In our garden at the front of our house, we have a large patch of fresh mint. A few weeks ago, the leaves were still too young and not ready for harvest. Today, I had just gotten home from a pilates class when I had noticed how sizable the vibrant green mint leaves had become. The leaves had finally grown large enough to be harvested. The patch was so fresh that after picking a bunch of leaves, my fingers smelt deliciously minty. So obviously, I had to incorporate the mint into a meal of mine (or more) today!
I decided to make a perfect post-workout smoothie using mint and matcha. For those of you who don’t really know what matcha is, it is an amazing green tea from Japan. This green tea is different from the others because the leaves are not steeped into hot water and then removed. Instead, these green tea leaves are ground into a fine powder and traditionally whisked with a bamboo brush into the water. Typically, you would mix about 1 teaspoon to 3/4 cup water (it can be hot or cold).
So basically, you are ingesting the entire green tea leaf, and thus matcha is more potent than regular green tea. Undoubtedly, matcha is super healthy for you! Listed below are some benefits of drinking matcha according to Natural Living Ideas. Check out the full article here, if interested!
Benefits of Drinking Matcha Green Tea:
- Rich in antioxidants-which are antioxidants that have been linked with protection against heart disease and cancer, and improved blood sugar regulation, reduction in blood pressure, and anti-aging.
- In particular, it contains EGCG, a polyphenol that has been shown to boost metabolism and slow the growth of cancer cells.
- Contains caffeine- about the amount of caffeine in a cup of coffee but without all the jitters. In fact, it contains L-Theanine, which causes you to relax without feeling tired. Matcha gives you the energy you need without the crash or the heebie-jeebies!
- Boosts memory and concentration- a side effect of L-Theanine is the production of dopamine and serotonin, which enhances the mood, boosts memory, and promotes concentration.
- Burns calories- matcha assists the body with burning fat about four times faster than average.
- Detoxifies the body– matcha contains lots of chlorophyll, which gives it the vivid green color and helps to detoxify the body of heavy metals and chemical toxins
Basically matcha is an amazing superfood that aids your body in so many ways. No wonder the Japanese are one of the healthiest populations in the world!
My two favorite Matchas that I like to use:
-
- Organic DōMatcha Ceremonial Grade Matcha– This is the best that I have tried so far from Amazon. It is organic, good color (supposed to be bright green), and great taste!
- TerraVerve Organic Culinary Grade Matcha Green Tea Powder– This is also really good for the color, taste, and it is also organic!
My Mint Matcha smoothie consists of matcha powder, mint leaves, almond milk, raw dates, avocado, and spinach. I added the raw dates to add sweetness without adding any refined sugars. The avocado adds a thick and creamy texture to the smoothie and the spinach adds a serving of vegetables without the taste. Here is the recipe:
Mint Matcha Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1-2 teaspoons of Matcha powder
- 1- 1 1/2 cups of Almond milk
- 2-3 Dates pitted
- 1 handful of Spinach
- 1/2 of an Avocado
- 5-6 Mint leaves
Instructions
- Place all ingredients into a blender
- Blend until smooth
- Pour into a glass
- Serve and enjoy
The recipe can be adapted to your preference, depending on how strong of a matcha flavor you like or how strong of a mint flavor you want. Try it out and adjust if needed. Enjoy 🙂
I also used a Matcha tea set for the pictures, featuring a bamboo whisk. You can get this Bamboo Matcha Tea Set, which features a bamboo whisk, chasaku, and teaspoon set.
wellandfull
You’re so lucky to have a garden for your mint! I just have a bunch of terra cotta pots on my windowsill 🙂
leangreennutritionfiend
Yes, having a garden is a huge plus! But windowsill grown mint is still better than the store bought and packaged mint, right? Mint and other herbs can grow very well inside! I’m sure your mint tastes just as delicious, especially right now 🙂
Milda Jensen
Hello!
Thank you for this recipe. I featured it in my shop’s blog: https://teogglaede.dk/blogs/news/pebermynte-derfor-skal-du-have-det-i-din-te
I hope it is OK with you – If not, please let me know and I will remove it ASAP.