Green Machine: Matcha cheesecake, coupled with smoothie

Natalie Laczewski | Daily Trojan

We’ve all probably tried green tea and cheesecake at some point in our lives, but what about green tea cheesecake?

Matcha green tea powder is sweeping the health and culinary worlds for both its flavorful qualities and for its many unexpected health benefits. We all know that brewed green tea is healthy, so imagine spicing up your diet with matcha powder which is the highest­grade green tea powder out there coming from actual ground and refined leaves.

Being such a high quality of tea, Matcha can be pricey. You can opt for a lower, culinary grade matcha powder which will still have certain benefits and a flavor to it. Or if you have the means to splurge, go for the high quality stuff. Matcha can be found in certain supermarkets or even on Amazon. Just be careful and check the ingredients of a product­some matcha powders contain additives like flavoring and sugar. If you’re serious about your matcha, check out this helpful review of different brands and varieties.

The powder is full of antioxidants and can help improve memory, boost metabolism, increase concentration, help cholesterol, and has soothing mental effects. So why not make matcha lattes, smoothies, muffins or even mini cheesecakes?

Check out this recipe for a fun twist on a traditional dessert.

Ingredients: 

For crust:

• About 9 sheets of graham crackers (finely crushed)

• 7 tbs butter (melted)

• 1⁄4 cup brown sugar

• 1⁄2 tsp cinnamon

• pinch of salt

For cheesecake:

• 2 8oz packs of cream cheese (at room temp)

• 2 eggs (at room temp)

• 2⁄3 cup granulated sugar

• 2 tbs matcha (or more or less depending on desired flavor)

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Prepare the crust first by mixing the dry ingredients together and then combining them with the melted butter. *Note: The crust recipe was originally meant for an entire pie/cheesecake crust, and I only ended up using about half of the mixture if you want to try halving the recipe.

Natalie Laczewski | Daily Trojan

Natalie Laczewski | Daily Trojan

Natalie Laczewski | Daily Trojan

Line a muffin pan with liners and press an even amount of the crust mixture into each spot.

Natalie Laczewski | Daily Trojan

Bake the crust on its own for about 7 minutes in a 350 degree heated oven.

Whisk by hand or if you’re a lucky college student and have a Kitchenaid mixer, put it to good use and mix the cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar and continue mixing for a few minutes or until your arm is sore, and then add each egg individually and combine ingredients thoroughly after each addition. Add the vanilla and matcha powder. (I actually forgot the vanilla extract, but the recipe was fine without it, and use as little or as much matcha as you prefer.)

Spoon the now green batter into the prepared and baked muffin liners. I had enough batter for 12 “cakes.”

Natalie Laczewski | Daily Trojan

Bake for about 20 minutes at 300 degrees and let cool completely. Refrigerate for several hours (or until you can no longer wait) and enjoy a different kind of “healthy” green.

Not in the mood for baking? Matcha can be brewed on its own or can even be thrown into smoothies for an added boost of antioxidants. Although Starbucks claims to serve a green tea frappuccino made with matcha powder, many have discovered that the drink comes with many unwanted and not­so­healthy additives. Try making your own frappuccino with this easy recipe:

Blend together:

• 1 banana

• 5 ice cubs

• 3⁄4 to 1 cup milk (almond, coconut, cow’s, etc.)

• 1 tsp matcha green tea powder

And sip up the green goodness!

Natalie Laczewski is a freshman majoring in communication. Her column, “Food for Thought,” runs Wednesdays. 

Photo courtesy of justonecookbook.com