Some time away

It's been a while since I have posted. I have been busy trying to be not busy. I have been enjoying the summer sunshine and the tail end of my baby's fifth month. Both boys are sleeping, the oldest inside in his swim shorts and the youngest on the deck of our rental beach cabin. Me enjoying a little sun and the portability of my iPad. It is the first time in a while that I felt writing would be more for pleasure than obligation, which is the way it should be.

Every year we wait for summer to start then turn to worry that it is almost over. This year we planned some get-aways in advance to avoid the end of August panic. We have also had a nice sprinkling of get togethers with friends and family. I am never really ready for summer to be over, but I do feel like we got our money's worth this summer. We are lucky that our holidays can extend into September as we don't have school to contend with yet....so there is still more to come. 

Kids flourish in the summer. Riding bikes, swimming, later bed time, eating meals outside. Babies love it too. Eating fistfuls of sand, staring up at leaves blowing in the breeze, sleeps outside and more people around to entertain them. As a second time around mom I am so much more relaxed too.

We have been eating a lot of good food too. Fish is a favorite at our house in the summer. Its light and heavenly when fresh. This recipe for Miso Glazed Halibut with Sliced Cucumbers is a perfect summer dish.

Miso Glazed Halibut
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons miso, any variety
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons honey
1 pound of halibut fillets
Sesame seeds (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together the miso, soy sauce, water and honey. Brush the halibut fillets with the miso glaze. Place the fish on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and bake for about 8 minutes or until fish flakes. When done, sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve hot. We did it on the barbecue which results in a black bottom due to the sugar content of the honey in the glaze. It still tastes great.

Sliced Cucumbers
Ingredients:

1 large cucumber, sliced thinly 

2 tsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar

Juice from one lime

2 Tbsp. cilantro

1 scallion, thinly sliced

2 Tbsp. olive oil

Directions: 
While the halibut is broiling, slice the cucumbers and place in a bowl. Add the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, lime juice, cilantro, scallions and olive oil and mix together.

Divide the cucumbers among 4 plates. When the fish is done, place one piece on top of cucumbers. 

Adapted from here and here.

This dish is a great combo of salty-sweet...my favorite. Miso is a fermented soybean paste. It is available at most grocery stores in the refrigerator section usually close to the yogurt. Once opened you can keep it in your fridge for up to a year. Miso ranges from light to dark, gaining flavor and intensity with the depth of its color. I just randomly picked one and it works great. There are lots of other recipes around that use miso so you won't have any trouble using it up. This glaze works well on other white fish as well as salmon.

So get out there and enjoy your last days of summer...and pick up some miso paste along the way...