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The Power of Matcha Green Tea

WITH FINE MATCHA powder, you ingest whole tea leaves ground into a powder, resulting in a beverage that is ten times more potent—with 137 times more antioxidants—than regular brewed green tea.

Matcha boosts your metabolism by up to 40 percent, helps control body weight, and regulates healthy blood sugar levels. It’s a strong blood detoxifier, is packed with antioxidants, helps control free-radical damage, prevents heart disease and cancer, reduces cholesterol, and increases circulation for beautiful, clear skin.

Green tea also has been found to help our brain produce more alpha waves, which decreases tension and stress, while increasing mental focus and concentration.

CHILLED CHAI FROSTY SHAKE

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

This is another drink that uses my Basic Nut Mylk recipe; I use a little less water here for a thicker, creamer consistency. This light, cool, frothy chai is made with rich maple-flavored pecans and hints of India-inspired spices. I like to leave the blender blending for 30 seconds or more on high speed to create a bubbly froth. I’ll add the ice at the very last moment to chill, then serve right away just like a cappuccino with froth.

1 recipe Basic Nut Mylk (page 41) made with pecans and dates, and only 3 cups of water (instead of 5)

½ teaspoon alcohol-free vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup ice

Follow the directions for Basic Nut Mylk, adding the vanilla, cardamom, and cinnamon. Blend until smooth. Add the ice and blend to mix.

Best served immediately, but will keep for several days in the fridge.

ELIXIRS

My elixirs are made by mixing together fruit and water, plus sometimes a bit of white wine, kombucha, or kefir for extra sparkle and taste (for recipes for making your own kombucha and kefir, see pages 52-59). Elixirs are clear and vibrantly colorful, and any pulp is strained out. Serve these beautiful elixirs in a martini glass when entertaining, or for a romantic dinner for two.

RASPBERRY LEMONADE

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

A classically tart lemonade mixed with beautiful red raspberries with added effervescence and probiotic goodness from kombucha or kefir. You can substitute kombucha or kefir with Thai baby coconut water to make an electrolyte-rich lemonade.

½ cup fresh or thawed frozen raspberries

2/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 4 lemons)

½ cup agave syrup

3 cups kombucha or kefir

Place all the ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. Strain through a plastic sieve into a pitcher. Serve over ice.

Will keep for 2 days in the fridge.

WATERMELON PUNCH

MAKES ABOUT 20 SERVINGS

Add this drink to your summertime picnic or party. Made with watermelon balls, agave, and lemon, it’s served in a decorative watermelon bowl with pine nuts.

1 small seedless watermelon (about 10 pounds)

½ cup agave syrup

1 tablespoon lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)

2 cups ice cubes

Pine nuts, for garnish

Cut the watermelon across one-third down from top, and cut a bit off the bottom so it sits flat.

Use a melon baller to scoop the flesh into a large bowl. Scrape out the remaining watermelon flesh and squeeze out the juice, using a sieve or cheesecloth, into the large bowl holding the scooped balls. Add the agave and lemon juice, and stir to mix well. Add 1 cup of the ice.

Transfer the punch to the watermelon bowl and add the remaining ice. Garnish with pine nuts and serve.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Add other fruits to the punch, such as cantaloupe or honeydew melon balls, strawberries, pineapple chunks, lychees, or mandarin orange slices.

GINGER-LEMON MARTINI

MAKES 2 COCKTAILS

A refreshing white wine martini made with tart lemon juice and ginger. Add jalapeño to kick up the heat in your elixir.

2 tablespoons agave syrup

Palm sugar or shredded coconut, ground into a powder

½ lemon, sliced

1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced