Matcha green tea powder is quite popular for its antioxidant powder that is potentially greater than regular bagged green tea.
Why you might ask?
Matcha green tea is slightly different from traditional green tea in a few ways.
Consumption:
Matcha green tea is the whole tea leaf ground into a powder. This powder is then mixed in with hot water for a frothy tea beverage, ultimately allowing you to consume whole tea leaves. On the other hand, general consumption of regular green tea is the infused water from the leaves instead of whole tea leaf consumption.
Growth:
About six weeks prior to harvest time, matcha green tea leaves are shaded to help reduce sunlight and photosynthesis. As a result, the chlorophyll and amino acid content is intensified, which helps contribute to its umami flavor profile and wonderful antioxidant power. High quality matcha is grown in near darkness prior to harvest.
Health Benefits:
Matcha green tea also contains l-theanine and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which have antioxidant properties, help fight inflammation in the body, and may improve alertness. Due to lack of scientific evidence specific to matcha green tea, there is no clear indication to drink matcha green tea over regular green tea. However, due to the fact that really good quality matcha creates an amazingly frothy, creamy latte AND has potential to repair the damage I do to my body on the weekends, I’m sold. Try using in lattes, smoothies, and sweet or savory sauces. It is not recommended to drink more than 2 cups of matcha green tea daily due to its nutrient concentration.
Now let’s get to the recipe!
These matcha green tea balls are a great snack to hold you over between meals, give you a boost before or after a workout, or as a healthy dessert after dinner. I made these babies for my coworkers as a holiday gift because I’ve got “matcha” love for my team 🙂 Hope you enjoy!
Matcha Green Tea Energy Balls
Ingredients
- 1 cup sliced almonds
- 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup medjool dates, pitted and chopped
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup unsweetened soy milk (or other non-dairy milk of your choice)
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup matcha green tea powder
Instructions
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Pit and chop the dates. Place matcha powder in a medium-sized mixing bowl and set aside.
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Combine the almonds, oats, and cocoa powder in a food processor and pulse until evenly distributed.
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Add the dates, vanilla extract, maple syrup, and 1/8 cup of the soy milk. Pulse until the mixture is formed. After adding the first 1/8 cup of soy milk, add 1 tsp of soy milk at a time until the mixture is moist enough to roll, but not too wet where it is constantly sticking to your hands.
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Roll the dough into ~1 inch size balls and place in the mixing bowl with the matcha green tea powder.
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Shake the bowl to coat the balls with the powder. Serve immediately or refrigerate/freeze for later use.
-EAW
These look really awesome! I’m gonna have to try this! Where did you get your matcha powder?
I got mine at a local Harvest Health Foods 👍🏼