Remember a couple weeks ago when I shared the Not-so-Devilish Deviled Eggs recipe that was cut out of the Nutrition Stripped Cookbook? Well, I like to write a lot and I may have overdone it with the number of recipes created for the cookbook. Good news though, I got to share a taste of what’s to come months earlier before the official release date with this matcha smoothie bowl recipe (lucky for you, it’s out in the world now – check it out here!).
morning greens
Tea is far more than a beverage in life; it’s a routine, a ritual, and a tradition and using matcha tea is no exception. I first started experimenting with matcha tea powder outside of making matcha lattes when I accidentally added it to my morning green smoothie thinking I was reaching for powdered organic wheatgrass — needless to say, it was amazing! Matcha tea is a delicate slightly sweet green tea; it’s very high in antioxidants, amino acids, and chlorophyll, which is responsible for its beautiful bright green color. Of the amino acids contained in matcha tea, L-theanine is the most prevalent and is known to have a relaxing effect on the mind and body, hence why traditionally monks would sip matcha tea to help ease their mind for meditation. It’s also thought that the subtle caffeine content creates focus (but this could also be because theanine increases serotonin, dopamine, GABA, and glycine levels in the brain) (1)(2).
This smoothie is sure to make any morning start off well with a boost of antioxidants, vitamin C, fiber, healthy fats, and protein to give you sustaining energy. It tastes refreshing, slightly earthy and sweet. Like all my smoothie bowls, I recommend (neh, demand!) you have fun decorating and topping this smoothie bowl with some of your favorite nutrient-dense garnishes!
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 2 cups fresh organic spinach
- 1 cup chopped frozen zucchini
- 1 cup frozen mango
- 2-4 pitted Medjool dates, adjust to sweetness
- 2 tablespoons matcha green tea powder
- Juice of ½ a lemon
- Pinch of sea salt
- GARNISH: shredded coconut, coconut flakes, cacao nibs, goji berries, fresh sliced banana or other fruits, raw pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, almonds, etc.
- In a high-speed blender, combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. The smoothie should be thick and creamy, if it’s too thin to eat with a spoon add ice or add additional frozen mango or frozen zucchini. Adjust dates to desired sweetness or using stevia extract as desired for a lower sugar option.
- To serve: Garnish top of the bowl with your favorite toppings and serve immediately.
Ingredients I used in this: matcha green tea powder, shredded coconut, cacao nibs, goji berries, and hemp seeds. Find more kitchen essentials in the NS Shop. Like this recipe? I have a hunch you guys will love the Matcha Tea Latte as well!
So what’s the word?
Do you guys like matcha in your smoothies? Have you tried it in any other fun breakfast recipes? Let me know what you think when you give this recipe a go! Leave a comment and rate it, since rating helps me continue to improve recipes for you. I love seeing what you come up with so don’t forget to take a picture and tag it #nutritionstripped on Instagram for a chance to win something cool whenever I repost!
xx McKel
p.s. this recipe was an outtake from the NS Cookbook. Get over 100 delicious whole food recipes not found on the blog in the NS Cookbook here! And if you have the cookbook and love it, leave a review on Amazon to spread the love 🙂
Photography: Katie Newburn
Resources
(1): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3459493/
(2): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18296328
