Broccoli Rising and The Water That Takes Us Home

I came home last weekend. Home to the sea. The beach imprinted on me as a child. It was the whole world as I knew it, beautiful and vast, a basin of life. Living in Miami, I’m never far from the ocean, but I get engrossed in the Dos of daily life the way we all do, and the water and I can go for long stretches without seeing each other. Coming back to it, whether it’s the bathing in the Caribbean blue of nearby Biscayne Bay, kayaking the brackish tea-tinted water of the mangrove islands along the Gulf of Mexico (yes, this is still its name), traveling along the sapphire blue of the Bosphorus or stepping into the murk of the Black Sea, to be in or on the water feels like coming home.

The waters of the Earth are home to all of us. Water covers 71% of the planet. That’s why the galaxy knows us as the blue planet. We ourselves are half to three-quarters water, depending on age and a few other variables. So naturally, the water is our home.

With so much water in the world and so much water in us, it’s easy to take it for granted. And we do. World Ocean Day was a couple of weeks back. Benjamin and I were out kayaking. Maybe being out on the water was the best way to celebrate, but the fact is, I’d forgotten about it. But you sure remember water, particularly potable (that’s drinkable) water when you don’t have access to it. The people of Flint can tell you all about it.

The country’s Safe Drinking Water Act is half a century old. We’ll have to see what happens to it under the current administration’s proposed budget cuts. It can be a challenge to care about conserving water when it seems government officials do not. Do it anyway. For your life and the life of the planet.

I’m not going to load you down with guilt about water waste — a Google search will offer up plenty of that. I am going to say we can do more, we can do better. Basic home water conservation tips flow like water from the EPA and environmental nonprofits like GreenCitizen.

I do slightly obsessive things like draining the water from soaked beans or tofu into my garden. Choose just one or two actions and you’re already making a difference. Yay, you.

Yay all of us, because the water isn’t just our home, it’s home to fish and to the seabirds who feed on them. I’m not one to play favorites, but pelicans may be among my favorite birds, for the same reason I’m drawn to the ocean — they were part of the seascape of my childhood. They were my friends. They still are, but more than that, a healthy pelican population is a sign of a healthy marine ecosystem. Likewise, flocks of egrets, pods of dolphins, and sea turtle mothers burying their eggs during nesting season. These things reassure me that, thanks to us, nature’s taken some hits, the ocean is still the infinite, infinitely benevolent force I knew as a child.

Now go drink a glass of water — just plain water. Not bottled, not bought. I’m sure the beverage industry will come after me for saying this, but you don’t need Smartwater. Water is naturally smart.

It’s so smart it finds its way into the fruits and vegetables that keep you cool and hydrated as the summer heats up.

Drink up in recipe like:

— Medjool date and celery salad

— Quick, easy, delicious Catalan spinach, a Miami Vegan fave

— This classic Turkish chopped salad. Master chef Musa Dagdeviren gives cucumbers and tomatoes, two hydration heroes, he star treatment they deserve.

Wishing you a day at the beach.

Big Miami Vegan thanks to

— @VedgeYourBest podcast host Michele Olender. Present, centering and affirming, Michele’s a life coach I could learn from. Have a listen.

— Art Friedrich, the brains and energy behind my favorite farmers market @urbanoasisproject. Thanks for letting me mix up some Miami Vegan flavors and fun on a steamy Thursday evening at Vizcaya Night Market. Here we are cleaned up

Not only is Art one of our great community leaders, he’s got a popcorn side hustle with Green Thumb and Golden Touch popcorn, organic and vegan of course. Support something delicious.

—@melissasproduce. I am so proud and grateful to have the opportunity to partner with them and showcase their gorgeous tropical fruits and vegetables. Thanks for all the media who participated and cheered on Miami Vegan. Wanna see Miami Vegan recipes in action? Here’s the link to my YouTube video starring luscious fruits and vegetables from Melissa’s Produce.

— Every single person who participated in a No Kings protest, including the thousands in Miami, all of us sweating for democracy. The right to dissent is enshrined in our Constitution.

— Broccoli Rising subscribers, new ones (welcome, welcome!) and longtime faithful readers and friends. I am such a fan.

Paid Subscriber Exclusive

I’ve got something delicious coming your way and you can view a sneak peek below. Next week, paid subscribers will get exclusive access to my new vegan jerk bowl recipe—bold, vibrant, and full of soul. Not a paid subscriber yet? Now’s the perfect time to join the table.