Avocado Muffins with Matcha Tea Icing

VEGAN – REFINED SUGAR FREE

Matcha Tea has many benefits for our beautiful bodies! The advantages to this super food would be that it is great for cleansing the body, increasing energy levels, aiding in possible weight loss, strengthening immunity, regulating metabolism and finally helping to relax and calm the mind. Originally the powder is had in tea form (i.e. as a hot drink) but that’s not always the case in my mind. Sometimes my sweet tooth gets the better of me and when in need… I bake!

On this occasion, YourTea sent me some of their certified organic green tea matcha to try out. Immediately I wanted to bake with it. Their matcha is sourced from the most superior certified organic green tea leaves from Japan; “which are steamed, dried, the leaves stripped from the stems, then ground into a fine powder. This powder, that’s matcha. Given that it contains the entire leaf, it’s not your standard green tea.”  And with nothing else added to it, I was super excited to add its unusual taste to one of my new favourite muffin recipes.  And if you are interested I will be making another matcha recipe soon using YourTea’s product. I think I am in love.

On first thought, I was going to substitute the cocoa powder inside the muffin mixture for the matcha powder, yet being a chocolate addict, I was not willing to do so. Then I thought I would just add it in to the chocolatey mixture, but I really wanted the beautiful and completely natural green colour from the tea to shine through some how. That’s when it clicked. An Icing as green as a tree to also represent the other super natural green delight hidden in the muffins…avocado.

And now I will pass this super tasty, super unique muffin recipe over to you…

What you will need:

• 1 ripe medium to large avocado
• 1 cup of plain flour
• 1/2 cup oat flour (or another 1/2 cup of plain flour**)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup agave nectar (sub: maple, date or golden syrup)
• pinch of Himalayan salt
• 1/3 cup of cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup of plant based milk (soy, almond, rice…)
• 1/4 cup of sweet applesauce
• 3 tbsp melted coconut oil
• Dark chocolate chips are optional!

ICING:

• 1 sachet of Matcha Tea equivalent to:
• 200g icing sugar
• 2-3 tbsp boiling water

What to do:

Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees.

In a food processor, add the flesh of the ripe avocado with the plant-based milk and blend. Next add in the applesauce, coconut oil and agave nectar, blend again.

In a mixing bowl, add in all the dry ingredients  and mix . (I.e the flours, baking powder, cocoa powder and salt.) Afterwards, add in the blended wet ingredients into the dry and stir until well incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips (op). Then, equally divide the mixture into your lined muffin moulds.

Place them into your pre-heated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Over-baking these may cause them to be dry, so watch out!

Once the muffins are cooled, start on your matcha icing!

In a bowl, sift in the icing sugar and matcha powder. Gradually add in the boiling water whilst stirring. The water to Icing sugar ratio is often tricky, but you are looking out for  a thick but pour-able texture between the ingredients. Once done, pour over the muffins and decorate. Serve and indulge.

** The oat flour helps make the muffins that little bit more moist. But you may substitute for another 1/2 cup of plain flour.

Enjoy!

Have you got Instagram? When you re-create this dish, snap it, upload it, and tag me (@floralfoodss) so I can see your brilliant work! **