Vegan Green Tea Almond Spread w/ Soar Organics Matcha

ATTENTION, MATCHA LOVERS:

I have created the ultimate guilt-free spread to matcha-fy everything you eat from here on out! It’s almost like a sweet matcha butter, but silkier, smoother, and easy to drizzle on top of toasts, pancakes, and waffles galore! Imagine a vegan matcha Nutella-like concoction, with no processed ingredients, but that same deliciously decadent taste.

Are you ready for this?

This spread only has a few organic ingredients: matcha tea, coconut cream, coconut oil, blanched almonds, and coconut sugar.

Note: The almonds serve a very important purpose, so don’t omit these unless you’re allergic to nuts.

I believe they add a very subtle nutty crunch, which goes incredibly well with the creamy smoothness of the spread. While I was cooking this mixture, I had a taste and noticed how similar the spread was to the inside of a Ferrero Rocher, if they made a matcha version. It was THAT good. 😉 

Now, to make this recipe, you will need a high-quality everyday grade matcha, that you can use in cooking and baking. For this special spread, I teamed up with the lovely Megan from Soar Organics Matcha who has graciously provided me with the tastiest, purest matcha for my recipe, sourced all the way from Kyoto, Japan.

The best part about Soar Organics (aside from their amazing matcha) is that they are an honest Canadian company that takes pride in offering the highest quality matcha that is 100% certified organic. This means that no harmful chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or other artificial agents are used in the making of their matcha. As an added benefit, Soar Organics Matcha is free of any unnecessary additives, sweeteners or fillers. It’s also gluten-free, vegan-friendly and free of any GMOs.

If you’re interested in trying out Soar Organics, I’ll leave an exclusive coupon code for you to use on their site at the end of this post. 🙂

I’ve raved about matcha before (in my vegan matcha latte post here), but let’s run through the amazing health benefits of matcha once more for good measure:

• Matcha tea contains all the nutrients from the entire leaf, and when we drink this unique stone-ground tea, we ingest that entire leaf in its purest form. *According to Matcha Source, 1 cup of matcha tea is suspected to have as many antioxidants as a whopping 10 cups of brewed green tea!
• High antioxidant benefits: Matcha contains catechins (potent antioxidants) that fight free-radicals and provide powerful cancer-fighting properties (specifically from the catechin EGCg).
• Mood-enhancer: L-Theanine (the amino acid found in matcha) can enhance your mood and relax the mind.
• Stable caffeine flow: Matcha won’t give you those coffee jitters; its caffeine content promotes a stable sense of wakefulness and mental acuity.
• Boosts metabolism: Drinking matcha daily can help burn calories and fat.
• Detoxifies the body: The high chlorophyll content in matcha gives it that vibrant green colour and also acts as a very effective detoxifier that can aid in the elimination of unwanted toxins, chemicals and heavy metals from your body.

In this matcha spread, you will also find coconut cream and coconut oil, which have numerous benefits as well:

• Heart happy: Coconut oil is one of the richest sources of lauric acid, a medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) that has been shown to reduce the risk of coronary disease.
• Weight loss: Rather than being stored as body fat, the MCTs in coconut cream/oil are easily absorbed by the body and used as a source of direct energy. Coconut oil also keeps you full for longer.
• Healthy fats: Coconuts contain natural saturated fats that increase the good HDL cholesterol in your body. They may also help turn the bad LDL cholesterol into a less harmful form.

So, what can you do with this magical spread? Is it healthy to put on your morning toast for breakfast?

Well, I can say this: It is a significantly healthier alternative to spreads like Nutella, which I grew up eating on sandwiches every day as a child (and I now blame for my massive sugar addiction as an adult).

Unlike Nutella, my vegan matcha spread is completely raw, unprocessed and made from only a handful of organic, identifiable ingredients. You can also control the type and amount of sweetener you decide to add to this spread. Due to this recipe’s sugar content (I like it sweet), I would call this a kind of healthy dessert spread, with a few added nutritional benefits. Of course with any dessert, consume this spread within moderation and enjoy it with friends. 🙂 I believe it should keep well in a sealed jar for about a week or so in the fridge (if it even lasts you that long — this stuff is addicting!). 

You can also use this matcha spread as a vegan ice cream topper, creative fondue filler, and an easy matcha latte syrup.

Are you on board the matcha train now? Head to Soar Organics to stock up on matcha tea and get 15% off your order using my exclusive discount code: STRAWBERRY15

ENJOY! 🙂

Vegan Matcha Spread

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Serves: 4 Prep Time: 5 minutes Cooking Time: 20 Minutes

Ingredients

2 tsp. Soar Organics Matcha (use STRAWBERRY15 for 15% off your order!)
1/2 cup organic coconut cream
1/4 cup blanched almonds, sliced
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1/4 cup hot boiled water
1-2 tbsp. coconut sugar or desired sweetener (to taste)

Vegan Green Tea Almond Spread w/ Soar Organics Matcha was last modified: July 22nd, 2018 by themindfulstrawberry

Instructions

1. Whisk boiled water and matcha in a small bowl until completely smooth. Set aside.
2. In a food processor, pulse sliced almonds for 30-40 seconds or until they have reached a desired consistency. I prefer smaller hints of almond in the spread so you get the occasional crunch but overall it’s still smooth. If you like it crunchier, then don’t grind the almonds down as much.
3. In a small pot or saucepan, heat coconut cream, coconut oil, and almond milk together on medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add your desired sweetener with the matcha and simmer while whisking rapidly.
4. Keep mixing on low heat for 15-20 minutes or until the mixture reduces in size and becomes thicker.
   Note: Don’t be alarmed if your mixture is runny at first — it will thicken when cooled.
5. After it has thickened a bit, remove from heat and allow to cool.
6. Once completely cooled, transfer spread to an air-tight container or jar. You can consume immediately or wait a bit longer if you’d like it to thicken more. The spread will continue to thicken in the fridge and can keep for up to a week.

Vegan Green Tea Almond Spread w/ Soar Organics Matcha was last modified: July 22nd, 2018 by themindfulstrawberry