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If you’re a 20-something, I have a little news for you, and you won’t like what I have to say. You don’t know everything! I know, I know, it feels like you know everything, right? But 20 years from now, I promise you, you’ll be wishing you could go back in time and shake that […]

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Have you been stuck in a rut lately? Maybe you’ve been following the same work-home-sleep-work routine for months or years, and you haven’t taken a vacation in a good long time. Perhaps there is a certain spot on the globe that you’d like to see, or maybe you just have a subtle itch to hit […]

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This week I’m getting back on the meal-planning wagon after two weeks of traveling and settling into our new home. Honestly, I’d happily continue eating makeshift meals of sandwiches, takeout, and frozen pizza in an effort to avoid cooking amongst the half-packed boxes, but alas, with school starting back this week we need our routine up and running again.

So here’s the deal with this week’s meal plan: It’s a collection of five super-simple recipes I love and am relying on to get my meal planning mojo back in a flash.

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(Image credit: Emma Christensen)

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I’m a firm believer that make-ahead dinners are one of the very best gifts you can give to your future self. Walking into the kitchen at the end of the day knowing that dinner is prepped, cooked, and just waiting to be reheated feels like a real treat. And not only that, but dinners like chili and braised meats also taste better a day, even two or three, after they’re made.

From slow cooker chicken burrito bowls to red lentil soup, these are our 10 most popular make-ahead dinners.

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The chances that you’re attending a barbecue or potluck of sorts this weekend are likely, given that it’s the final hoorah before the summer unofficially comes to a close. When there are hamburgers and hot dogs in order, there of course needs to be a few other items to round out the meal. Here are 20 that take no time at all to make, which means if you’re tasked with bringing a side dish the morning of the party, you can assemble one without breaking a sweat.

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Satay is often served as an appetizer, but it makes a fantastic main course when served with a rich, creamy satay sauce and crisp raw veggies on the side.

In this Primal version of beef satay, sugar is skipped entirely in both the marinade and the satay sauce. It isn’t missed, with coconut milk and macadamia nuts adding plenty of natural sweetness. The meat gets its intense flavor from soaking just 1 hour in a richly seasoned marinade that is sweet, salty and deliciously pungent. The mellow macadamia satay sauce served on the side balances the bold flavors of the meat, although giving the sauce a good, spicy kick is essential—without it, the sauce isn’t nearly as good.

Macadamia satay sauce is amazing with any type of grilled meat and should not be overlooked as a dip for cold, chopped veggies. Plan to serve sliced cucumber, carrots and/or red bell peppers with Primal beef satay for a colorful, flavorful main course or appetizer.

Time in the Kitchen: 45 minutes, plus 1 hour to marinate

Servings: 4

Beef Satay

Ingredients

• 2 pounds beef top sirloin or flank steak, cut into strips about 2 inches/5 cm long and 1/8 to ¼ inch thick* (900 g)
• 1 2-inch/5 cm piece fresh lemongrass (white part only), roughly chopped
• 1 small shallot, roughly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 2-inch/5 cm piece peeled ginger, sliced
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce (15 ml)
• 2 teaspoons tamari or soy sauce (10 ml)
• ½ cup coconut milk (120 ml)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin (5 ml)
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander (10 ml)

*Meat is easier to slice thinly if it’s really cold. Put the beef in the freezer for 30 to 45 minutes before slicing it.

In a high-powered blender, combine the lemongrass, shallot, garlic, ginger, fish sauce, soy sauce/tamari, coconut milk, cumin, and coriander.

Combine the beef strips and marinade so the meat is completely coated. Refrigerate and marinate 1 hour. Don’t marinate too much longer than this, or the meat can get mushy.

Remove beef from the marinade and shake off excess marinade. Thread 2 to 3 pieces of meat onto each skewer, spacing the meat out on the skewer. If the skewer is too crowded, the edges of the meat won’t get crispy and charred.

On a heated grill over high heat, grill the skewers 3 minutes per side, or until slightly charred on the outside and barely pink in the middle.

Macadamia Satay Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw macadamia nuts (or ½ cup raw macadamia butter)
  (5 ounces nuts, or 142 g)
• 2 small garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon tamari or soy sauce (5 ml)
• ¼ teaspoon toasted sesame oil (1.2 ml)
• ½ teaspoon fish sauce (2.5 ml)
• 2 tablespoons lime juice (30 ml)
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (1.2 ml)
• 2 tablespoons coconut milk (30 ml)
• 2 tablespoon water (to thin out the sauce) (30 ml)

In a food processor or blender, blend the macadamia nuts until very smooth.

In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients: garlic, tamari, sesame oil, fish sauce, lime juice cayenne, coconut milk and water. Pour into the blender with the macadamia nuts. Blend just until combined.

Serve the beef satay skewers with the macadamia sauce and crisp, raw vegetables like cucumbers, carrots and red bell peppers.

The post Grilled Beef Satay appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.

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Earlier this year, I traveled to the volcanic island of Iceland to explore its famously dramatic landscapes. Besides natural wonders like ice caves and geysers, I learned the country also has plenty to offer when it comes to culinary delights like fresh seafood, grass-fed meats, and rich dairy products.

The most well-known of these dairy products is skyr, that cultured dairy product with a creamy texture and tart flavor. I had tossed a few containers into my grocery cart while perusing the yogurt section over the years, but I didn’t fully understand skyr’s important role in Icelanders’ daily life until I visited the country.

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With summer sadly coming to a close, we thought it’d be appropriate to share these super-beachy kitchens. While they’re total eye candy and fun to look at, they also might help you keep a summery state of mind year-round.

Steal some of these fun touches — even if you live miles from the ocean — and you just might forget that temperatures are about to drop, drop, drop.

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Somewhere along Interstate 95, in the middle of Virginia, the pun-laden signs began. I sat shotgun, alongside my father, in our Dodge Caravan. It was the summer of 1989, and nine of us, including my father’s sister and her family and a cousin on my mother’s side — all visiting from India — were en route from central New Jersey to Orlando, Florida. This was our family’s first trip to states south of Washington, D.C.

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If you’re anything like me, you’ve got a soft spot for the shower. If I’m honest, it’s slightly addictive — I’ll step inside, intending to have a quick five-minute rinse, covering just the basics… then 15 minutes later I’m wondering where the time went. There’s just something about that gloriously hot water cascading over face […]