Lose Weight by Accident: #1 Super Food for Your Super Svelte Figure

By Jamie Dougherty

Remember a few weeks ago when I was talking up some sweet love for the sweet potato?  Though I still love those suckers, there is a particular super food that has taken first place on my plate as of late.  Say hello to kabocha squash!  “Excuse me?” you say.  “What is this thing I can barely pronounce?”  KA-BOW-CHA is a Japanese squash and quintessential super food that rocks in all types of delicious dishes.  First, a quick super food definition:  A super food is an unprocessed edible that packs a powerful nutritional bang for its caloric buck.  With its high Vitamin A, Vitamin C and potassium content, kabocha is not only a super food but one that will make your immune system and heart say thank you very much!

Now, where can you find said squash that will svelte-ify your figure?  Being a Fall food, right now kabocha can be found at most farmer’s markets.  Look for ones with a rich green color and firm skin with minimal blemishes.  If the markets have closed for the year, try your local grocer or health food store.  Next, how do you cook it?  Just like you would a butternut squash.  Throw it into soups and curries, mix it into a pilaf or with beans or just straight up roast it.  I actually love eating roasted kabocha as a snack. Absolutely flippin’ awesome!

So, next time you are looking for a super food to hit that sweet, starchy spot, grab a kabocha squash.  Your body and taste buds will be mighty pleased!

In the comments let me know your thoughts on super foods and how you like to get them into your diet.  Come on ladies, sharing is caring! (And it feels good too.)

Jamie G. Dougherty, founder of JamieLiving.com, gives women the secrets to feel amazing in their bodies and create the balance they crave between their busy schedules and eating well. Jamie believes that though kale and brown rice are good foods to put on your plate, until we truly learn HOW to eat rather than just WHAT to eat we will continue to be carb-craving, super-frazzled, stress-out ladies. If you ever feel hungry, stuck and unsatisfied with your food be sure to visit Jamie’s website to get her FREE 5-Step Guide to Fabulous.  Seriously ladies, get ready for Jamie to rock your world!

America’s Best Green Markets

Fresh off our Green Market Honey high, when Michelle found success in a jar of local honey to cure her allergies; we wanted to share the benefits of shopping Green Markets nationwide by telling you exactly where to go. Unusually late on what was once a fad, Green Markets are becoming more and more popular each year. In the quest for better health, people are slowly shunning grocery store bought foods in exchange for farmers’ fresh fruits veggies and grass-fed goodness.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that these outpost of urban farmers have grown in numbers from 2,863 in 2000 to 5,274 in 2009. So much so that the 2004 Oxford Dictionary’s word of the year was locavores, or a group of citizens committed to eating locally produced food 100 miles away from they live.

Here, 32 of the best places around America to shop local, according to our own sources and our readers’ favorites:

New York, New York

1. Union Square Greenmarket (Suggested by Nicole Tyson-Reuben on Facebook)
162 3rd Avenue, New York, NY 10003-2521
(212) 780-0263‎

2. New Amsterdam Market (Suggested by @Pravassa on Twitter)
South Street
between Beekman St & Peck Slip
New York, NY 10038

3. Fulton Stall Market (Suggested by @Pravassa on Twitter)
South Street b/w Beekman & Fulton Street at the old Fulton Fish Market

