I'm a morning person.  Period.  My most cherished time of day is right before dawn breaks.  There is a stillness, a calm, a lightness that lingers for a preciously short amount of time, before the sun cracks the sky open, and the little birds start to sing.

In order to make the most of being a morning person, I've developed little rituals: a sunrise yoga practice at home, followed by meditation, followed by tea time.  I make my tea, take a seat in my garden, and read and write for the rest of the morning.  These are my favorite things to do, every damn day.

I've adapted this recipe from Angela Liddon's glorious vegan cookbook, Oh She Glows.  It's the perfect way to start the day: cleansing, metabolism-boosting, energizing, and delicious.  

Rise and shine!

Ingredients

• 1 green tea bag
• Juice from half a grapefruit
• Juice from half a lemon
• 1 big pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tbsp good quality maple syrup

Make

Bring 2 cups of water to boil, then pour over the green tea bag, into a big mug or jar.  Let the tea steep for 3 minutes, then remove the bag and discard.  Using a fine-mesh strainer, add the grapefruit and lemon juices to the tea.  Top it off with cayenne pepper and maple syrup, give it a good stir, and start sippin'!