Things are feeling just a wee bit hectic back here in the city. I’ve returned to my job producing news,  am still getting settled and after fighting the bike path traffic home it was all I could do to pull on my old wetsuit, trudge down to the beach and paddle around for an hour watching the sun set around the city. Sometimes only playing mermaid can make me feel like a human again. That and my new favourite warm weather beverage: iced dandelion tea with a jolt of lemon juice and a little stevia. Thanks to my friend Laura, I have come to adore dandelion; it is mineral-rich and supportive to organs such as the liver and kidney and even helps flush out water retention. When I drink it regularly I notice new brightness and clarity in my skin. So even though, at least for this week, there hasn’t been a lot of cooking happening in the Paintbox Kitchen I have this one reminder of my commitment to healthy and joyful living.

This actively-healthy take on the old iced-tea-lemonade standard is dead easy to make, even when you’re feeling too spent to do yourself any other favours.  So make yourself a tall glass, unfurl your mermaid tail and wait for the takeout!

Dandelion Arnold Palmer
Ingredients
1 bag dandelion tea
1 organic lemon plus more for garnish
Filtered water
4 drops stevia 
1 pretty edible bloom 

Directions
Boil water and brew one pot dandelion tea, my pot holds about five cups. Allow to cool completely without removing the bag. Pour tea into an ice-filled glass and squeeze in the juice of one whole lemon. I squeeze my lemon over a sieve to prevent errant seeds. Add four drops stevia or more to taste. Stir with a chopstick, garnish with a pretty bloom and enjoy.