Boulder, Colorado

4. Boulder County Farmers’ Market
13th street between Arapahoe and Canyon, Boulder, CO‎
(303) 910-2236‎

Portland, Oregon

5. Portland Farmer’s Market
240 N Broadway St # 129, Portland, OR‎
(503) 241-0032‎

New Orleans, LA

6. Crescent City Farmers Market
7214 Saint Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA‎
(504) 861-5898‎

Salt Lake City, UT

7. Salt Lake City Downtown Farmers Market‎
300 West Broadway, Salt Lake City, UT 84101
(801) 359-5118‎

Sante Fe, New Mexico

8. Santa Fe Farmers Market
1607 Paseo De Peralta, Santa Fe, NM 87501-3739
(505) 983-7726‎

Austin, Texas

9. Sunset Valley Farmers Market
Barton Creek Square Mall
2901 S Capital Of Texas Hwy
Austin, TX 78745
(512) 280-1976

Chicago, Illinois

10. Green City Market
1750 North Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 880-1266‎

St. Louis, Missouri

11. Soulard Farmers Market
730 Carroll Street
St Louis, MO 63104-3808
(314) 622-4180

Miami, Florida

12. Coconut Grove Organic Farmers Market
3300 Grand Avenue, Miami, FL 33133
(305) 238-7747‎

Seattle, Washington

13. Pike Place Market
85 Pike St
Seattle, Washington 98101
(206) 682-7453

San Francisco, California

14. Marin Farmers Market (Near San Francisco)
76 San Pablo Avenue, San Rafael, CA 94903-4169
(415) 472-6100‎

Santa Monica, California

15. Santa Monica Market
200 Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica, CA 90401-3126
(310) 458-8712‎

St. Paul, Minnesota

16. St. Paul’s Farmers Market (Suggested by Maggie Melin on Facebook)
290 5th St E
St Paul, MN 55101-1609
(651) 227-6856

New Haven, CT

17. City Farmers Market Wooster Square
817 Grand Avenue
New Haven, CT 06511-4970
(203) 773-3736

Totowa, New Jersey

18. 46 Farmer’s Market Co (Suggested by Rachelle M Odom on Facebook)
430 U.S. 46
Totowa, NJ 07511
(973) 256-9592

Washington, D.C.

19. DC Eastern Market (Suggested by Melissa Whiteford StClair on Facebook)
225 7th Street Southeast
Washington, DC 20003
(202) 698-5253

San Antonio, Texas

20. Pearl Farmers Market (Suggested by Carol Lee Icke on Facebook)
200 East Grayson Street
San Antonio, TX 78215
(210) 212-7260

Detroit, Michigan

21. Detroit Eastern Market (Suggested by Tiffany Stano on Facebook)
2934 Russell Street
Detroit, MI 48207
PH: 313.833.9300

McKinney, Texas

22. Chestnut Square Historic Village (Suggested by Spa Esoteric on Facebook)
315 S. Chestnut St.
McKinney, TX 75069

Hollywood, California

23. Hollywood Farmers Market ( Suggested by Courteny L. Thomas on Facebook)
1600 Ivar Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90028
(323) 463-3171

Ocean City, New Jersey

24. Ocean City NJ Farmers Market (Suggested by Jennifer Freeman on Facebook)
Tabernacle Grounds between 5th & 6th Streets along Asbury Avenue
Ocean City, NJ 08226

Virginia Beach, Virginia

25. Old Beach Farmers Market (Suggested by Valeries Jones on Facebook)
620 19th Street (In the parking lot of Croc’s 19th Street Bistro)
Virginia Beach, VA 23451

Dale City, Virginia

26. Dale City Farmers Market (Suggested by Melissa Whiteford StClair on Facebook)
Dale Blvd. next to Center Plaza Shopping Center
Dale City, VA 22193
(703) 670-7115

Manassas, Virginia

27. Manassas Farmers Market (Suggested by Melissa Whiteford StClair on Facebook)
9431 West St.
Manassas, VA 20110
703-361-6599

Mesa, Arizona

28. Superstition Ranch Market‎ (Suggested by Lisa Lamphere on Facebook)
4755 East Main Street, Mesa, AZ 85205-7907
(480) 832-3421‎

Takoma Park, Maryland

29. Takoma Park Farmers Market ( Suggested by Felicia Lindsey Genet on Facebook)
At Carroll Avenue and Laurel Avenue in Takoma Park, Maryland

Jacksonville, North Carolina

30. Onslow County Farmers Market (Suggested by Melissa Whiteford StClair on Facebook)
4024 Hwy US 258 (also known as Richland Hwy)
Jacksonville, NC 28542
(910)455-5873 office

Lexington, Massachusetts

31. Wilson Farm (Suggested by @jayneseward on Twitter)
10 Pleasant Street
Lexington, MA 02421
(781) 862- 3900

Oakland, California

32. Jack London Square Farmers Market (Suggested by @lotusmoon on Twitter)
Water Street, between Franklin and Harrison Street
1-800-949-FARM