Easy Peasy Matcha Balls

Originally published 29/6/15

Originally published 29/6/15

So, word on the wellness street is that Matcha is ‘so hot right now’…Yep, Matcha.  Sorry…What’s Matcha?  Well, I’ve since learned it’s actually young green tea leaves in a really concentrated form, ground down into a delicate green powder.  Why is this good?  Because (apart from being my favourite colour!) it means our bodies get the most out of this wonderful little leaf, absorbing the nutrients by consuming it directly, as opposed to simply dunking and tossing the leaves via teabag.

Matcha literally means powdered tea, and hails from Japan.  Traditionally, it has been used in tea ceremonies, but now it’s the latest health trend with touted benefits such as;

  • antioxidant rich

  • calms the mind

  • rich in fibre and chlorophyll

  • boosts metabolism

  • contains vitamin C, selenium, zinc and magnesium

  • aids in detoxification

  • lowers cholesterol

  • improves memory and concentration

  • increases energy levels and endurance

So people all over the place are kicking their java to the curb and replacing it with the goodness of Matcha.  Ok, maybe a bit hasty, but definitely a trend I’ve noticed popping up on my Instagram feed!  At first I was skeptical.  Green tea has never really been my go-to and I’m really more of a peppermint tea girl myself.  Yet, this new look latte seems to be all the rage and quite frankly I want to know more about it!  So watch this space.

Anyway, the trick seems to be to use one of these little bamboo brushes to, well, brush (or whisk) about a teaspoon of the tea with some hot water which then creates a nice creamy looking froth.  Warm some milk of your choice, mix together and voila.  Matcha latte is served. Admittedly, it still tastes a lot like green tea to me (funny that!) but I don’t have the luxury of using that little magical whisk people rave about.  I hear that makes a difference.  So, I will keep forging on.  I don’t think I’ll be ditching my almond milk lattes just yet though

Not that I am paid to say any of the following, but the next question that came to mind was what Matcha should I buy.  As always, I want something organic and of high quality and since I was seeing so many of these lovely pictures on Insty – I’m talking beautiful green lattes, slices, smoothies, granola and other goodies – most pointed back to this gorgeous (not so little anymore) account called Matcha Maiden.  Basically, a startup that’s growing pretty darn quickly thanks to social media, and one I’ve been following closely for a few weeks now.  So, on the bandwagon I climbed, and out come the only thing I could think to make that turned out beautifully if I do say so myself…balls.

So easy, you’ll kick yourself.  Enjoy!

Matcha-Balls-hand-1024x1024.jpg

Ingredients

  • 1 cup macadamias

  • 1 handful almonds

  • 1 handful pecans

  • 9 medjool dates

  • 1 Tbs chia seeds

  • ⅓ cup coconut flakes

  • 1 tsp matcha

  • pinch salt

Instructions

  1. In a food processor, pulse the nuts until they are well crushed but not ground down too fine. You are going for crunch.

  2. Add in the dates, chia and coconut flakes. Pulse until mix starts to come together.

  3. Add the matcha and pinch salt.

  4. Process until ingredients start to form a ball and combine well.

  5. With your hands, gather teaspoon of mixture and roll into balls.

  6. You can dip them in crushed pistachios, desiccated coconut or any superfood powder for added oomph!

Sarah xx

RecipesSarah Sandersbliss balls, matchaComment