Dragon Fruit Matcha Smoothie Bowl

I am so excited to share today's Matcha Smoothie Bowl! This vibrant pink and green smoothie bowl is creamy, thick, and super sweet! It's no secret that I am a smoothie bowl fanatic (make sure to follow me on Instagram for my weekly #smoohtiebowlsaturday). I've made hundreds of smoothie bowl flavors over the years, but this vibrant pink and green smoothie bowl might just be my new favorite!

Health Benefits Of This Matcha Green Tea Smoothie Bowl:

I've been making this Smoothie Bowl on repeat recently, because it is so delicious, and so healthy. This Matcha Smoothie Bowl is packed full of nutrient dense ingredients.

• Loaded With Antioxidants - Did you know that matcha is one of the best sources of antioxidants? Matcha contains 137x more antioxidants than green tea (which is already high in antioxidants). Antioxidants help our bodies defend against cell damage. However matcha contains a specific type of antioxidant known as EGCG. This antioxidant reduces inflammation and protect the heart and brain from disease. It may also have anti cancer properties.
• Increases Brain Function - Matcha is also a superfood when it comes to brain health. The concentration of amino acids is matcha is known to help act on our serotonin and dopamine systems. This helps you feel happier and can reduce anxiety symptoms! Bananas are also great for brain health due to all the potassium.
• High Fiber - The dragon fruit (pink pitaya) in this smoothie bowl is packed full of fiber. All plant based ingredients contain fiber, so this smoothie bowl is naturally high in fiber, however the dragon fruit really takes this to the next level. Fiber is one of the most important nutrients. In my opinion, the more the merrier when it comes to fiber.
• Promotes Gut Health - This Dragon Fruit Matcha Smoothie Bowl is the ultimate gut health smoothie. The dragon fruit contains a significant amount of prebiotics, which are key to building a healthy gut. Matcha is also amazing for gut health. Matcha is actually a natural probiotic!

There are plenty more health benefits to this Dragon Fruit Matcha Smoothie Bowl! This bowl contains an endless list of health benefits, because it is whole foods plant based. WFPB ingredients are full of health promoting nutrients!

Best Affordable High Quality Matcha:

If I have sparked your interest in matcha, please read through this and do not purchase a cheap matcha from Amazon. There are thousands of matcha brands out there. However many of them produce low quality matcha.

Why is buying quality matcha important? If you are new to the matcha world, then you may not understand how the quality of matcha is judged. Experts grade the different types of match by color, aroma, flavor, and freshness. These can very greatly. Therefore if you choose a low grade matcha, I can guarantee you won't like it.

This is the mistake I made for years. I continued to purchase low grade matcha, and was continuously disappointed. Previously I thought all matcha was created equal, so I never invested in high quality matcha. I seriously wish I had earlier, because after finding Matcha Kari matcha, I have become obsessed!

Matcha.com is the go-to place for all things matcha. Their matcha is properly grown in Japan and is carefully processed into the fine powder we know and love. The vibrant green color of their matcha stands out, and is perfect for drinking, baking, or making matcha smoothie bowls!

First Harvest Matcha:

If you're just getting into matcha I'd recommend the First Harvest line. This is the best matcha for matcha newbies! It's full of flavor and color, yet completely affordable! As time goes on and you become more of a matcha connoisseur, I encourage you to explore their luxury matcha lines. However for now I recommend trying out the First Harvest!

If you're interested in any Matcha.com products my Matcha Kari discount code: "TANVEGAN" gets you 20% off your entire purchase!

Ingredients For This Dragon Fruit Matcha Smoothie Bowl:

For The Matcha Smoothie Bowl:

• Frozen Bananas -If you are freezing the bananas yourself, make sure to chop them up into smaller pieces before freezing. This makes it so much easier to make thick smoothie bowls.
• Matcha Kari First Harvest Matcha - The Matcha.com First Harvest Matcha is a perfect matcha for anyone who is new to consuming matcha. It's has a smooth taste and vivid color. It is also a very affordable high quality matcha! If you're interested in purchasing this matcha, you can use my code: "TANVEGAN" for 20% off!
• Kiwi - You can add the kiwi with, or without the skin. If you add it with the skin, it will add more nutrients, but it may adjust the color slightly. There is no need to freeze the kiwi, because the liquid will help this smoothie bowl blend.
• Vanilla Extract - You can also use vanilla bean powder if you want to make this smoothie bowl raw vegan.
• Plant Based Milk Of Choice - I went with coconut milk for this recipe, but any plant based milk will work.

