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!!

My Protein do clothes..!

A few weeks ago, My Protein got in touch and wanted to send me some goodies - which I (naturally) welcomed with excited arms. I was expecting to find just food stuffs on the website and gym accessories - so imagine my surprise upon finding their clothes category!

Cue, my willing, lovely boyfriend taking a few snaps of me in my new gear this weekend...

How cool are the leggings?!

They're now top of the gym attire list. I love the bright pattern - I have about 6 pairs of black leggings so these are a welcome addition. They also passed the squat jump test (see expert demo below), and did not come down when I was running in them, winner.

I'd been meaning on getting a workout top with a bold statement on it, and I think this one covers my attitude to fitness pretty well - it's a really light material too so perfect for the summer.

I chose the foam roller as it's something I know I need to do more of, and now I've got one at home I'm hoping it will spur me on to do ten minutes or so before bed.

I won't lie, stretching and cooling down are regularly skipped during my workouts due to time, tiredness, whatever, but I know how important it is for not only helping with soreness, but also releasing toxins, aiding recovery and preventing against injury. I'm determined to improve on this! Does anyone else struggle with it?

True to My Protein form, I also chose some protein (it would have been rude not to). Although I'm not vegan, my usual protein of choice is pea protein; I am conscious of the amount of animal protein I consume, and wanted a way to reduce this daily without affecting my 'optimum' macros. I'm also wary of the unnatural nastiness that can be added to some whey protein, but I was intrigued to try one of their more simple flavours, as I've never not had a vegan protein!

I opted for the vanilla whey with stevia. It's sweet! Definitely a shake with a taste that feels like a treat; in fact, the closest thing it reminds me of is those vanilla mini milk ice lollies? It took me back to being young. I think it's perfect for a post-workout sweet fix in the evenings (I crave them a LOT), and also for when having eggs for breakfast pre-gym is just too much at 6am.

Are there any other flavours you like and would recommend?

Let me know if you've ordered clothes from them too, I think it's going to be a new payday splurge site for me!