I’m still trying to use up all of those cherries that I mentioned in my post about Chocolate Cherry Zucchini Muffins, and I discovered that cherries make delicious smoothies.  I’ve also found that Matcha powder is a great ingredient in smoothies.  Kiss Me Organics provided me with a package of their Matcha Green Tea Powder so I’ve been trying it in all sorts of things, from smoothies to lattes to baked goods.

If you’re not sure exactly what to do with matcha powder, Kiss Me Organics provides a free matcha recipe guide ebook with your purchase. There were some really interesting and delicious recipes in there. I’ve tried some simple ones, like the KissMe Matcha Green Tea Latte pictured above, and there are so many more that I can’t wait to try.  You’ll find recipes for drinks, smoothies, breakfasts, sweets, toppers, pizza, entrees, soups, sides and even matcha shots.

The ebook included an informative introduction to matcha that does a great job of explaining what matcha is (it’s basically a fine powder version of green tea derived from shade-grown tea leaves) and outlines the incredible health benefits of this green powder.  I was surprised to learn that matcha contains 137 times more antioxidants that regular green tea.  It burns fat, provides a huge energy boost with less caffeine than coffee, and promotes relaxation.

This was my first experience with matcha powder, and it did take me a little while to get used to the taste. It has quite a strong flavor when you mix it with only water or milk. The powder doesn’t completely dissolve even with mixed with boiling water first, so a lot of it ends up sinking to the bottom of the cup. I prefer using this powder in smoothies, baking, and cooking.

When combined with the cherries, you can’t see or taste much of the matcha, but you still take advantage of all the great health benefits. It’s a perfect afternoon pick me up that won’t make you jittery like coffee. I’ve been having matcha smoothies frequently and I’m noticing that I have much better focus at work. Best of all, I feel calmer.  As a longtime anxiety sufferer, this is huge for me. I plan to keep using matcha powder regularly because I’m finding it’s actually helping to keep my anxiety under control.

Here are some recipes I’ve found on other blogs using matcha powder, in case you’re looking for ideas:

Blueberry Matcha Green Tea Smoothie from Eyes Bigger than My Stomach 

Green Tea Pistachio Muffins from Veg

Green Tea and White Chocolate Cookies from Just One Cookbook

Matcha Green Tea Pasta from Ramblings from Utopia

Disclosure: I received a free package of Organic Match Powder from Kiss Me Organics for the purpose of this review. This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own.