The best Matcha Shakes ever – with Recipe!
Did you ever drink matcha? I’m in love with it! It is super healthy, and you can invent many shakes using the powder as an ingredient. Matcha, in fact, is a powdered green tea containing 137 times more antioxidants than brewed green tea (like, whoa). Both come from the tea plant (camellia Sinensis), but the entire leaf is consumed with matcha.
It has traditionally been consumed as part of Japanese tea ceremonies for centuries but has become more widely known and popular in recent years and is now enjoyed worldwide in tea lattes, smoothies, desserts, snacks, and more!
Research suggests that green tea supports brain health and has anti-cancer, anti-diabetes, and anti-inflammatory effects. And we’ve already established that matcha is even more potent than green tea!
Plus, matcha is a gentler source of caffeine than coffee (we’ve noticed there’s no head rush or jitters with matcha). And it’s rich in vitamin C, the calming amino acid L-theanine, and a flurry of antioxidants (most notably, the powerful EGCG).
What do you think about a creamy, minty, refreshing, and healthy Matcha shake? I selected two of my favorite recipes that meet all these requirements. Plus, both are 100% plant-based and refined sugar-free!
RECIPE 1
Ingredients:
1 large medjool date, pitted (if sugar-free, try subbing stevia to taste)
1/2 cup light coconut milk (canned, organic is best)
2/3 cup water
1 pinch sea salt
1 ¼ tsp quality matcha powder
8-10 average-size mint leaves
Ice for serving
Instructions:
1 To a small blender, add pitted date, light coconut milk, water, sea salt, matcha powder, and mint leaves. Blend on high until creamy and smooth.
2 Taste and add more mint for minty flavor, matcha for tea/grassy flavor, or a bit more date for more sweetness. Blend again to combine.
3 Serve over ice and garnish with more fresh mint (optional). Best when fresh. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours (vibrant green hue will fade slightly). Not freezer-friendly.
RECIPE 2
Ingredients:
207 ml can light or whole fat coconut milk frozen into ice cubes
0.13-0.25 tsp peppermint flavor/extract (or sub 1-2 drops peppermint oil)
0.5 tsp vanilla extract
1.5g fresh mint
0.25 tsp matcha green tea powder
22.5-30 g coconut cream
60-90 ml unsweetened plain almond milk (or more light coconut milk)
7.5-15 ml maple syrup (or sub stevia or agave nectar to taste)
15 g loosely packed spinach (frozen for colder shake | organic when possible)
2.5 g cacao nibs for serving
Instructions:
1 To make coconut ice cubes, pour a can of well-shaken light or whole fat coconut milk into an ice cube tray and freeze until firm – 4-6 hours, or overnight.
2 Once frozen, put the coconut “ice” cubes into a blender, along with peppermint extract, vanilla extract, fresh mint, matcha powder, coconut cream, the lesser amount of almond milk (1/2 cup or 120 ml as the original recipe is written), maple syrup, and spinach. Blend on high, scraping down sides as needed, until creamy and smooth.
3 If too thick, thin with a bit more almond milk. If too thin, add a little ice. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more peppermint extract for minty flavor, spinach for green color, or maple syrup for sweetness.
4 Divide between two serving glasses and garnish with fresh mint and cacao nibs (optional). Coconut whipped cream would also be a lovely topping!
5 Best when fresh. Leftovers still keep in the freezer (covered) for up to 5 days.
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