Hop On The Matcha Train

I used to drink coffee all the time, in fact I was a bit of an aficionado. After all it was such a thing, a tradition if you will – akin to “let’s grab a drink sometime” and there I’d find myself, meeting a friend in a snug cafe somewhere in NYC. I loved me some Blue Bottle (especially the NOLA iced brew), Gorilla, Four Barrel – and of course, my all time favorite, Philz of SF. It was more than a tradition, it was a bonding mechanism and really part of my personal culture. Coffee culture, it’s a real think – I know you know what I mean!

But one day everything changed. I went to get my first energy healing session and it was recommended that I stay away from caffeine the day of so as to be more receptive to the channeling that was to take place. Strangely enough, it wasn’t as hard for me to avoid as I thought. After my healing session my soon to be health coach mentioned that it might be wise for me to try cutting coffee – or even eliminating it altogether. She noticed my adrenals seemed to be a bit fatigued, perhaps shot by all the ups and downs brought on by the powerful caffeine induced punches I had been willingly indulging in.

One thing led to another, and suddenly I was on my way to doing my first full fledged cleanse with the help of an awesome holistic chiropractor. And guess what, he too recommended I stay away from caffeine to allow my body to re-balance and heal. The first day off all caffeine cold turkey I had such a hilariously adverse reaction. Instead of feeling super tired and weighted down, I actually felt mega cracked out to the point where I couldn’t even sleep. I ended up wanting to paint my living room and even went so far as to methodically pick all this sticky stuff off the wall from behind where an old map had been hanging for god knows how long. But the next morning I woke up so easily I couldn’t believe it! It was a totally different sensation – waking up feeling rested and rejuvenated. It was hard to not make my french press first thing, especially since I did love the smell more than anything. My green tea would have to suffice.

After a few weeks I learned that all the time I had been a coffee aficionado, thinking I really needed it to keep my energy high, I actually didn’t need it at all – that the coffee was in fact muting my natural energy which was in fact super high! Imagine that, I was basically self sabotaging myself the entire time without even knowing it.

I had my first matcha latte at MatchaBar in Williamsburg and it was GAME OVER; I was in love. The only thing was, this $5 a cup habit was gonna be a pretty penny. There had to be an alternative. What was it? This green tea powder has been a staple in Japanese tea culture for ever (literally forever since before 1000 AD), and has resurfaced in some chic spots around the US in recent years (just had a solid matcha latte at Pete’s coffee in SF!).

So anyways- my love affair took off and I knew I had to have one of these sweet drinks everyday like my life depended on it. The smooth energy boost is just so much better than the quick jolt incited by coffee or espresso – it’s longer lasting and feels less dehydrating and just plain nourishing. So, I started ordering my own matcha in bulk (I recommend this or this). Then, I started to get creative by mixing it together with maca root powder (good for hormonal balance and libido) and a bit of raw cacao powder (good source of magnesium, antioxidants and much more) too. Here’s my ultimate matcha latte recipe – if you wanna get like me:

1. Boil your fave kettle – heat up a cup of water in the microwave, do what you gotta do to get some hot water real quick
2. In a big old mug, add a teaspoon of organic green tea matcha powder, a teaspoon of maca root powder and a teaspoon of raw cacao powder – mix it all up
3. Add some cinnamon in there for good measure
4. Pour the hot water over the powdery mixture, stirring it in so all the ingredients are mixed evenly
5. Note: Some people get way fancy at this stage and use a matcha whisk, which I’ve never used – but I think it helps make the drink more frothy? Maybe someday I’ll graduate to this level of professional swag, but until then, I’m good with a spoon.
6. Add your favorite non dairy milk such as almond or cashew milk (or use milk if you can afford to swing that way)
7. If you’re feeling CRAY you can mix in some coconut oil, agave and/or some raw honey for some sweetening effects
8. ENJOY – you’re going to feel a nice energy boost and you’ll feel so good knowing you just took time to create the most epic beverage of all time <3