Late summer and early fall is the best time to shop at your local farmers’ market. With all the end-of-summer bounty overflowing the stands, you’ll find plenty of great options for fresh, delicious meals.

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Here are some of our favorite recipes that will help you make the most of the season’s best produce.

To learn how to get the right combination of protein and carbs every day to burn fat, click here.

Tomato Broccoli Cheesy Potato Bake1. Tomato Broccoli Cheesy Potato Bake

If you like tomatoes, try some of the more unique heirloom varieties. Yellow, purple, green, and striped, each have their own unique flavor and can be used in this hearty casserole dish (or just chopped up in a salad!)

 

 

Zucchini Chips 3002. Zucchini Chips

Summer squashes like zucchini are at their best in late summer. Pick deep green zucchini to make these chips—they’re sure to hit the spot for a salty snack craving, while still being healthy.

 

 

 Roasted Vegetables4503. Roasted Seasonal Vegetables

Any combination of veggies will taste delicious roasted with this recipe—the sky is the limit. That means you can make the most of great deals on produce and still have a great foolproof side dish.

 

 

Stuffed Peppers4504. Quinoa Wakame Stuffed Peppers

Fresh bell peppers are the star of this dish, with a twist coming from healthy quinoa and wakame seaweed. Yum!

 

 

 

 

Cucumber-salad-best3005. Curried Chicken, Cucumber, and Scallion Salad

Curry meets cucumber in this cool-and-spicy crunchy summer salad. While you can buy cucumbers year round, their true season is late summer.

 

 

corn soup 4506. Corn Soup

Fresh corn is a great summer treat. While corn on the cob is an obvious choice, this easy-to-make corn soup is another kid-friendly favorite that the whole family will enjoy.

 

 

Tomato Stewed Okra Carrots 3007. Tomato-Stewed Okra and Carrots

The peak season for fresh okra is May through September, so now is your chance to grab some okra and make this deliciously simple dish.

 

 

Rhubarb Strawberry Tart4508. Rhubarb Strawberry Tart

A totally guilt-free dessert that makes the best of these summer fruits.

 

 

 

TURKEY STUFFED “BEEFSTEAK” TOMATOES9. Turkey Stuffed Beefsteak Tomatoes

Beef or beefsteak tomatoes are big enough to stuff with this great turkey filling for a simple and tasty meal. You’ll find the best ones at your local farmers’ or organic market.

 

 

Squash Omelet10. Squash Omelette

Looking for a new twist on the classic omelette? Look no further than this great squash variation.

 

 

 

Shopping at a local farmers’ market has lots of benefits:

  • It helps support local farmers, many of them using sustainable and organic farming practices, which are good for you and for the environment
  • You can save money when you buy produce that’s in season, as opposed to more expensive produce imported for chain supermarkets.
  • Buying in season means that you get better-tasting, fresher produce.
  • Support your local community and meet the people that grow your food!

 

To find a farmers’ market near you visit:

USA: http://www.localharvest.org/farmers-markets/

Canada: http://www.farmersmarketscanada.ca/Links.cfm

UK: http://www.local-farmers-markets.co.uk/find-farmers-market.html

Australia: http://farmersmarkets.org.au/markets

New Zealand: http://www.farmersmarkets.org.nz/

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Be sure NOT to buy these 5 Foods!

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    • Hi, Luther111. The “five foods to never eat” refer to artificial or highly processed versions of popular foods that should be healthy, but have been manipulated into being particularly harmful to your goals. Rather than giving up on them altogether, we encourage better versions in their original, natural forms. Note that the foods discussed here are only examples, and many other popular foods have been similarly affected—so it’s good to read labels, be aware of how a food is made, and choose whole foods as much as possible.
      1. Regular “whole wheat” bread—this often also contains refined flours, so it is preferred to select “100% whole” grain products (wheat or other). Even with these products, be sure to read the label and avoid hydrogenated fats or similar ingredients such as mono- and diglycerides.
      2. Regular margarine—this is often made from chemically altered fats that create health risks similar to those people are trying to avoid by eating a plant-based product. If you must use a hardened oil, it is better to choose those based on coconut oil, and otherwise to use healthy liquid oils, such as olive, as much as possible.
      3. Artificial sweeteners—you can read more about this here: https://www.trimdownclub.com/the-best-way-to-sweeten-your-tea-2.
      4. Regular orange juice—If it is in a store, it is likely to have been stripped of what makes it healthy. Even if vitamins etc. have been added back in, it really is not the same. Fresh-squeezed is the way to go.
      5. Conventional and overly processed soy—organic is fine, and minimally processed items such as tofu, yogurt, and milk, as well as fermented items such as tempeh and natto are fine. However, most pre-packaged mock meats tend to be a problem.

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