With the upcoming obligatory New Year’s resolutions quickly approaching, there will be a new focus on fitness. I’ve already noticed it over the last few days. The amount of ads focused on weight loss has probably doubled and I’ve noticed the tea detoxing ads on Facebook are back.
I’m not going to lie, I started working out today but that is also because my house has been chalk full of holiday treats and I can tell I’ve gained a pound or two. Not so much because the New Year is quickly approaching.
Today I thought would also be a great day to play with some matcha. Recently, Velvetea sent us samples of their matcha so I thought it would be the perfect time to experiment with their Gokei Organic .
First go around was just to make the matcha the way the container says by sifting 1/2 tsp, add 8oz of water and whisk. The matcha frothed up nicely and the taste was pretty good. The matcha itself had the traditional vegetal taste and the powder whisked nicely. Quite refreshing and warming on a cold winter day like today. Definitely a solid matcha but I wanted something a bit more.
The second go around was to froth this matcha up with a spot of eggnog. I love mixing eggnog with tea. I typically buy a soy eggnog or an almond eggnog so isn’t horribly calorie ridden and is better for me. I poured in my eggnog into my Breville Frother and added in a 1/2 tsp in, hit the button, and waited for the whirling to stop and the beeping to let me know the beverage was ready.
First sip in and I knew I had hit the jackpot. This beverage delivered a spot on creamy flavor with the spices from the eggnog- really mingling well with the matcha. There was a slight vegetal finish but it compliments the creamy spices from the eggnog beautifully. I quickly devoured this cuppa down in no time and found myself craving another cup.
The third and last experiment was to make a matcha eggnog smoothie. I scooped a 1/2 tsp into my blender, poured in some almond milk, a dash of eggnog, and set the blender to start whirling. In no time flat, I had myself a matcha eggnog smoothie. Took a sip and just had to smile. This was probably my favorite way to enjoy this matcha out of the three experiments.
The Gokei Organic worked so well blended into a smoothie. The vegetal feel was toned down a bit but still had that delicious creamy texture and feel. The eggnog added those lovely spices into the mix.
All in all, I highly recommend this matcha. The matcha is a great quality and easily whisks into a smoothie, a regular cuppa, a latte and I’m sure this would be a fabulous matcha to bake and cook with. I’m tickled with how my drinks turned out today and can’t wait to get some veggies and fruit to make a smoothie.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Matcha
Where to Buy: Velvetea
Description
This matcha isn’t listed on the site but click below for what is!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Raspberry Matcha from Tea’s Me
Flavored Matcha. Yup! I will try just about any flavor. (As long as it’s vegan and this one is). So when I saw Raspberry Matcha from Tea’s Me I knew I had to spend some time with it.
This not only has green matcha powder it also has natural raspberry flavor and pure cane sugar, too! I will say that I was able to taste the raspberry flavor AND the pure cane sugar right away. And I know this review will be a little backwards but I feel like I need to address the flavor right away this time around.
The pure cane sugar is just that – pure. It didn’t have a fake taste to it. The Raspberry flavors came thru nicely. When the raspberry and the pure cane sugar are put together like they were here they lingered long after the sip. I think the pure cane sugar helped the raspberry flavor along. I think the raspberry flavor toned down the sugary notes. Any more sugar and I’m not sure I would have liked the cup as much as I did…and I DID enjoy it! This is a full flavor FLAVORED Matcha – I will point out. So if you are looking for a berry type flavored matcha I would recommend you try this one. It’s unlike anything I have ever had before.
Based on this winning experience I hope to some day try Tea’s Me’s other two flavored matcha flavors which include Blueberry and the other being Vanilla.
Now…if you will excuse me…I think I will go have another cup of Raspberry Matcha from Tea’s Me…Nom, Nom, Nom…
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Matcha
Where to Buy: Tea’s Me
Description
Natures Super Drink (1573 ORAC antioxidant rating)
Whether you want a boost of energy, refreshing drink or healthy cooking ingredient, Tea’s Me raspberry matcha is here for you. Matcha is one of the healthiest drinks on earth and now boasts an amazing taste. All of our Matcha is sourced from Japan, the birth place of Matcha 500 years ago. Great for cooking, lattes, smoothies and of course tea.
Ingredients – 100% Organic Matcha, Cane Sugar and Raspberry Extract
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Tropical Mango Green Tea Latte with Japanese Matcha from SenCha Naturals
I have something VERY special to share with you today. Tropical Mango Green Tea Latte with Japanese Matcha from SenCha Naturals. I’m going to come right out and say it…this is ridiculously good!!!
Tropical Mango Green Tea Latte with Japanese Matcha from SenCha Naturals is VERY sweet, incredibly creamy, and it froths up nice and easy with little effort. This product is gluten free and vegan! It’s so decadent! It’s VERY dessert-like. I don’t eat many (nearly any) desserts but this is something I could see myself getting into on a daily basis! And I know I sound like a broken record but it’s SOOOO Creamy! I’m having one of those “I can’t believe it’s vegan” moments!
The ingredients in this fascinatingly yummy product include: Organic Coconut Sugar, Organic Coconut Oil, Algae Flour, Organic Matcha Powder, Mango & Vanilla Extracts. Tropical Mango Green Tea Latte with Japanese Matcha from SenCha Naturals is truly magic! Maybe even the 8th wonder of the world?
