat the same food day in and day out.  However, recently, I’ve been a little more creative (for lack of a better term) with the foods I’ve been eating and would like to share my new favorite foods (new to me anyways).

1.  Cacao Nibs- there’s been a ton of research recently expounding the many health benefits of chocolate.  Now, before you jump the gun and reach for that Hershey bar, you should know that I AM NOT referring to milk chocolate.  Instead, I’m referring to dark chocolate.  Specifically 100% dark chocolate, which unfortunately, compared to milk chocolate, taste like wet fart (but that’s just my opinion).

Loaded with tons of antioxidants, as well as fiber (one serving contains 9 grams), it goes without saying the benefits far outweigh the bitter taste.  Besides, throw it in a protein shake, and you won’t even notice it.  In fact, it’s quite tasty.

2.  Lamb’s Lettuce- as Michael Pollan noted in his phenomenal book, In Defense of Food:

Two of the most nutritious plants in the world are weeds- lamb’s quarters (lamb’s lettuce) and purslane- and some of the healthiest tradtional diets, sush as Mediterranean, make frequent use of wild greens.

It’s often hard to find, but if you live near a Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods, you should be able to get your hands on some.  I buy a brand called Mache, and it’s definitely a step up from your traditional baby spinach.

3.  Chia Seeds- Brian St. Pierre actually recommended these to me not too long ago.  Yes, these are the same chia seeds found in the lamest Christmas present ever-the Chia Pet.  Actually, scratch that.  The lamest Christmas present ever is socks.  Or a John Tesh Christmas album.  But the Chia Pet is reaaaaly close.  And while I’d like to sit here and tell you that by eating chia seeds you’ll grow chest hair like Tom Selleck, it ain’t gonna happen.

However, what you will get is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids and soluble fiber (6 grams per serving).  Additionally, they’ll also provide a nice nutty texture to your salads/cottage cheese/yogurt.  I know it comes across as a bit “hippy” to recommend these, but for those who are growing tired of ground flax seeds, chia seeds are a nice substitute.

4.  Ginger- While I’m sure I could go on Wikipedia and look up the health benefits, I don’t care.  All I know is that ginger looks like this:

Okay, not really.  it actually looks like this:

……and I can’t get enough of it since my girlfriend introduced it to me.  Ginger definitely provides a little “kick” to foods such as mashed sweet potatoes, kale, or whatever else she wants to feed me on Sunday nights.  Pssssst, meatloaf.  Psssssst, STAT!

5.  Speaking of which, in case you missed it, here is Lisa’s bean dip recipe that I told everyone I’d post last week:

1 can of organic black beans
1 quarter of a white onion
a few (5 or 6 if you love it) roasted garlic cloves (or one small raw clove)
2-3 tbsp of sundried tomatoes (in olive oil is better)
a little salt and pepper
some veggie broth to make sure it is moist enough to blend

I’ve been using this as my salad dressing as of late, and I love it.  Definitely a healthier option compared to most salad dressings, and tastes great to boot.

So, there you have it.  Those are some of the new foods I’ve been eating as of late.  Feel free to include some of your new foods below.  I’m always game for trying new stuff.  Accept for seafood.  And brussel sprouts.  Other than that, we’re good to go.