Morning Ritual: Matcha Latte Recipe (with video)

By Laura Ferreiro

My favorite way to wake up in the morning is with a matcha latte, but not just any old matcha latte. This finely ground green tea powder offers a much-needed dose of energy as well as many health benefits and anti-oxidants that coffee doesn’t have. I used to be an avid coffee drinker, and while I still enjoy the occasional cup o’ joe, matcha is my everyday go-to. I also love the bright green color and the comfort I find in holding a warm cup of latte in my hands.

Preparing it in a shallow, wide matcha bowl with a bamboo whisk is a great way to go, but for this recipe I use my high-speed blender to create something frothy and delicious, and pour it into a large tumbler. It’s easy to make and takes less than 5 minutes, and you can prepare a few servings at once. To save time, store leftovers in a mason jar in the refrigerator for up to three days if you don’t drink the whole batch in one go (this recipe usually makes 2-3 servings).

The base of this matcha latte is water and raw cashews. While you can certainly soak the nuts beforehand, I find it much easier to simply put them in a blender with the water and the other ingredients, and instantly blend them into milk right out of the bag. This tends to work best with cashews, which aren’t quite as firm as almonds and don’t have the tough outer skin. The cashews make it creamy and give it a certain sweetness, and the hemp seeds add it a subtle, nutty flavor and some healthy Omega 3s.

This recipe makes about three servings. It’s warm, comforting and cinnamony and it’s vegan and dairy-free. Makes 2-3 servings.

• Add 1 small handful of raw (preferably organic) cashews into the blender (about 12 cashews) along with 1/8 cup of raw hemp seeds.

• Add two cups of water. Make sure the water is hot but not boiling (ideal temp is 176 degrees F). Boiling the water can burn the matcha powder, make it bitter, and compromise the texture of the powder and the latte.

• Add 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons of matcha powder (preferably organic Japanese matcha) to the blender, depending on how strong you like it.

• Add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder.

• Add a splash of maple syrup (optional) to your taste for sweetness.

• Blend it all together in a high-speed blender for about 60 seconds.

Pour it into a handmade tea tumbler or matcha bowl and drink the frothy, gorgeous, green tea beverage while waking up, journaling, meditating, starting your work day, or taking part in your favorite morning ritual.