I have been in some what of a smoothie reboot lately. If you follow my blog you know that I am a smoothie lover and I enjoy a smoothie for breakfast most mornings. Typically, I like to pack as much into my smoothie as possible. I’ll take inventory of what fruit is getting a little too ripe or if I have extra coconut milk or leftover canned pumpkin – hey, just throw it in there. As a result, my Type A personality is very proud of itself for not wasting and being highly efficient, but my tastebuds are underwhelmed. So, lately, I’ve decided to put a little more effort into complimenting flavors, enjoying the seasonal goodies and trying new things.
My new ingredient to play with lately is matcha or powdered green tea. Matcha has been a hot item on all the natural food outlets lately because it claims to have high concentrations of antioxidants. The idea is that the antioxidants are at higher levels versus everyday brewed green tea. The health benefits are debatable, but I think it is an interesting way to get some antioxidants into my diet. I also love the light, crisp taste of green tea, but I rarely have it at home. You can use matcha in smoothies, make a latte or put it in baked goods. However, beware of the caffeine content. I made the mistake of putting a heaping tablespoon of matcha in my smoothie, then having some coffee. Based on caffeine informer.com, 2 tsps of matcha is about 8 oz of brewed coffee. Finally, always buy organic matcha to avoid pesticides, which can be quite high in tea.
Now what goes well with matcha in a smoothie? I tried a few things and honestly, it is delicious on its own with almond milk and a little sweetener. However, I wanted to try to find something unique and interesting and that is when I tried it with honeydew melon.
I am the only one in my family that loves honeydew melon. I think it has such a nice sweet, fresh taste, I can’t figure out why my husband and kids don’t go for it. I always bring a giant melon home, carve it up and eat melon for days. Lately though, I’ve started freezing it when I have too much, which is great. It freezes well and great as ice cubes (watermelon is awesome too) or zinged up in a smoothie.
Melon Matcha Smoothie
Surprisingly, matcha and melon are a great together. This smoothie has a clean, fresh, light and slightly sweet taste. The amount of matcha can be adjusted based on you caffeine tolerance. One teaspoon is enough to get the green tea flavor. I hope this smoothie gives you a delicious boost at breakfast.
- 1 cup frozen honeydew melon or unfrozen honeydew melon + 2 ice cubes
- 1-2 medjool dates (Note: if not using a high-powered blender, substitute honey or agave nectar)
- 1 Tbsp chia or hemp seeds
- 1-2 tsps matcha
- 1 handful baby spinach or kale leaves
- ¾ cup coconut water
- ¾ cup almond milk
- Combine all ingredients in a blender.
- Blend until smooth and enjoy!
