Matcha Latte

~Amanda~

St Patrick’s day is only a few days away and I am so excited for it this year because I have a lot to celebrate since I am officially Irish! Well, kind of – I married into an Irish family, I have an Irish last name, an Irish husband and we spent a week in Ireland during our honeymoon in August – so that’s pretty close to being Irish, right?! However, I have yet to master any real Irish recipes (it might be awhile before I attempt to because my mother-in-law is the expert and I don’t think I could come close to mastering her amazing dishes), so instead of sharing any of those with you this week, we’re going to share a couple of our favorite GREEN recipes. They may not be Irish, but they sure are delicious and festive!

We’re starting off with something absolutely amazing – MATCHA LATTE’S! Matcha Latte’s are all the rage lately and you can’t scroll through insta without seeing someone post a picture of this super green and delicious drink. I have been using Matcha powder in many of my recipes for years now and can’t get enough of it (check out our Matcha Crispy Treats or our Matcha Energy Balls). It is one of the best ingredients to incorporate in your diet because of the many many health benefits associated with it; it’s loaded with antioxidants and amino acids and it is much more nutrient dense than regular green tea too because it’s made with the whole tea leaf. Matcha can help relax your mind and body and the caffeine helps with alertness and focus. It’s the perfect ingredient to kick off your day with!

I always look forward to weekend mornings because that means I have the time to make myself this delicious drink. It doesn’t take TOO long to make, but definitely more time than I have in the mornings during the week, so it’s definitely a weekend treat. The process starts by whisking matcha powder with a little bit of hot water (just simmering, not boiling – if the water is too hot, it can damage the integrity of the matcha and negatively affect the flavor). Once a smooth paste is formed, you add the rest of the hot water. At the same time, you will simmer your milk with vanilla. Your milk choice is totally up to you – I’ve tried several but I enjoy cashew milk the most (coconut milk is a close second). You then whisk the milk into the water and matcha along with any sweeteners your desire like coconut sugar or honey. And now… time to sit back, relax and enjoy your delicious latte – it’s the perfect way to start any day!