The Healthy Matcha Cookbook: Green Tea-Inspired Meals, Snacks, Drinks, and Desserts, written by Miryam Quinn-Doblas, highlights over 60 recipes that incorporate matcha (powdered green tea) in a variety of ways. Some recipes feature the ingredient as the star (Breakfast Smoothie Bowl, Fudge, Coconut Ice Cream) while others use the powder to compliment other flavors in the dish (Kale and Hot Pepper Grilled Cheese Sandwich, Roasted Vegetables, Apple Walnut Bundt Cake). I will also be sharing her recipe for Matcha Cream Cheese Spread following the review.
Disclosure: I received this book from Skyhorse Publishing in exchange for my honest review. All opinions and statements are my own.
Miryam Quinn-Doblas
Miryam Quinn-Doblas is a registered dietitian, recipe developer, photographer, and the blogger behind EatGood4Life.com. She grew up in Spain and now lives in Westfield, New Jersey with her family.
She has BS degrees in Bioinformatics and Psychology, a Masters degree in Human Nutrition, and is currently studying to become a physician assistant. Her focus is on healthy cooking and baking. Miryam started the blog to share wholesome recipes with others in a world where processed foods are all too common.
The Healthy Matcha Cookbook
The Healthy Matcha Cookbook begins with an overview of matcha. You will learn about the history, health benefits (particularly the antioxidants), types, storage and preparation, and how to pick out the right matcha for your needs.
Miryam also includes a guide to other ingredients often used in the book, such as oils, flours (including gluten-free), grains, nuts, and seeds.
Chapters are divided based on course: Introduction, Energizing Breakfasts, Healthy Snacks, Lean Meals, and Decadent Desserts. Need help with menu planning? She has that covered too with two weeks of menu plans for breakfast, snack, lunch, and dinner.
Every recipe has a bar at the top that states whether the recipe is gluten-free, heart-healthy, vegetarian, dairy-free, low-fat, vegan, or nut-free and the serving size. There are also tips and notes for substitutions and other variations. The ingredients are listed in US Customary.
Miryam also provides the photography. Each recipe is accompanied by a full page photo of the finished dish.
Matcha Cream Cheese Spread
This Matcha Cream Cheese Spread came together quickly with only three ingredients. I beat together cream cheese, matcha, and honey using a hand mixer until the matcha was completely incorporated and the mixture was smooth.
I just love the beautiful and naturally green color. It can also be made using a stand mixer or even by hand if the cream cheese is completely at room temperature and you want a bit of a workout.
Miryam recommends serving the cream cheese over bagels with a sprinkling of chia seeds and pumpkin seeds. I can also see this being a great base for some sweet pinwheel recipes.
The cream cheese stores well refrigerated in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
Notable Ingredients
Matcha is a powder created by grinding whole green tea leaves. I have been able to find it in markets with Japanese ingredients and more recently in the tea section of larger grocery stores.
Be careful when storing matcha. It can become stale and brownish when exposed to oxygen.
Other Dishes
I also made the Green Tea Frappuccino, Noodle Salad with Asian Vinaigrette, Oven-Roasted Chicken Fajitas, and No-Bake Coconut Macaroons.
The Green Tea Frappuccino comes together quickly and is vegetarian, heart-heathy, vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, and nut-free. Coconut milk is blended with ice, matcha, maple syrup, and vanilla for an easy and refreshing beverage.
The Noodle Salad with Asian Vinaigrette is dairy-free, vegetarian, and vegan. This salad was actually a favorite of mine. Adding the matcha powder to the vinaigrette gave the salad a pretty light green tint.
The Oven-Roasted Chicken Fajitas are nut-free. They were definitely interesting with the addition of matcha. The matcha wasn’t the star in this one, but worked as a compliment for the other spices- mostly the cumin and paprika- while adding a light green coloring.
The No-Bake Coconut Macaroons are gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan (if using dairy-free chocolate), nut-free, and vegetarian. These little pieces of chocolate are formed using square silicone molds, then the chocolates are topped with matcha mixed with shredded coconut.
The Healthy Matcha Cookbook is a great choice whether you want to incorporate more matcha (green tea) into your food or are looking for ways to use up a container of matcha you got for a specific recipe. The dishes were developed with the health conscious in mind. Even the index has listing for vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, heart-healthy, nut-free, and dairy-free readers. Some dishes have long hands-off cooking/setting times, but most are perfect for weeknight cooking with minimal difficulty.
Many of the ingredients are easy to locate in the average American grocery store. Some that may require further searching include goji berries, green habanero sauce, pitted dates, flaxseed meal, hemp protein powder, chia seeds, golden raisins, and chlorella.
Matcha Cream Cheese Spread Recipe
Adapted from The Healthy Matcha Cookbook
Matcha Cream Cheese Spread
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 2 teaspoons matcha powder
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 4 bagels sliced
Topping:
- 1 tablespoons chia seeds
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, add the cream cheese, matcha, and honey. Beat using a hand mixer until smooth and creamy.
- Spread over sliced bagels and top with chia and pumpkin seeds. Serve immediately. Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
peter @Feed Your Soul Too
It is fun to get to work with new cookbooks and a new ingredient. I really like the vinaigrette and the noodle salad!
Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy
I haven’t cooked a lot with matcha tea, but I love matcha tea lattes. I will have to give this a try, it sounds delicious.
Lisa | Garlic + Zest
I’ve never had matcha! I know– crazy right? I never had any idea that you could do so much with it! I vow to give it a shot — and I think I’ll start with that vinaigrette!
Kavey
Would never in a million years have thought to use matcha this way but LOVE this idea!
sue | theviewfromgreatisland
What a creative idea, I have to track down this cookbook, I have a little tin of matcha in the cupboard and no idea what to do with it!
Lauren @ Sew You Think You Can Cook
Beautiful! And that green tea frap sounds yummy, too. I haven’t (still) worked with matcha but want to.
Jc
Hi, for the cream cheese, do you use the block type or those in the tub? Would whipped cream cheese work too?
Thanks!
Tara
Hi! I used the block, but I am sure you can use the tub. It is just flavoring it with the matcha.