Vanilla Matcha Carrot Smoothie

sarahaas

7 years ago

Need a new smoothie recipe? Give this vegan Vanilla Matcha Carrot Smoothie a Try! @cookinRD | sarahaasrdn.com

Remember when smoothies were simple? You could order one or make one with strawberries, banana, yogurt and maybe some spinach. That was a special time. While you know I love simplicity, I also LOVE the challenge of trying new food combinations. Enter my Vanilla Matcha Carrot Smoothie.

I love reminiscing and re-living the “good old days” is fun! But we can’t live in the past, and that’s ok! I do appreciate the simple smoothies that were made from familiar ingredients. They were basic, but fabulous. And don’t get me wrong, I still love them, but I also love challenging my palate (and yours!) a little! I mean, why not have fun with your smoothie?

Be Brave, Be Bold!

When it comes to experimenting, I’m all about being brave and being bold. So many people are scared of trying new foods and flavor combinations and I always wonder why? What’s the worst thing that happens? It doesn’t taste good? Ok, so what? That just means you get to keep trying and experimenting. And when you finally get it to taste just right, you feel like you can do anything (ok, maybe that’s just how I feel!). It’s empowering to be brave and bold!

Building The Vanilla Matcha Carrot Smoothie

You know what people can’t get enough of STILL? Yup, matcha. It’s in everything and everyone wants to befriend it. I know why too! Besides it’s brilliant green hue, it’s got an endearing earthy bitterness to it that challenges your palate, but in a good way. It’s grassy, but not like Midwestern middle of summer grass, more like Alpine grass that grows in early Spring on the side of a mountain. SEE???? Sounds lovely, right? And trust me, when you balance that earthiness with a little bit of natural sweetness from vanilla extract, carrots and dried dates, you’ve got a smoothie you’re excited to drink!

Vanilla Matcha Carrot Smoothie Tips

I love providing tips with my recipes, and this one is no exception. Here are my tips for building this one into pure smoothie perfection:

That matcha – Buy the good stuff. It’s like wine, you should cook with the good stuff, right? Same with matcha. Spend some extra dollars to get the yummy stuff. I promise you’ll notice the difference.
Don’t leave out the vanilla – Can you skip the vanilla? Of course? Should you skip it? Um, NO! There’s a reason I put it in there and that’s because it really does mediate that grassy matcha. And again, I recommend using Pure Vanilla extract – the good stuff!
Blend, blend, blend – This smoothie is even better tasting when you blend it for a few minutes. It’ll get nice and frothy and smooth. Nobody wants a chunk of carrot or date in their smoothie, so trust me on this!

Go Make It!

Now you know what to do, so go get your ingredients and start blending! Share your favorite smoothie recipe below or let me know what you think of this one! Happy smoothie making!

Vanilla Matcha Carrot Smoothie

Author: Sara Haas
Total Time: 5 minutles
Yield: 1 smoothie 1x

Description

This mildly sweet, but super delicious Vanilla Matcha Carrot Smoothie makes a perfect snack and is a fun way to use that delicious matcha!

Ingredients

Scale

2 pitted dates
1/2 cup milk or plant-based milk
5 baby carrots
1/2 ripe banana
1/2 teaspoon matcha powder
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. This may take up to 2 minutes.
Add a handful of ice if you like and puree again until smooth.

Notes

I made this smoothie vegan by using milk alternative. Feel free to use cow’s milk or milk of your choice in it’s place. Just be sure to choose one that isn’t flavored or loaded with sugar.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Category: Smoothie