One might easily conclude that a 'green tea shot' is made with green tea. Nope. Not one drop. So I decided, 'Hey, why not?' Rolled up my bartender sleeves and created the non-alcoholic version that contains green tea for lightweights like me. Matcha lovers, this is for you!
The inspiration for this recipe came from Pickledplum.com– a huge thank you! You'll love her blog! I've been following Pickled Plum and learning from her for years.
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WHAT IS A GREEN TEA SHOT?
The original green tea shot was created by Jameson Irish Whiskey. I know, it's not what you'd expect, except for maybe the green coloring.
Ironically, I live in Japan and had never heard of it until I saw the recipe on one of my favorite healthy Asian food blogs Pickledplum.com.
From what I read online, green tea shots became a trend in the US around 2011.
The original green shot contains:
0.5 oz Jameson Irish whiskey
0.5 oz Peach schnapps
Sprite (a dash)
0.5 oz sour mix
If you're curious how to make it, you can find Caroline's full recipe here.
I tend to not drink sweet American-style cocktails. But with that intriguing combination of ingredients, I'm so curious to know what it tastes like!
As you probably can tell, I'm a total sucker for anything with green tea in its name.
WHAT IS A MATCHA SHOT?
A matcha shot is a more concentrated matcha tea. It's made of matcha powder and hot water.
It's served cold in shot glasses. You can drink a matcha shot like you would a shot of alcohol, with no ice cubes. Or if you prefer, you can sip it like an espresso.
Drinking a matcha shot in the morning, like energy shots, will help wake you up.
Ohayo gozaimasu! ?
My recipe for matcha green tea ginger shots contains even more healthy ingredients.
Try it out as a new healthy part of your daily routine instead of morning coffee. You'll feel energized, refreshed, and ready to tackle your day with one single shot.
And better yet, there's no hangover.
MATCHA SHOT VS. MATCHA LATTES
Matcha lattes are made with milk or alternatives like almond milk, coconut milk, or oat milk.
Often matcha lattes, like the ones at Starbucks, contain a lot of added sugar.
Matcha shots are made with water. For my recipe, I use coconut water. There's no added sugar.
THE NEW HEALTHY GREEN TEA SHOT
The green tea shot I created this summer is something completely different.
With added ginger, trust me– this shot still packs a powerful kick!
These are the ingredients:
- Coconut water
- Matcha green tea (powder)
- Fresh ginger
- Lemon juice
- Sea salt
You could totally use this recipe as your base and spruce it up even more. I've thought about adding fresh mint or cucumber to add another layer of taste.
I also took some inspiration from the organic health shots (sometimes referred to wellness shots) that I discovered this summer at supermarkets in the US.
This is my homemade version of a matcha-flavored health shot.
It's not a probiotic shot. It's just really good for you: plain and simple.
COMPARE TO WELLNESS SHOTS AT THE STORE
The drawback of the store bought health shots is many of them included juice from fruit that are high in sugar, such as pineapple.
On top of that, all the wellness shots I found were expensive ($3+ for a tiny bottle).
I calculated that it would cost you over $1000 to drink one of those every morning.
Is it worth a thousand dollars when you can make your own so easily?
Did I like the store bought ones I tried?
Yes!
I'd just rather spend $200 on a really nice blender and make my own out of the ugly lemons and past-due ginger on sale at the co-op.
Minus peeling the ginger, this will literally take you one minute to make.
DRINK THIS COCKTAIL IN THE MORNING (???)
Because matcha contains a decent amount of caffeine,
I recommend only drinking it in the morning,
just like you would have your morning cup of coffee.
If you're feeling groggy from the night before, a shot of this will definitely help wake you up!
Unlike regular alcohol consumption, which weakens your immune system,
I intentionally crafted this drink to give your immunity a healthy boost!
HOW OFTEN SHOULD I DRINK A MATCHA HEALTH SHOT?
Just like the green tea shots made of alcohol...
if you drink a lot of them in one day, it's potentially going to cause some problems.
I would suggest drinking no more than one a day.
Saying this, please check with your doctor or a nutritionist before altering your diet.
While ginger is known for its amazing antioxidant and ant-inflammatory properties,
that does imply that more is better.
Unless you are pregnant or have allergies or health concerns, ginger is generally safe to consume in moderation (4 grams or less per day).
Here is a resource to learn more about the benefits, risks, and potential side-effects of consuming ginger.
If you want to learn more about why matcha is healthy, you can go back and read this post.
HEALTH BENEFITS OF MATCHA
To learn why matcha is more than just a healthy drink, check out my intro to matcha.
There are studies that show that drinking matcha may support weight loss, your overall health, and contains antioxidants that counteract free radicals in your body.
To learn why matcha is considered Japan's superfood, read this Healthline article.
DO I NEED GREEN TEA TO MAKE THIS?
To make the original green tea shot, no, not a drop.
You'll need a bottle of Jameson whiskey and some peach schnapps.
To make my non-alcoholic version, yes!
Specifically, I use matcha green tea, the powder, not green tea leaves.
