As someone who rarely drinks coffee, I do love the occasional morning pick-me-up. Enter matcha! Matcha is finely ground green tea, that comes in the form of a powder. Matcha’s benefits far outweigh your typical mug of steamy green tea, as you are ingesting the whole leaf, not just water brewed from it. When it comes to nutritional value and antioxidants, I have read that just one serving of matcha is equivalent to 10 servings of regular green tea! Matcha boasts a very long list of benefits, including increased energy levels, boosting memory, it’s also been known to help to burn calories and detoxify the body. Additionally, matcha has also been shown to improve cholesterol and fortify the immune system, with a long list of vitamins and antioxidants show to have antibiotic properties know to promote overall health.

Not only do I enjoy matcha as I do any traditional hot teas, simply with boiled water poured over (whisked to make a frothy hot beverage), I especially enjoy it in a latte, with steamy coconut and/or almond milk. However, adding matcha to my morning green smoothies has quickly become my favorite ways to find a boost of energy for the day!

With all the beautiful winter citrus in season right now, including the mass amounts of oranges I am picking from our tree, this Orange Matcha Smoothie was born! A sweet and tart, vegan green smoothie to kick start your day, with the earthy flavor of the matcha and a long list of healthy benefits. For those that have asked, this is the brand I used in this smoothie and I like, though I haven’t done extensive matcha testing and sampling. Yet 😉

This recipe was originally shared on the Free People Blog BLDG 25.

[print_this]Orange Matcha Smoothie {gluten-free + vegan}
makes 2 small servings or 1 large

• 1 cup coconut milk (or other non dairy milk)
• 1/4 cup raw cashews soaked for at least 4 hours, then drained and rinsed
• 2-4 teaspoons matcha powder
• 1 large handful baby greens of your choice (I used a blend of baby kale, chard and spinach)
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 2 soft Medjool dates, pitted
• 1 handful ice

Add all of the ingredients to your high-speed blender. Placing the ice in last. Blend until smooth and creamy. Serve immediately. I like to top my green smoothies with a sprinkle of hemp seeds. Enjoy. [/print_this]