Make your own frothy, healthy matcha lattes at home and energize while enjoying the health benefits of organic green tea. This post was sponsored by Healthyish Foods, but all opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that support With The Grains.
After the winter holidays, I found myself really sluggish. I’d drag myself out of bed, do some yoga and then want to climb back into bed immediately. Since I could no longer blame the frenzy of the holiday season, I figured it was time to take a look at what I was eating, or in this case, not eating.
Fortunately, my good friend Lindsey Smith, aka the Food Mood Girl, just released a mood-based cookbook that served as my guide in this process. Eat Your Feelings is the only cookbook on the market to divide recipes by moods and emotions (eg: sad, stressed, tired, hangry, bored).
Lindsey encourages readers to listen to their feelings, judge themselves less, and then, choose ingredients and healthy whole foods to alleviate the mood. So if you’re feeling stressed, she provides recipes that will calm you. In my case of being tired, Lindsey suggests energizing ingredients and recipes. The main ingredients missing from my post-holiday winter routine? Water and Greens!
So I made some changes. I began sipping hot lemon water with maple syrup first thing in the morning, since dehydration can be a major culprit of fatigue. I ate BIG bowls of kale salad with plenty of avocados (I know they cost extra). And for a midday pick-me-up? A frothy matcha latte with cashews, coconut oil and almond milk, all energizing ingredients found in the Eat Your Feelings guide.
The best part of Lindsey’s message in Eat Your Feelings is to listen to your body and our feelings, and to give yourself permission to indulge your cravings. Or, as Lindsey would say, “Eat the damn cake!” That’s right in line with the Healthyish philosophy. You can eat dessert, and with Healthyish’s organic, individually portioned desserts, you don’t have to fear overdoing it. Plus, tea and cake is such a classic combination, it’d be a shame to forgo.
Like the Golden Milk recipe I shared, blending these Matcha Lattes in a Magic Bullet or a blender makes them extra frothy and more similar to a coffee shop style drink. The raw cashews make these matcha lattes extra creamy without adding an overtly nutty flavor, but the real benefit is raw nuts are another energizing ingredient, so it’s a win win.
There’s nothing quite like a mug of coffee, so I don’t see matcha lattes as a coffee substitute, but as an alternative energizing drink that shakes up the routine. Green tea does give a caffeine boost, but it also has a long list of health benefits. Green tea reduces inflammation, improves bone density, lowers blood pressure, improves memory and prevents cancer, but most importantly, it makes a really satisfying latte and adds an earthy quality to cake.
Healthyish Matcha Cakes
To make a Healthyish Matcha Cake to enjoy with your matcha lattes, simply add 1 teaspoon organic matcha powder to a Bright White, Very Vanilla Bean, Mellow Yellow or Skinny Cake, and bake according to the standard instructions. Top with organic Vanilla Bean frosting, a dusting of matcha powder and crushed cashews, or any of the organic nuts included in your baking kit.
Now, I can’t say I’m JUMPING out of bed each morning, but I can say the deeply sluggish feeling has passed, and I’m feeling back on track, so get your own copy of Eat Your Feelings and start assessing your emotions and moods. It really helps!
Cheers,
Energizing Matcha Lattes (Vegan)
Yield: 1 serving
Ingredients
1 cup unsweetened almond milk, simmered
1 teaspoon organic matcha powder
5 raw cashews
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 scant teaspoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon raw coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon organic vanilla extract
dash sea salt
Garnish
raw cacao for garnishing (optional)
Directions
Place all ingredients, except the cacao, in a blender and blend on high until creamy and frothy. Pour, top with raw cacao, and enjoy! These matcha lattes are also delicious chilled, and will last up to two days in an airtight container in the fridge.