I'll go into detail about where to buy matcha and what brands I recommend below.
WHERE CAN I BUY MATCHA GREEN TEA TO MAKE THIS?
In the US, I found some Rishi organic matcha at my local co-op. I also noticed it when I went shopping at Whole Foods.
For the purposes of making this recipe or my matcha brain food smoothie, this matcha was plenty good.
Note: I would only steer you away from buying Rishi's sweet matcha with added sugar.
If I was drinking matcha straight, there are better, naturally sweeter tasting options in Japan.
This is the high-quality matcha I buy in Japan:
THE MATCHA TOKYO Organic Japan Premium & Kyoto Uji Matcha (best quality, organic)
Organic Kyoto Uji Matcha (also available on Amazon.co.jp)
Organic Kyoto Uji Matcha (also available on Ebay in bulk– ships from Japan)
SUISOUEN Matcha *(affordable, good quality organic matcha)
*Sorry, this website is in Japanese. See the dark green package in the pictures at the beginning of this post.
KITCHEN EQUIPMENT TO MAKE A MATCHA SHOT
What you need:
- sharp knife
- cutting board
- kitchen blender
- shot glass (or small glass)
You don't need to go out and buy a bamboo whisk, cocktail shaker, or any other special equipment.
Green Tea Shot
Equipment
- blender
- sharp knife
- vegetable peeler
- measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 5 oz coconut water
- 2 tsp fresh ginger
- 1 tsp matcha
- ⅓ fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1 pinch sea salt
Instructions
- Peel and thinly slice ginger.
- Put coconut water, ginger, and salt into blender.
- Slice lemon, remove seeds, and squeeze juice directly into blender.
- Cover blender with lid. Blend until smooth or no small chunks of ginger remain.
- Serve slightly chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
WHAT IS THE BEST BLENDER TO BUY?
I've tested two and highly recommend both brands.
1. When I was in the U.S. this summer, I used my mom's Vitamix.
I loved it! My only concern was how I was gonna fit it in my suitcase to bring it back to Japan.
No, of course I didn't steal my mom's blender!
And now I totally regret it.
Positives:
- Heavy-duty, professional-grade blending
- Blends smoothies perfectly leaving no leftover chunks
- Super fast and easy to clean
- Big family-size
2. Once I arrived back in Japan, I ordered a Ninja Professional Countertop Blender, which was highly recommended in online reviews and and rated 5-stars on Amazon.
I love it! It's perfect for a bachelor like me.
Positives:
- More budget-friendly than a Vitamix
- Comes with Nutri Ninja cups with to-go lids
- Still blends amazingly well!
- The Nutri Ninja cup takes only seconds to clean
WHICH BLENDER IS THE BEST?
If you live alone, I would definitely go with the Ninja. Hands down.
If you have kids, the blades on the Ninja would give me nightmares.
If you're opening up your own smoothie shop, go with the Vitamix.
THE LESSON I LEARNED...
Author’s note:
I’ve found that every recipe for my blog teaches me a new lesson.
Every creation is the result of a process of trial and error, a string of successes and flops.
I had already ordered a new $200 Ninja Blender from Amazon.
I'm in quarantine in Tokyo, which meant I needed to have ingredients delivered by Uber Eats for a small fortune.
Even at this point, I still hadn't asked asked Caroline at Pickledplum.com if she wouldn't be offended if I recreated her green tea shot recipe.
This isn't just anyone I'm asking. One, I really respect Caroline, not just as a super successful food blogger but as a person. Plus, it was her blog that inspired me to start my own!
Eyesandhour.com would may not exist today if it weren't for Pickled Plum, just so you can get how I was feeling.
Of course, she said yes because I know she's totally cool. We're both Japan-loving healthy food bloggers, total foodies, and fashion models from back in the day- it's pretty easy for us to get along. Well, at least she was a former model.
But what if she would have said no?
Then what?
I want you to realize that this is so typical me. I always hesitate to ask, for a favor, for anything.
When you ask for something, there's that thin hair of a chance that you'll be rejected.
Maybe me asking would make someone upset, annoyed, or give them reason to not like me.
Rejection. Every writer, artist, actor, model, or any guy asking a girl out on a date (or vice versa), knows what I'm talking about.
Do you always take an aisle seat every time you fly on an airplane so you don't to ask the person sitting next to you when you have to go to the bathroom? (That was me.)
It's a classic coping strategy for avoiding rejection.
I'm finally learning to just ask, to not hesitate.
It's always more interesting if you ask.
When I ask, I end up feeling more connected, blown away by the generosity of others, and feel like I'm experiencing life more fully.
And you know what? The other person can always say no and it's not the end of the world.
This is still new, experimental territory for me, but so far, so good.
Ask and you shall receive.
From my experience, it rings true.
All you have to do is ask and move forward from there.
"If you don't ask, the answer will always be no." - Nora Roberts
Wish I would have learned that one about 30 years ago!
Thank you, Pickled Plum! It's such a honor. I am continually in awe of what you do, day in and day out. Cheers and otsukaresama for all your hard work! Kanpai ! ~