Miso Grilled Salmon with Tomato & Avocado Salsa

What's your present in the present?

Hello my dears!

I’m sitting here trying to think about what to say and how to describe today’s recipe, but to be honest, my mind is whirling. We have just a few more weeks of summer left, and this week has been jam-packed. The kids have been home and we’ve had a slew of back-to-school appointments and activities on top of work obligations (including reviewing the copyedits for my book!). 

So let’s take a deep breath. In, and out. Here we are, in the middle of August. As I’m typing a storm is brewing outside my attic office window, turning the forest from bright green to a dusky mix of shadows. Here I am. Breathe. 

Where are you?

Bella Lively once asked on her podcast, “What’s your present in the present?” (listen to my podcast episode with Bella here), and it’s always stuck with me. No matter what’s happening in our lives, there’s always something—the tiniest of gifts—that we can be grateful for in the present moment. Maybe it’s seeing a bird flutter by your window, or the smile of a stranger, or the warm feel of your skin, or a sliver of sunlight hitting your desk, or a ripe peach, or a song playing on the radio, or a deep breath. What’s your present in the present?

Intuition, Food & Freedom with Bella Lively

With only a couple weeks of summer left before the kids go back to school (here in the Northeast they start after Labor Day), I don’t want August to slip by unnoticed. So this week, let’s anchor in. Let’s be here, now, celebrating all the little gifts August has to bring. For me, I’m grateful for afternoon thunderstorms, cooler mornings, corn on the cob, peach juice dripping down my chin, sunsets on the front porch, the sound of crickets, sweatshirts at night, and tomatoes in everything.

Miso Grilled Salmon with Tomato & Avocado Salsa

Today’s recipe is an expression of everything I love about this moment. Grape tomatoes (which are bursting in our garden) are tossed with garlic, chiles, lime juice, and avocado for a vibrant salsa to top Miso Grilled Salmon (the salsa is adapted from the Chipotle-Marinated Hangar Steak recipe in my book Build-a-Bowl). The salmon has a rich, savory-sweet flavor with subtle smokiness from the grill, and an easy hack makes it the easiest grilled salmon ever (no sticking, guaranteed). If you don’t have an outdoor grill you can roast the salmon instead, or cook it in a smoker (such as a Traeger). 

Tomato Avocado Salsa

You could stop there, but I love to serve the salmon and salsa over the Coconut Miso Sweet Corn that I shared last week. The sweet pop of the corn is the perfect pairing for the tender salmon and bright salsa. Slice up some juicy peaches (or grill them) for dessert (topped with a billow of Cardamom Whipped Cream if you’d like) and you’ll have a damn fine mid-August feast. 

Coconut Miso Sweet Corn

If we invite it, cooking can be be more than just a means to an end (as a way to fill a hungry belly). It can become an opportunity for connection, embodiment, and pleasure. With a bit of intention, preparing a meal turns into a gift we give ourselves. Here we are, present and alive, nourishing ourselves with care and attention. What a delicious gift indeed.

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