These matcha green tea ginger smoothie bowls combine a few of my current favorite flavors into a cold and creamy bowl that you eat with a spoon. Straws are so 2018 right?
Here are the star ingredients:
- Vanilla soy milk for flavor, a bit of sweetness + some protein
- Frozen banana. It’s my must-have smoothie ingredient for a super creamy texture
- Frozen mango for a tropical flavor
- Spinach to intensify the green color and squeeze in some extra nutrients
- Fresh grated ginger for a kick
- Matcha powder. This is my current favorite ingredient to experiment with it because it has such an interesting, complex flavor!
The Case for Smoothie Bowls
If you still haven’t tried a smoothie bowl, trust me when I say this isn’t one of those annoying, overhyped trends. The first time I tried one was in San Diego on my honeymoon. It’s the perfect warm weather breakfast and satisfies so many cravings.
Unlike a traditional smoothie in a glass, the consistency of a smoothie bowl is thicker because you use less liquid. Even better, there’s toppings involved making it a textural dream and way more satisfying because you eat it with a spoon.
Some of my favorite toppings for the açaí bowls we had in California were granola, cacao nibs and a generous drizzle of peanut butter, but that was a berry/açaí based bowl. Since the flavors are a little bit different here, I went with coconut, banana slices and hemp hearts. Feel free to get creative!
What is Matcha?
Matcha (MAH-cha) is Japanese green tea leaves that are ground into a powder and typically mixed into hot water (to make tea), or steamed milk (to make a latte). It used to be kind of a specialty item, but now I feel like you can find it at most grocery stores. I also see it on the menu at a lot of coffee shops!
In my experience, most of the appeal comes from the lower caffeine content. It has about half the amount as a cup of coffee so if you have a sensitivity to caffeine, this could be a nice happy medium between tea and coffee. It also screams afternoon pick-me-up! Matcha powder has this insanely beautiful green color that is just so Insta-worthy too. I can’t believe I just said that… but this is the world we live in.
Nutritionally, there is some literature to suggest health benefits from green tea consumption. When you use matcha powder versus steeped green tea, the leaves are consumed in their entirety so more of the antioxidants are retained. A little extra health benefit bonus!
In my opinion, this stuff is pricey so instead of drinking it daily I try to save it for special recipes or an occasional afternoon iced matcha latte.
If you’re new to smoothie bowls or matcha (or both!) this would be a great intro recipe.
It’s simple and combines some familiar smoothie flavors with those that are a little bit more “eclectic”.
Oh, and that color of course. Just give it a try!
Matcha Green Tea and Ginger Smoothie Bowl
Serves 1
Ingredients
- ¾ cup vanilla soy milk
- 1 small frozen banana (or half a large one)
- ¾ cup frozen mango cubes
- 1 teaspoon matcha powder
- ⅓ cup fresh baby spinach leaves (small handful)
- 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
- Toppings of choice. I used hemp hearts, banana slices and coconut flakes but you could also try fresh berries, almond butter drizzle and granola.
Instructions
- Add all ingredients (except toppings) to a high-powered blender and run until creamy and well combined.
- Transfer to a bowl, then add toppings before serving.
Notes
The consistency of this should be thicker than a traditional smoothie since you eat it with a spoon. Any milk should work fine if you don’t like soy. Feel free to experiment with the fruit, although the color will change if you use something that isn’t neutral.
