Matcha Mint Chia Pudding & A Review

I love matcha.

I love it prepared traditionally (as much as a white, Alaskan girl can...). I love it whisked into cold coconut milk with maple syrup. I love matcha lattes, and thrown into my smoothies too! Of course the stuff can be expensive. Especially if you're buying the ceremonial, high quality matcha. 

Produce On Parade - Matcha Mint Chia Pudding - A smooth and creamy pudding made with chia seeds and non-dairy milk starring bright green matcha and sweetened with agave nectar.

However, there are several different grades of matcha. Simply, they can be organized into culinary matcha (used for recipes, baking, smoothies, etc.), quality drinking matcha (best for matcha drinkers who don't require a super high quality matcha for their tea...like me), and then finally ceremonial super-premium matcha (very expensive and I'm no where near rich or exquisitely-palated enough to purchase it, though sometimes I wish I was).

Matcha is so beneficial because it's basically the baby green tea leaves just completely pulverized, so you're consuming the entire leaf (as opposed to just soaking it in hot water, like most teas). Try buying regular green tea leaves in the bulk section and tossing them into your smoothies for equal nutrition but a little more wallet friendly. However, if it's the matcha taste you want, then it's best to use actual matcha. If it's solely the nutrition of the actual tea leaves though...give plain green tea leaves a try. 

Today, I've created a smooth and creamy pudding made with chia seeds and non-dairy milk, featuring bright green matcha and sweetened with agave nectar. It's made with Kiss Me Organics Culinary Grade Organic Matcha, which was gifted to me to test. 

Produce On Parade - Matcha Mint Chia Pudding - A smooth and creamy pudding made with chia seeds and non-dairy milk starring bright green matcha and sweetened with agave nectar.
Produce On Parade - Matcha Mint Chia Pudding - A smooth and creamy pudding made with chia seeds and non-dairy milk starring bright green matcha and sweetened with agave nectar.
Produce On Parade - Matcha Mint Chia Pudding - A smooth and creamy pudding made with chia seeds and non-dairy milk starring bright green matcha and sweetened with agave nectar.
Produce On Parade - Matcha Mint Chia Pudding - A smooth and creamy pudding made with chia seeds and non-dairy milk starring bright green matcha and sweetened with agave nectar.
Produce On Parade - Matcha Mint Chia Pudding - A smooth and creamy pudding made with chia seeds and non-dairy milk starring bright green matcha and sweetened with agave nectar.

I was thrilled to try this matcha. Normally, I buy matcha from an ethnic market in Anchorage, but it's the middle of the road matcha that I use for drinking and I would never put it in my smoothies or recipes. The Kiss Me Organics matcha is great for recipes though. It lends a bold matcha flavor that's perfect in dishes. I whisked it into cold coconut milk, which was wonderful. However, I didn't prefer it to my other matcha when drinking hot tea. No surprise there though, it's not for that!

Produce On Parade - Matcha Mint Chia Pudding - A smooth and creamy pudding made with chia seeds and non-dairy milk starring bright green matcha and sweetened with agave nectar.

Because I don't buy culinary grade matcha, I haven't made many recipes with it, so this was fun and exciting! I can't wait to possibly bake with it and make other fun matcha infused recipes. 

I'll definitely buy this matcha again. It's $6.25 for one once. The same brand of matcha I normally buy is $13.65 for one ounce. The same brand, but culinary grade is $8.69 for one once and the ceremonial grade is $18.08 for one once, for comparison. 

Have you added matcha to your recipes? What's your favorite way to use culinary matcha? I want to make cupcakes soon!

print recipe
Matcha Mint Chia Pudding
by September-8-2014
A smooth and creamy pudding made with chia seeds and non-dairy milk starring bright green matcha and sweetened with agave nectar. Inspired by Detoxinista.
Ingredients
  • 2 cups non-dairy milk of preference
  • 6 Tbsp. chia seeds
  • 2 Tbsp. agave nectar
  • 2 tsp. culinary grade matcha
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • small pinch of kosher salt
  • 6 fresh mint leaves
Instructions
Place everything in a high speed blender and blend on high for a few minutes until smooth and it begins to gel. Place in fridge for about 3 hours to set.
Details
Prep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield: 2 cups
Produce On Parade - Matcha Mint Chia Pudding - A smooth and creamy pudding made with chia seeds and non-dairy milk starring bright green matcha and sweetened with agave nectar.
Produce On Parade - Matcha Mint Chia Pudding - A smooth and creamy pudding made with chia seeds and non-dairy milk starring bright green matcha and sweetened with agave nectar.
Produce On Parade - Matcha Mint Chia Pudding - A smooth and creamy pudding made with chia seeds and non-dairy milk starring bright green matcha and sweetened with agave nectar.

