My favourite way to make a Matcha Latte

It really grinds my gears when people talk about trying matcha lattes for the first time and being bitterly disappointed with the taste. First up, it's a green drink, so expecting the same taste as a creamy, caramel latte will get you nowhere. Second of all, yes, I would agree that matcha is an acquired taste, but, last but not least, there are umpteen ways to sweeten it and make it deliciously comforting and energising.

The team at Eat Clean Tea (they specialise in matcha tea, not bullshit diet tea don't worry!) sent me some powder to make my own lattes, so I wanted to share my personal fave matcha latte recipe with you - it's a sweet, smooth variation that's destined to get your day off to an energised start.

Why matcha?

• Slow release energy and caffeine boost
• Made from really high quality green tea leaves (the leaves are shaded whilst growing to increase the chlorophyll, hence the really green colour)
• 137x more antioxidants of normal green tea
• High in vitamins A and E
• Contains antioxidants (and really high in antioxidant EGCG, an amazing antioxidant - more info here.)
• Contains amino acids
• Can help burn calories faster (you could burn up to 25% more fat if you drink it before exercise, say studies from University of Geneva and American Journal of Clinical Nutrition - more evidence here.)

So, my method is really simple. You'll need:

• 1/2 teaspoon matcha powder
• Unsweetened almond milk (as much as you like in your coffee)
• 1 teaspoon 100% pure maple syrup 
• Cinnamon for sprinkling

Boil your water, get your cup and put your 1/2 teaspoon matcha powder in the bottom. Pour in half of your water, and slowly froth for 10 seconds. Add in your almond milk (I like it quite milky), the rest of the water and maple syrup and froth again. Sprinkle your cinnamon on top and sip away!

It's smooth, sweet and bloody delicious!!

Purple Protein Juice

 A few posts ago I mentioned that Indigo Herbs sent me a sports nutrition package to get creative in the kitchen with, so today I'm sharing a post-gym shake that tastes lush and delivers a huge hit of protein.

In this bad boy we have...
1 tablespoon of:

• Hemp protein powder 
• Spirulina powder 
• Beetroot powder
• Banana powder

And:

• 1 banana
• 2 huge handfuls spinach 
• 2g of cordyceps CS-4
• 1 handful frozen blueberries
• 1 handful frozen raspberries
• 200 ml unsweetened Soy milk 

I use spirulina in all my juices; it's a fab source of plant protein and antioxidants, and since Indigo Herbs delivered my hemp protein powder, I've had this in all my juices, bakes and porridge too. Everyone knows why bananas are the bomb (low GI carb, fibre and potassium) - same goes for the berries (antioxidants all the way!), but I'll admit, I was a little unsure of the beetroot, banana and cordyceps cs-4 powders. SO, I've done some research...

Beetroot powder is said to be a must-have for athletes due to the nitrates in the juice which provide energy, as well as being good for helping to manage blood pressure and detoxing. 

Banana powder is 100% freeze dried 'nana, so it's perfect if you've run out of the fruit but want a banana flavour in your porridge / juice / shake, and naturally retains all the nutritional goodness that the fruit possesses.

Cordyceps cs-4 powder is freeze dried mushrooms! But not just any old mushrooms, these are prized medicinal mushrooms that originate from China. The cordyceps is an extract from the mushrooms. They're supposed to help your metabolism, boost your immune and respiratory system as well as boasting antioxidant properties. 

It tastes sweet; the bananas and berries neutralise the beetroot and spirulina, so if you're not a fan of these flavours, this could be a good one to sneak them into!