Be it a regular morning detox drink or your weight loss regime, green tea has always been part of a healthy diet. Being a homemade remedy for several digestive problems, this popular drink has been treated as a traditional medicine in China and Japan for thousands of years. Commonly, green tea is made by brewing the leaves with hot water, but have you ever tried using its extract or powder in other recipes?
With the clean, grassy, earthy and slightly bitter taste, green tea can infuse a unique and refreshing flavour to a variety of dishes. From desserts to baked goods and marinades, you can use this versatile ingredient to a lot of your culinary creations to give them a vibrant twist. Combining green tea with your favourite spirit can also give you amazing cocktails.
Green Tea Latte
Give a healthy makeover to your soothing cup of latte by adding a bag of green tea into the recipe. Made along with milk and honey, it is flavoured with warm spices like ground ginger and ground cinnamon. Topped with foamy almond milk, it is perfect to sip in the evening. Green tea latte is perfect to fill your diet with a daily dose of antioxidants.
Green Tea Ice Cream
Green tea is a popular ice cream flavour in Japan and many parts of East Asia. It has a perfect refreshing treat for a hot summer day. Made with green tea powder, sugar, milk and heavy cream, it has a bold and deep taste with creamy texture. Once prepared, it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three weeks.
Green Tea Cupcakes
These soft and fluffy cupcakes are made with flour, green tea powder, egg, vanilla extract and buttermilk. Topped with matcha-infused whipped cream, it is perfect to enjoy at any time of the day. These cupcakes have a delicate taste with just enough matcha flavour and do not overpower other ingredients.
Spicy Green Tea Noodles
Who said green tea can only be added to sweet dishes? It can also be used to flavour your noodles. This fragrant dish has a spicy taste and is prepared by stir-frying boiled noodles in a special sauce featuring garlic, strongly brewed green tea, sriracha, black pepper and ginger. You can also garnish it with sesame seeds and cilantro before serving.
Green Tea Smoothie
This is an extremely healthy smoothie that you can pair with your breakfast. Made with milk (preferably almond milk), banana, spinach, strawberries, vanilla protein powder and green tea powder, it is loaded with vitamins and antioxidants. If you like your smoothies to be thicker, try adding more ice to the recipe.
Green Tea Margarita
Green tea can be a great addition to your boozy parties too. To prepare green tea margarita, add lime, brewed tea, tequila and ice in a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake well until chilled. Strain into a chilled glass and enjoy the drink with a garnish of lime wheel. You can also add agave syrup to the recipe.