Like us, many of you likely can’t live without your daily cup of matcha or matcha latte but did you know there are lots of other (simple) ways to enjoy and benefit from this extraordinary green powder without drinking it?
One of the (many) wonderful things about Matcha is how versatile it is. Tea, lattes, smoothies, cakes, ice cream...the list goes on. Here are a few of our favourite alternative ways to enjoy this green gold…
Breakfast Bowls
Breakfast Bowls are a thing of beauty - as delicious as they are healthy, they are chock full of good-for-you ingredients including superfood heavy hitters such as matcha, chia seeds, berries and oatmeal making them a great start to your day.
You can find a lot of different breakfast bowl recipes with varying degrees of complexity and effort required, but we like to keep it simple like this Energising Matcha Yoghurt Bowl.
Simply add a teaspoon (or more to taste) of OMGTea Matcha to plain yoghurt and mix with honey or Maple Syrup for added sweetness. Top with tasty and healthful ingredients of your choice. We love berries such as blueberries and raspberries, pomegranate, and granola.
Matcha Granola
Another breakfast favourite is granola and this Matcha Granola with flax seed, almonds, pumpkin seeds and dried berries is a favourite with us here at OMGTea.
INGREDIENTS
🍵2 tbsp vegetable oil
🍵125ml maple syrup
🍵 3 tsp OMGTea Matcha (AA or AAA)
🍵2 tbsp honey
🍵1 tsp vanilla extract
🍵300g rolled oats
🍵50g flax seed
🍵50g pumpkin seeds
🍵100g flaked almond
🍵100g dried berries (Goji berries in photo)
Heat oven to 150C/fan 130C/gas 2. Mix the oil, maple syrup, honey, matcha and vanilla in a large bowl. Tip in all the remaining ingredients, except the dried fruit and mix well.
Tip the granola onto two baking sheets and spread evenly. Bake for 15 mins, then mix in the dried fruit, and bake for 10-15 mins more. Remove and scrape onto a flat tray to cool. Serve with cold milk or yogurt or on top of your Matcha Breakfast Bowl. The granola can be stored in an airtight container for up to a month.
Matcha Popcorn
Have you ever tried matcha on popcorn? That's right, Matcha makes a great topping on popcorn! Sprinkle it on air popped popcorn with a little bit of salt for a healthy snack or mix it with a bit of caster sugar and dust it over buttered popcorn straight off the stove top.
Don't forget to use a tea strainer to remove any lumps and to ensure you get an even coating.
Raw Matcha Macaroons
These macaroons make a perfect pick-me-up snack and as they aren’t baked, you still get all the nutritional benefits of the Matcha and more! We love them mid-afternoon with a Matcha latte…
Ingredients
• 250g finely shredded coconut, divided into 200g, and 50 g
• 2 tbsp melted coconut oil
• 3 tbsp coconut nectar (vegan) or raw honey
• 2 tbsp coconut milk
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 1-2 tsp OMGTea matcha powder
• pinch of sea salt
Method
1. Add 200g finely shredded coconut and process in a food processor until a thick paste form. This will take approximately 2 minutes.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and process for another 30 seconds or until combined. Next, add the remaining 50g of finely shredded to the coconut and pulse 2-3 for approximately five seconds until well combined.
3. Using a cookie scoop (or your hands) make small balls with the dough. This should yield about 10 macaroons. Sprinkle with flake salt and/or hemp seeds. Refrigerate until firm and then devour!
DIY Matcha Face Mask
The uses of Matcha extend beyond consuming it too! There are now a wide variety of matcha skin care products you can purchase using matcha as well.
Matcha is fabulous for general skin quality and blemishes as it’s loaded with antioxidants, the nutrients and enzymes responsible for fighting against the negative effects of UV radiation, giving us younger-looking skin; it can also help to slow down the ageing process. Topically applied it is also excellent which is why there are now Matcha beauty creams on the market, but they have large price tags.
As an alternative, we have developed a couple of simple and cost effective DIY face masks you can make at home:
Face Mask for Oily to Normal Skin
• 1 tsp. Matcha Green Tea
• Few drops of Water or Aloe Vera Gel
• Put the Matcha into a small bowl and slowly add water or aloe Vera gel.
• Don’t add too much liquid as it will slide off your face.
• Aim for a thick consistency rather than a thin one.
• Apply to clean face and leave for 15 minutes or longer if desired.
Face Mask for Dry Skin
• 2 tsp. Matcha Green Tea
• 1/2 tsp. Organic Coconut Oil
• Water
• Put Matcha into a bowl.
• Add the coconut oil and a few drops of water.
• Mix until thick paste forms.
• Add only enough water to make it spreadable.
• Don’t add too much liquid as it will slide off your face.
• Apply to clean face and leave for 15 minutes or longer if desired.
