Moving house is pretty stressful – so much so that research suggests more than half of us put it at the top of our stressful life events list. I’m currently preparing for a house move later this week and even for me, the queen of planning and organisation, there’s going to be a little stress along the way.

In anticipation of a crazy few days ahead I prepared these matcha balls as nutritious vegan snacks to keep hunger at bay. I’ve talked before about the amazing health properties of matcha and since my earlier post in 2015 matcha has become even more popular – so much so that it even has its own emoji.Matcha Powder

Matcha is the finest green tea leaves handpicked and stoneground into a very fine vibrant green powder. It’s said to have 137 times the antioxidant power of standard green tea, can boost metabolism and support the immune system. The great thing about matcha compared to green tea leaves is that it has uses way beyond just tea – matcha can be mixed into smoothies, baking and even ice cream.

After reading about my fondness for matcha the team at Zen Matcha Green Tea sent me a couple of samples to experiment with. I often talk about supporting small Australian companies doing great things and Zen Green Tea is a great example – I love that the company was founded by a young ambitious fellow Sydneysider called Erin who was determined to make top quality matcha more accessible for Australians.

Matcha coconut balls – packed with fibre

These matcha balls are vegan, gluten free and sugar free. By combining matcha powder with a the following ingredients I’ve created a guilt free snack that’s packed with fibre:

• Coconut oil – a fantastic source of good fats, coconut oil is made up of medium-chain saturated fatty acids.
• Desiccated coconut – is rich in fibre and also manganese, a trace mineral involved in calcium absorption.
• Carob powder – a naturally sweet alternative to chocolate that’s caffeine free and a great source of fibre.
• Psyllium husk – jam-packed with fibre this is a top ingredient for keeping your digestive system happy.
• Turmeric – contains natural anti-inflammatory powers – thanks to an active compound called curcumin.
• Sea salt – important for maintaining the body’s electrolyte balance sea salt is also rich in trace minerals.

Ingredients (makes 10-12 balls)

• 3/4 cup desiccated coconut
• 1/4 cup psyllium husk
• 1 tsp Stevia (or other natural sweetener)
• 1/2 cup water
• 2-3 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 tsp carob powder
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1-2 tsp matcha powder**
• 1/2 tsp turmeric**

** I used Zen Green Tea’s Turmeric Matcha Tea Powder but standard matcha plus turmeric would work the same.

Method

1. Add all of the ingredients apart from the water into a food processor.
2. Process, gradually adding the water, to make the mixture sticky and evenly combined (but not too wet).
3. Using one tablespoon per ball roll the mixture into tightly packed ball.
4. Sprinkle extra desiccated coconut on a flat surface and roll each ball in a little more coconut.
5. Allow to set in the freezer for 30 minutes. Store in the fridge for as long as a week in an airtight container.

To read more about matcha check out my previous post. And over on Zen Green Tea’s website you’ll find lots more matcha madness including a lovely recipe for Iced Turmeric Matcha Tea.

Zen Green Tea kindly sent me samples of their Japanese matcha to help me draft this post. Find out more and check out Matcha recipe ideas at Zen Green Matcha Tea.

Laura