I can totally taste the mango. It’s juicy, sweet, and creamy. The vanilla, coconut, and algae flour contribute to the overall
creaminess and froth. As I sit here in AWE and continue to sip I have determined Tropical Mango Green Tea Latte with Japanese Matcha from SenCha Naturals should make at least one of my TOP TEN lists! Stay tuned to see which one it will appear on! In the meantime, what are you waiting for? Hop on over to SenCha Naturals’ website and check this out!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Matcha (Green Tea)
Where to Buy: Sencha Naturals
Description
Japanese matcha takes a trip to the South Pacific in this tropical twist. Sweet, juicy mango and creamy coconut, along with green tea, make a summer sensation best served cold.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Strawberry Lemonade Matcha from Motion Matcha. . .
Today I thought I’d check out a flavored matcha from Motion Matcha. I love flavored matcha but they are hard to find. There are a few companies that make them and do a pretty good job, but I’m always on the hunt for more. I’ve had flavors like banana, Bavarian Cream, peanut butter, to be honest, the most unique and different flavors can make an incredible cup of matcha. So trying a Strawberry Lemonade Matcha fits right in with my matcha routine.
Motion Matcha is a company that offers different flavors like Pomegranate Berry, Orange Vanilla, and they do offer a non flavored version. This is my first matcha to try from them and I’m not going to lie. I’m quite excited!
I prepared this matcha to the recommendations on the back of the package and sat down to enjoy. This matcha has a darker look and feel than the regular matcha. I wasn’t sure if that was due to the flavorings, but it didn’t detour me from enjoying my cuppa.
My first thought was that there was a definite solid lemon flavor with a strawberry finish. The matcha didn’t seem to mingle as well as I would have liked but that could have been how I prepped the cuppa. The flavors of the strawberry and lemon (lemonade) did deliver a unique twist for sure, but I just can’t say I loved it. I have a feeling that if prepped to be a matcha on ice this would be dynamite. Maybe even with a spot of cream added in to create a smoothness. Or even a scoop of ice cream. Definitely a fun matcha to experiment with for sure!
As it sits now, it seems like I have two different drinks. The vegetal matcha taste and then a strawberry lemonade on the side. But again, it could have been how I prepped it. This is one that I would love to order more of just so I can experiment to get that flavor where I like it.
And just for our readers, Motion Matcha is offering an amazing deal! Use TSISTERS at check out and take advantage of a Buy 2 get 1 free offer. The offer is only good through November 28th so act quickly. I’m hoping to place an order in the next month or so to try more of their flavor matcha and get to experimenting!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Matcha
Where to Buy: Matcha Motion (Link to their Store)
Description
- TRY THEM ALL: Don’t know which flavor you are? This is your answer. Contains 1 packet each of Strawberry Lemonade, Pomegranate Berry, Orange Vanilla and Just Matcha
- A SMOOTHER FLAVOR: Matcha can be very “earthy”. Real fruit powder, natural flavor and a touch of sweetness balance this out
- ENJOY MATCHA ANYWHERE: The single-serve packs are small, travel well and can be prepared in a flash
- MORE MATCHA FOR YOU: Two grams of premium Japanese matcha green tea per packet (a bigger serving than the typical 1-1.5 grams of many brands)
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here! (amazon link)
Barista’s Matcha Tea from My Matcha Life #VeganMoFo2016
Today’s prompt for Vegan MoFo 2016 is “If an alien showed up on your door step, what would you feed them?” I feel like I would whip up a wonderful matcha latte for several reasons. 1- The general look of an alien is that they are green and matcha is a fine ground green tea. And 2- Matcha’s are typically vegetal in flavor and for some reason I want to think that the alien that would show up at my door would be one that would have a similiar lifestyle as my vegan one!
I don’t live in a big city. I used to live in a medium-sized city while I was a child but that was way before trendy coffee shops and Barista were terms used in daily conversation and life. Recently I have been sipping on Barista’s Matcha Tea from My Matcha Life and totally LOVING it.
I know I shouldn’t judge a Matcha by it’s name but there is something special about Barista’s Matcha Tea from My Matcha Life and it goes beyond the name and title of the green tea powder.
The vibrant green color of the matcha powder is impressive upon opening the tin but the deep dark forest green color once you add the hot water is what really drew me in. Barista’s Matcha Tea from My Matcha Life offers the full Matcha experience from beginning to end.
Barista’s Matcha Tea from My Matcha Life smells vegetal but tastes creamy and green. The froth comes into play but disappears leaving the rich green quality matcha in the cup for me to admire. The sip is just as – if not more – impressive. Barista’s Matcha Tea from My Matcha Life is a pure delight!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green (Matcha)
Where to Buy: My Matcha Life
Description
Nurtured by the world’s top Tea Masters and traditionally stone-ground to a rich 100% pure matcha tea powder, our Barista’s Matcha Tea is grown in the finest tea fields of Japan.
It gets rave reviews for taste and affordability, but also for the terrific new energy and stamina it brings to even the most hectic lifestyles.
Barista’s non-jittery caffeine, calming amino acids and potent antioxidants are purposely balanced to meet the demands of your busy day.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!