Nothing but good for you!
I know that the internet is full to the brim with gorgeously staged smoothie bowls, and this is not one of them. Call it a naturalistic approach. This isn’t something I styled and then threw away after an hour under the lights. I made it after a long bike ride, and I was Hungry. Hungry with a capital H. That #postworkout meal is one that cannot be denied, and it’s a perfect time for matcha.
A smoothie bowl is a great way to eat a bunch of superfoods, and kale, hemp, blueberries and yogurt are all champions of the superfoods lists.
A teaspoon of magical matcha green tea added even more health benefits. If you haven’t gotten on the matcha bandwagon yet, now is a good time to start. Regular, brewed green tea is always recommended for a metabolism boosting, cancer-preventing drink. Matcha is not brewed, it’s actually whole green tea leaves that have been steamed, dried and ground to a powder, so you are getting the whole leaf, not just the bits that steep out in hot water.
One cup of matcha tea has the antioxidants of ten cups of brewed green tea, so it’s nothing to sneeze at.
Matcha has catechins, an antioxidant that protects you from cell damage. It also has L-theanine, an amino acid that helps you focus, which is complemented by a gentle caffeine kick. The caffeine in tea is a little different from that of coffee, tea contains theine, which is more suited to meditation than the kind of road rage inducing caffeine in coffee.
For my smoothie bowl, I started with the liquid base- using thick coconut milk yogurt, but you can use any sort of yogurt you like. Don’t fear the fat, whatever you do. Your brain and body need it, and you will stay full longer with a bit of fat in there.
Then I piled in some baby kale mix, for vitamins, minerals, and even a bit of protein. A big fat frozen banana for creamy sweetness, and my potassium for the day.
Hemp seeds gave me a bit of protein and more healthy fats, and in the powerful vortex of the Vitamix, melted into the smoothie.
A drizzle of honey or agave and a dusting of more matcha finishes the bowl
Once the thick, creamy smoothie is in the bowl, you just top it with fruit, chia and hemp, and a drizzle of agave or honey.
That teaspoon of matcha kept me feeling great for hours, and undoubtedly ran some interference to protect my body from the ravages of age.
Gotta love that!
Matcha Kale and Hemp Smoothie Bowl with Fruit
Ingredients
- 1 cup yogurt your choice, unsweetened
- 2 cups baby kale packed
- 1 large frozen banana
- 1 teaspoon matcha plus more for dusting
- 1/4 cup hemp seeds plus more for garnish
- 1/2 small nectarine sliced
- a handful blueberries
- chia seeds
- honey or agave for drizzling
Instructions
- Place the yogurt, kale, banana, matcha and hemp in the blender. Use the tamper to press the ingredients down into the blades as you increase the speed to high. When it is smooth, pour into a wide, low bowl.
- Top with nectarines, blueberries, hemp and chia seeds, honey or agave, and couple of pinches of matcha.
- Eat immediately.