German Word of The Day

Green tea --> Grüntee (groon-teeh)

Good Deed of The Day

Guess what? You ladies can keep wearing yo' bras. Damn. Check out this article on the new study that was conducted to find out whether or not bra-wearing gave women an increased risk for breast cancer. It didn't

*DISCLAIMER*  PRODUCE ON PARADE IS A PERSONAL BLOG WRITTEN AND EDITED BY MYSELF ONLY, UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. MY REVIEWS ARE COMPLETELY BASED ON MY OWN OPINION OF THE PRODUCT REVIEWED. I AM NOT PAID TO WRITE POSTS. THESE PRODUCTS WERE SUPPLIED TO ME AS GIFTS FROM THE COMPANY TO TEST AND REVIEW. OTHERWISE, IF I MENTION A COMPANY BY NAME AND THERE IS NO DISCLAIMER AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST, I AM MERELY WRITING ABOUT SOMETHING I LIKE, PURCHASE AND/OR USE. THE FACT THAT I DO RECEIVE A PRODUCT AS A GIFT TO TEST AND REVIEW, WILL NEVER POSITIVELY INFLUENCE THE CONTENT MADE IN THIS POST.

Blueberry Pie Quinoa Porridge

Real quick, I have a little eco tip! I hate getting phone books. Who uses phone books anymore, seriously!? No really, I want to know. It's absurdity. Anyways, you can opt out of receiving them and it just takes a minute, truly. So if you have phone book recycling guilt, just opt out here. And now, a confession. Red quinoa isn't my friend anymore. It was a short relationship. Every time I try to make it, it boils over, a problem I never had with good ol' regular white quinoa. Also, I do not like it's texture. It's like munching on soggy packing peanuts. This is, of course, just my opinion. 

Last night, after the umami bomb, I felt like something sweet for dinner. Sweet, but still healthy, so I made some quinoa porridge. It's like steel cut oats, but quinoa instead. It's healthier, heartier and a complete protein! Also, it's just so rustic and lovely. 

Produce On Parade - Blueberry Pie Quinoa Porridge

This quinoa porridge is a healthier take on blueberry pie and oatmeal! It's a little bit chewy, lovingly spiced, and speckled with plump, tart blueberries. The sweetness is cut through with a little lemon zest and topped with crunchy walnuts, pecans and chia seeds for some extra protein.  

Blueberry Pie Quinoa Porridge 

Serves 1-2

  • Porridge:
  • 1/2 cup dry red quinoa
  • 1 1/2 cup non-dairy + additional (soy milk)
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp. maple syrup
  • grating of fresh nutmeg
  • 1 tsp. chai latte powder (optional)
  • heaping 1/4 cup frozen or fresh blueberries
  • Toppings:
  • 1/4 cup chopped nuts (I used pecans and walnuts)
  • sprinkling of chia seeds
  • lemon zest, to taste
  • fresh lemon squeeze, to taste

In a medium saucepan, combine all the porridge ingredients except for the blueberries. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Allow to cook for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally and ensuring that it doesn't foam over. The quinoa should be the consistency of  wet oatmeal when done.

Produce On Parade - Blueberry Pie Quinoa Porridge Produce On Parade - Blueberry Pie Quinoa Porridge Produce On Parade - Blueberry Pie Quinoa Porridge Remove from heat and stir in the blueberries, allowing them to warm up for a few minutes, especially if they're frozen. 

Adorn with toppings, to your taste preference. I'm not a big lemon zest person, so I only use a little bit. 

Produce On Parade - Blueberry Pie Quinoa Porridge Add a little additional milk if you like, and serve warm!

Produce On Parade - Blueberry Pie Quinoa Porridge Produce On Parade - Blueberry Pie Quinoa Porridge A delightful breakfast, or if you're like me...dinner!

Produce On Parade - Blueberry Pie Quinoa Porridge Singing along to Young the Giant – Cough Syrup

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Sophisticated Chocolate Chia Pudding

Sometimes you need something sweet for breakfast.

Produce On Parade - Sophisticated Chocolate Chia Pudding

 

Sweet, but still healthy! I may have made this for breakfast but it's telling me that it would like to be classified as a dessert. Who am I not to grant such a wish? 

This pudding is an omega-3 antioxidant powerhouse, thanks to the chia seeds and the cocoa powder. Chipotle chili powder adds a spicy little bite and a hint of smokiness. Crunchy cacao nibs top it off!

Sophisticated Chocolate Chia Pudding 

Inspired by Our Paleo Life

Serves 1 

  • 1/2 cup of cartoned coconut milk (I like Silk)
  • 1 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
  • pinch of salt
  • dash of chipotle chili powder
  • 5 drops of liquid stevia (or sweetener of choice)
  • 2 Tbsp. chia seeds
  • 1/2 Tbsp. cocoa nibs for topping (optional)

In a small bowl or pyrex measuring cup whisk together all the ingredients except for the chia seeds and cocoa nibs. Be sure to whisk enough to incorporate the cocoa powder into the milk. 

Produce On Parade - Sophisticated Chocolate Chia Pudding

Produce On Parade - Sophisticated Chocolate Chia Pudding Then, transfer to a small serving bowl and stir in the chia seeds. Place in the fridge, covered with saran wrap, for about one hour.

Halfway through, stir carefully to ensure that all the chia seed clumps are broken up. 

Produce On Parade - Sophisticated Chocolate Chia Pudding Once set, stir again and top with cocoa nibs!

Produce On Parade - Sophisticated Chocolate Chia Pudding Produce On Parade - Sophisticated Chocolate Chia Pudding Breakfast, dessert, dinner, lunch or a snack...this pudding has no bias. 

Listening to M83 – Midnight City

[yumprint-recipe id='32']