Today we’re going to show you how to make a healthy green smoothie using ingredients commonly used in Japanese cooking. We use matcha, kiwi, pear, spinach and soy yoghurt.
Although kiwis take their name from the New Zealand flightless bird, they are actually a native Asian fruit and are commonly used in Japanese dishes[1]. We love them because they’re naturally sweet, a wonderful shade of green, and have many health benefits[2].
To keep carbs under control, we chose yogurt instead of bananas as the base for our smoothie. And to keep the recipe vegan, we used soy yoghurt. A good non-vegan alternative that gives this drink an even stronger protein boost is Greek yogurt.
Then there is matcha. Our beloved Matcha. We rave about it whenever we can, and Marta wrote a very in-depth article explaining the benefits of matcha over coffee’s caffeine.
Finally we used pears and spinach. Spinach is so incredibly healthy we should be eating it while we sleep. Pears are naturally sweet and delicious. Both are very popular in Japan, although their pear variety (Nashi) is slightly different than the western one (Yonashi).
Combine all of these gorgeous ingredients for a jar of pure raw food. Here is a brief summary of the nutritional profile. A glass of this smoothie will give you 177 calories, 28% RDI of fibers, 18% RDI of proteins, And only 8% RDI carbohydrates. So good!
frequently asked Questions
How to use matcha green tea powder in smoothies?
Adding matcha powder to smoothies is a great way to give them a powerful boost of energy. Finally, matcha is an excellent stimulant with much better properties than coffee. But how do you add the powder to smoothies?
You can either add it as is or brew it first. The method you use depends on the ingredients in your smoothie.
When your smoothie consists of “dry” non-juicy ingredients, like spinach, apples or pears, you need to add some liquid to get a creamy drink. You would typically use some form of milk here, or even water for a lighter smoothie.
What you can do instead is make matcha tea (or matcha latte), chill it in the fridge, and then add it to the smoothie. Brewing matcha is great because the heat helps the powder release more of its beneficial properties.
If your smoothie recipe uses creamy ingredients Instead (like banana or yogurt), adding matcha tea or latte will likely dilute the smoothie too much. What you can do here is use the powder as is – just put it in the blender and puree it extra well.
How do I remove bits from smoothies without a centrifuge?
Do you get a lot of bits in your smoothie? This problem occurs when smoothies are made with dry and fibrous ingredients such as pears or spinach. If your blender isn’t powerful enough, it can be difficult to make a creamy smoothie and you’ll leave lots of chunks behind.
First of all, there is nothing wrong with these bits. They are the fibrous part of vegetables and fruits and contain most of the nutrients that are good for you.
But if you want to get a creamier smoothie without buying a super powerful blender or centrifuge, you can follow these two simple tips:
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Add more liquid to your smoothie. The dry ingredients can get caught on the side of your blender, making it difficult for the blades to catch them. With more liquid, the ingredients flow freely and the blades can do their job better
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You can Turn any smoothie into a clear and bitter drink without using a centrifuge. All you need is one cheesecloth, but any thin piece of fabric will do. Pour the smoothie into the cheesecloth and squeeze out the clear liquid. You get a nice clear drink, but you lose all the good fiber. Not good! To mitigate this, take the pulp and lay it flat on a baking sheet. Cook it in the oven at low temperature until it dries out. Then add it to yogurt as a granola.
What other ingredients can I use to make a Japanese smoothie?
Our smoothie recipe above features kiwis, pears, spinach and matcha. All of these ingredients are found in many Japanese recipes and are a staple in Japan. Would like more? Check out this list of foods you can use to make a Nippon smoothie:
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Pitted cherries
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Persimmon (Kaki)
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Orange
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kumquat
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watermelon
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peach
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Grapes
Be inspired by our watermelon smoothie or grape smoothie!