While spending even more time at home (I say more since I already WFH), I found myself craving caffeine....hmmm, that's that all about? My body and brain were craving stimulation. Understandable since so much stimulation was taken away with long term isolation and social distancing. I worked hard to break my caffeine habit, and I didn't want to go back to that. Ditching regular coffee (I still enjoy a cup now and then, especially before racing or workouts) led to noticeably reduced anxiety and better sleep. So what was I going to do? Enter Matcha.
Matcha is a superfood green tea, loaded with health benefits. Just one cup equals the health benefits of 10 cups of green tea, including:
Improves concentration (L-Theanine)
Fights cancer (contains 4X more catechins than regular brewed green tea)
Strengthens immunity (EGCG fights against bacterial, viral and fungal infections)
Lowers anxiety (L-Theanine produces dopamine and seratonin)
Natural detoxifier (rich in chlorophyll)
Reduces inflammation (raises alkalinity of the blood)
Antioxidant (60X more than spinach!)
increases metabolism, reduces appetite and helps burn fat
Boosts energy naturally with 1/3 the caffeine level of coffee (theophylline provides sustained energy rather than short spike from coffee)
Not sold yet??? It's also really delicious and is even made into desserts like cakes, donuts, ice creams. You name it.
You'll find two types of matcha in the stores - culinary and ceremonial. The ceremonial is more expensive and best for making tea (you will also need a matcha brush like this one). Culinary matcha is less expensive and recommended for baking and smoothie making. For this recipe, we recommend using culinary grade matcha. If all you have is ceremonial grade, feel free to use it.
This is a simple smoothie recipe and my personal favorite from our recent 3-Day Smoothie Challenge. I hope you will make the effort to gather these ingredients and try this - such a delicious and energizing way to start the day. Make a double batch so you have another ready to go the next day.
You may even get inspired to join our next smoothie challenge...hope so!
Minty Matcha Smoothie
(serves 1)
Ingredients:
1 banana (can be frozen)
1 handful organic baby spinach or kale (can be frozen)
1 TB fresh mint leaves
1 tsp matcha powder (can be culinary or ceremonial grade)
1 TB flax meal
½ inch knob fresh ginger
1 cup plant milk or filtered water (coconut milk works well here)
½ tsp vanilla extract
Handful of ice if desired
Directions:
1) Add all ingredients (preferably in the order listed) to a high-speed blender. Mix until smooth.
2) Serve topped with fresh mint leaves, shredded coconut, hemp seeds and/or bee pollen. Enjoy!
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?
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