Start the day strong with this Ginger-Orange Matcha Green Tea Smoothie recipe! Get all the combined benefits of a matcha smoothie but with the power of a green smoothie! This recipe is vegetarian, vegan and gluten free.
Have you given matcha green tea a go?
I discovered it years ago. A friend from pastry school introduced it to me and I’ve been in love ever since.
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What does Matcha Taste Like?
The flavor of matcha is earthy, somewhat grassy and slightly sweet. It’s full-bodied with a creamy vegetal taste when whisked with water. To mellow the flavor a bit, use it in a green tea latte with a touch of maple syrup or honey. This is my favorite way to enjoy it.
How to Enjoy Matcha Green Tea Smoothie
Matcha green tea is different from tea you find in tea bags. Matcha tea is select whole tea leaves ground to a very fine powder. The powder can be used in smoothies, chia pudding, lattes, ice cream and popsicles. I’ve even seen it baked in waffles and cupcakes. It seems there are endless ways. However, matcha green tea is traditionally enjoyed simply; whisked with hot water.
My favorite way to enjoy match green tea is in lattes and smoothies, especially in the mornings or for an afternoon pick-me-up. What I notice most about drinking matcha is a feeling of sustained energy. Not a jittery energy, but a calm energy. This is a benefit, yes, but it goes beyond short-term health effects.
What Are the Benefits of Matcha?
Matcha is rich in vitamin C, packed with good-for-you antioxidants and contains the amino acid L-Theanine which calms the body and promotes alert awareness without headaches or caffeine crashes. While it does contain caffeine, it’s about half that of coffee. The chemicals in green tea, especially EGCG and ECG, have substantial free radical-scavenging capability.
According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the catechins in matcha green tea (EGCG, EGC, ECG and EC) are so powerful that they may actually help prevent cancer (Worlds Healthiest Foods, NIH and Dr. Axe).
Quick Guide: How to Make Ginger-Orange Matcha Green Tea Smoothie
This matcha smoothie is super simple to whip up. I like to drink it in the morning for breakfast or in the afternoon, as a post workout green tea smoothie (if the workout even happens – omg). In summary, here’s how to make it (see recipe card for details):
- First, add spinach to a high speed blender container. I use VitaMix. Then add the orange, ginger, frozen banana, hemp hearts, matcha and water.
- Last, blend until smooth and creamy.
It is best to enjoy this matcha green tea smoothie right away.
A Few Recipe Tips
- For this green tea smoothie recipe, you can use just about any leafy green as the base. I like spinach or romaine because they’re mild in flavor.
- A frozen banana as opposed to unfrozen, makes this matcha green tea smoothie extra rich, smooth and thick. Too, it gives the smoothie a nice chill.
- Hemp hearts add richness, healthy fats and protein to this green smoothie. They’re a pantry staple. I sprinkle them on porridge, oatmeal, in seedy snacks and they always make their way into green smoothies. A little goes a long way, so one bag lasts a long time.
More Matcha Recipes to Love
- Matcha Chia Pudding
- Matcha Ginger Affogato – by Bojon Gourmet
- Matcha-Mango Coconut Popsicles
- Almond Matcha Green Tea Lattes – by Kitchen Confidante
- Matcha Chia Pudding
Ginger-Orange Matcha Green Tea Smoothie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 C (40g) Spinach Leaves packed
- 2 (255g) Satsumas / Mandarins / Tangerines or one large Cara Cara or Navel orange, peeled
- 1/2" (1.3cm) or more Nob of Fresh Ginger sliced thin
- 1 1/2 tsp Matcha Green Tea powder, latte grade
- 1 Banana frozen
- 3 Tbs Hemp Hearts
- 1/2 C - 1 C (107g to 215g) Water adjust water depending on how thick or thin you want your smoothie
Instructions
- In the container of a high speed blender, I use VitaMix, add the spinach leaves, oranges, ginger, green tea, banana and hemp hearts. Blend on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 30 seconds.
- Enjoy right away.
