Matcha Tea Parfait Recipe
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in a fresh and festive way with this Matcha Parfait! Layers of creamy green smoothie, nutrient-packed matcha chia pudding, and fun toppings like kiwi and bee pollen come together for a delicious, naturally green dessert or snack. This treat is beautiful and packed with nutrients and healthy fats, which makes it the perfect alternative to artificially dyed treats.
Servings: 2 -4
Ingredients
- For the matcha chia pudding:
- 1 ¼ cups unsweetened almond milk preferably homemade
- 3 pitted dates or sweetener of choice to taste (optional)
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon matcha powder
- ¼ cup chia seeds
- For the green smoothie bowl one suggestion, feel free to use your favorite:
- 2 cups frozen banana pieces
- 1 cup chopped kale stems removed or spinach leaves
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ - ½ cup unsweetened almond milk or milk of choice you just want enough to get the blender/Vitamix going – Vitamix will need less
- a handful of ice if your almond milk is sweetened
- You can also add extras to your smoothie like a few pieces of frozen cooked cauliflower, hempseeds, ½ an avocado
- Fun Toppings for St. Patrick's Day: bee pollen and diced peeled kiwi
Instructions
- To make the chia pudding: Place almond milk, dates, and vanilla in blender and process until dates are pulverized. A Vitamix does a great job with this. If your blender leaves the dates too chunky, you can strain the mixture before adding it to the chia seeds.
- Add matcha powder and chia seeds to a medium container and add almond milk mixture. Stir immediately to dissolve matcha and loosen up chia seeds. Allow to sit on countertop and stir every 5 minutes so you don’t end up with blobs of chia seeds. After 15 minutes, it should have thickened.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. I usually do this the night before. Stays in the fridge for as long as your almond milk would.
- Place all smoothie ingredients in the bowl of a food processor or Vitamix or other high-powered blender. Add almond milk and vanilla. Process until smooth and creamy. I find that the food processor needs a little more liquid and a few more seconds to achieve the desired consistency, which is like soft serve ice cream.
- Divide the smooothie mixture into short glasses or wide-mouthed jars. Top with chia pudding. And garnish with diced, peeled kiwi and a sprinkling of bee pollen.
Notes
- Use a matcha tea powder that’s high in quality. The better the matcha, the brighter the green and the smoother the flavor.
- The pudding can be made up to two days in advance, making assembly quick and easy.
- For a creamier smoothie layer, use a high-powered blender like a Vitamix and add just enough liquid to keep it moving.
- The pudding will last for up to 3 days when stored in an airtight container in the fridge. The smoothie layer is best prepared fresh for the creamiest texture, but any leftovers can be frozen in an ice cube tray and blended later for a quick and convenient option.