I’ve been continuing my matcha smoothies for breakfast… I used to not be a “breakfast person” but I kinda like that I’m getting my “tea and breakfast” in one this way, and I’m really liking how I feel with the sort of “mellow yet strong” caffeine hit I’m getting from the matcha compared to just making a warm cuppa (not that I don’t still love a warm cuppa).
I was getting tired of my “Lime in the Coconut” smoothies I’ve had for a few days in a row now trying to sip down my Coconut Matcha and just wanted to change it up this morning, and for whatever reason, was craving caramel apple as a flavor profile. I had this matcha, and it’s really old, past the best buy date, and in a package I hadn’t even cut open yet. SIGH. And this is my eternal problem…
Normally I just dump the powder into the blender but I whisked it up with the vanilla oat milk into a latte first this morning to sample separate from the smoothie, since I had never tried it before. (It meant more dishes to be cleaned, but MATCHA SCIENCE!) I normally prepare my matcha as lattes (as I find it too bitter for me typically in just water) but these “matcha au lait” mixes that Lupicia used to make are made to be latte mixes (at least from the instructions). There was definitely a sweet grassy matcha flavor present, but also a very sweet candy-esque note… caramel, though? I’m not entirely sure I got an overwhelming impression of caramel, though I could see what they were going for… maybe a subtle hint of a caramel flavor? Definitely something sweet and creamy, and there is quite a bit of sugar/milk in the mix for this one. I definitely would not drink this not prepared as a latte (as the mix suggests), but think it is fine. It is sweet so I don’t have problems with “matcha bitterness,” but at the same time, doesn’t have a flavor that overwhelms that “grassy matcha taste” either. On the other hand, it isn’t my favorite flavored matcha I’ve tried by a longshot, either. I guess it just feels a little lackluster?
The smoothie was good though! It consisted of the matcha latte (minus the few sips I took for MATCHA SCIENCE!), a green apple, half a cup of dates, some ice, and a big glob of caramel sauce (because health conscious I am not). It hit the “sweet/tart green caramel apple” I was wanting quite well!
Flavors: Candy, Creamy, Sweet, Sweet, Warm Grass
Well, that is certainly a caramel apple smoothie!