When I think of the start to a new year, I think of a fresh start…. excitement at a whole new year to set goals, go on adventures and start new ventures.
What I don’t think of is laying on the couch because I’m too exhausted to do anything or talk to anyone with my hoarse, sore throat – a box of tissues in hand, the constant taste of herbal lozenges in my mouth, an inhaler nearby in case I go into another coughing fit, continuous cups of hot tea being sipped, ear drops handy to crackle and pop my ears, and not being able to hear anything well because my ears and head are completely clogged.
Well my friends, as we all know, sometimes life throw you not so fun little curveballs, and me being the sickest I’ve ever been in my adult life was the way I started 2016. Typically I rarely get sick, am constantly on-the-go, and missing two whole weeks of workouts is unheard of. However, this was not the case for my nearly first half of January. My brain and body felt out of commission with an ear infection and serious upper respiratory craziness, and I think I killed some serious brain cells watching trashy TV as I attempted to relax and recover.
But, I’m happy to report that I’m aliveeeee! While not at 100%, I’m officially on the mend. I feel more like myself, have some energy back, and finally got my first workout of the year in. I’m reminded what it feels like to breathe like a normal healthy person, and it is glorious!
As a holistic health coach, I naturally look to food as medicine to help me heal. Last week I was rummaging around my kitchen looking for any ingredients I hadn’t yet been eating that could be helpful, and I spotted a package of matcha. I coincidentally had just received an email from Kiss Me Organics reminding me of some of matcha’s beneficial qualities, and I immediately came up with this smoothie recipe to get some matcha flowing through my body.
(Image via Kiss Me Organics)
Here are 3 reasons that Kiss Me Organics notes as reasons to consume matcha:
- Matcha is rich in polyphenols, catechins, and flavonoids — antioxidants that help your body fight off autoimmune diseases, while boosting your body’s natural immunity. Every day your body struggles to fight off unwanted chemicals like air pollution or impurities in food and water. With matcha in your body, you’ll have a better chance of fighting off colds and other illnesses…. or in my case, a better chance of getting rid of sickness!
- Matcha blocks fat. When you consume foods with fat, fat cells enter your system, break down into smaller fat cells, and dissolve into your body. Once the fat gets into your cells, it’s very difficult for them to get out. However, matcha disrupts the dissolving process of fat cells… which sounds good to me!
- Matcha reduces anxiety. One of the components of matcha, L-Theanine, is why matcha has relaxing properties and improves your concentration. While there is L-Theanine in green tea, the potency is up to 137x higher in matcha.
This smoothie combines matcha with frozen banana, shredded coconut, honey (which is great to eat when you’re sick!), almond milk and cinnamon. Nothing too complicated – just delicious and healthy.
It makes for a great breakfast smoothie or afternoon pick-me-up, and I think it’s one of my favorite new smoothie combos. I hope that you give this one a try!
Banana Coconut Matcha Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 medium frozen banana
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk or other milk of your choice
- 1/2 TSP- 1 TSP matcha powder depending on how strong you like your matcha
- 1/4 cup shredded coconut
- 1 TBSP honey you can use agave to make it vegan
- 1/4 TSP vanilla extract
- 1/4 TSP cinnamon
- Handful of ice
Instructions
- Combine 1/2 of the shredded coconut and all of the remaining ingredients in a blender, pulsing until smooth.
- Pour into a glass, and sprinkle the remaining coconut shreds on top. Enjoy with a spoon!
Nutrition
Tell me… Do you incorporate matcha into your diet? Anyone else start 2016 sick?
PS – If you’re looking for other matcha recipe ideas, check out this 2014 post from when I first tried Kiss Me Organic’s matcha.
Aww! I’m sorry that you were feeling so sick! But I’m glad that you’re getting your energy back and feeling more like yourself! That’s awesome!! This recipe looks delicious btw! So yummy and nourishing! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Now if I can find matcha that soomthie sounds so good!
Oh my, what a winning combination of flavors!
I started last year deathly ill, but managed to escape it this year (knock o wood).
Love this smoothie idea. I’ve been starting my morning with match for over a year and I love the energy boost it gives me!
I’m glad to hear that you are feeling better 🙂
I love a good matcha smoothie as a pick me up when I am feeling ill.
I’m SO glad you are feeling better! I totally hate being sick. I’ve been sick this whole week and while I’m feeling a bit better, I keep waking up expecting to be my normal self and I’m just not. It’s so hard when you are used to being on the go all the time to just rest and try and get better. Hopefully this means you will not be sick again for a long long time!
The picture really doesn’t do it justice. The smoothie is fantastic.
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Thanks