Vanilla Bean Matcha Green Tea
This vanilla bean matcha green tea supports mental focus and provides sustained energy without the jitters!
Happy St Patrick’s Day!!! I certainly could not let St Patrick’s Day go by without making a contribution to the sea of green in the blogosphere. Let me introduce you to matcha, a very special green tea.
Matcha is the finely ground powder of specially grown and processed green tea. When you drink matcha you ingest the entire leaf and reap 100% of the nutrients of the leaf. One serving of matcha tea is the nutritional equivalent of 10 cups of regularly brewed green tea. Can you believe that??!!
Vanilla Bean Matcha Green Tea – Health Benefits
- Packed with antioxidants to support inflammation management
- Boosts metabolism and burns calories
- Detoxifies effectively and naturally
- Calms the mind and relaxes the body
- Rich in fiber, chlorophyll and vitamins
- Enhances mood and aids in concentration
- Provides vitamin C, selenium, chromium, zinc and magnesium
- Supports mental focus and endurance. Provides energy without the jitters.
As St Patrick’s Day approached my Pinterest feed became flooded with matcha recipes, so you know I had to jump on the matcha bandwagon. I gave matcha a try and was instantly sold, not surprising considering I’m such a tea lover.
This Vanilla Bean Matcha Green Tea came about entirely by accident. As you know I make my own vanilla extract and very often I do not throw out the vanilla bean.
One day as I was making my matcha latte I added a dash of vanilla extract and a whole vanilla bean fell into the blender. Oops!
Well I left it in there and blended away. When I tasted my matcha green tea I was blown away! You may prefer to use vanilla bean powder as the whole bean will not pulverise completely if you do not own a high speed blender.
Vanilla Bean Matcha Green Tea & Mindfulness MeditationÂ
Since the beginning of this year I have been practicing mindfulness meditation. It was right after the birth of my baby girl that I started feeling a bit ‘all over the place’ Through meditation practice I have seen a significant improvement in my ability to manage stress and worry. I am able to focus and I generally feel more at peace. Â
Matcha green tea and mindfulness meditation are now part of my morning routine and I’m just loving it!
Mindfulness is the psychological process of bringing one’s attention to the internal and external experiences occurring in the present moment, which can be developed through the practice of meditation and other training. The term “mindfulness” is a translation of the Pali-term sati, which is a significant element of some Buddhist traditions. Source Wikipedia
Matcha green tea contains the amino acid L-theanine to promote relaxation and mental clarity. More than a thousand years ago, matcha came to Japan as an aid to meditation practice. During long hours of sitting, monks would drink matcha to remain alert yet calm. If you’re new to mindfulness meditation here are two apps that I highly recommend :
Calm and Headspace. Both apps provide free guided meditations to get you started.
Matcha green tea is a delicious coffee substitute. One gram of matcha contains approximately ⅓ the amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee so even if you’re caffeine-sensitive you can still enjoy a tranquil and sustained energy after a cup.
Have you tried matcha? How do you like it?
Vanilla Bean Matcha Green Tea
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon matcha green tea
- 1 cup milk of choice ( I use homemade nut milk) you can also do 1/2 cup water & 1/2 cup milk
- 1 whole vanilla bean / 1 teaspoon vanilla bean powder
- 1 tablespoon Collagen Peptides (optional but adds protein)
- 1 teaspoon MCT oil (optional but adds healthy fat)
Instructions
- Warm 1 cup of plant based milk on the stovetop in a small pot
- When milk is warmed through (NOT BOILING) add: vanilla and matcha green tea
- Add mixture to blender
- Blend until creamy
- Strain drink into mug if using whole vanilla bean