For The Dragon Fruit Smoothie Bowl:

• Frozen Pink Pitaya - Also known as Pink/red dragon fruit. You can use the frozen fruit, or frozen fruit packs. If you can't find frozen pitaya, you can double the bananas and add pink pitaya powder to achieve the bright pink color.
• Frozen Bananas - Same as for the matcha half.
• Vanilla Extract - Same as for the matcha half.
• Plant Based Milk of Choice - Same as for the match half.

How To Make This Matcha Smoothie Bowl:

Key To Making Thick Smoothie Bowls:

Making super thick smoothie bowls can be difficult. I've been mastering this art for quite some time. There's a couple tricks and tips to follow to make the thickest smoothie bowls.

First, the blender you use plays a huge role. I can not recommend investing in a Vitamix blender enough. Having one has been an absolute game changer in the kitchen. It's helped me make the creamiest homemade dressings, ice creams, and of course smoothie bowls.

If you don't own a Vitamix, or do not have the budget to invest in one, you can still achieve thick smoothie bowls with other blenders. Before owning a Vitamix I used other blenders and could still achieve thick smoothie bowls. I used a Nutribullet for this, and it worked really well.

To make this smoothie bowl, you will need to make sure that your fruit is completely frozen (aside from the kiwi). Adding just one unfrozen banana to the smoothie mixture will throw off the whole consistency.

How To Make This Matcha Dragon Fruit:

Begin by making the matcha half. Combine the frozen bananas, Matcha Kari matcha, kiwi, vanilla extract, or vanilla bean powder, and plant based milk into your blender. Always start with a small amount of plant based milk (about ⅓ cup), and gradually add more as you blend. The key to achieving the thick texture is blending slow and steady. Make sure to stop blending and mix around and then resume blending.

Once you have blended the matcha half to a thick smooth consistency, scoop into a bowl and place in the freezer while you make the pink pitaya half. Rinse the blender before moving on.

To make the pink pitaya smoothie half, add the chopped frozen bananas, pink pitaya, vanilla extract, or vanilla beans, and plant based milk. Blend until thick and creamy.

Fill half the bowl with the pitaya mixture, then all with the matcha mixture, and smooth with a spoon. Top with fresh kiwis, shredded coconut, and dragon fruit. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions:

Is Matcha Good To Put In Smoothies?

If you've never added matcha to smoothies I am here to warn you. It can either be extremely delicious and addictive (like it is in this Matcha smoothie bowl), or not so great. I would not recommend adding matcha to smoothie bowls that are heavily berry based. If it's a strawberry banana smoothie, the matcha will taste amazing. If it's a blackberry/blueberry smoothie bowl it might not go too well with the flavor.

I always recommend mixing matcha with sweet neutral tasting fruits, such as banana and dragon fruit in this case!

Are Smoothie Bowls Actually Healthy?

Smoothie bowls sky rocketed to fame recently, and for good reason. They are absolutely incredible. However it's a bit confusing on whether they're actually healthy or not. If you purchase a smoothie bowl, or acai bowl at a restaurant, there's a good chance you're eating a processed sugar bomb. However if you're making a homemade smoothie bowl like this matcha smoothie bowl you're definitely making a healthy bowl.

Natural sugars from fruits should never be something you fear. They're full of micro and macro nutrients! Homemade smoothie bowls can be especially healthy when you make a superfood smoothie bowl like this one.

Can I lose Weight Drinking Matcha Green Tea?

Green tea is all the rage these days due to its weight loss benefits. In a world full of fake news and click bait, it's hard to tell what is true and what is a scam. For the longest time I thought the weight loss benefits of matcha green tea was a huge scam.

That was until I read more about it on Matcha.com. To my surprise the research to back up the claim that matcha helps weight loss is all there. It's quite incredible what this little green powder is capable of. It's important to note that you will not see weight loss results overnight from drinking matcha. However if you stay consistent (about 3 months), you will see results as long as you are following a balanced diet, and moving your body.

It's also important to make sure you're using high quality matcha. The way I look at matcha for weight loss is like this: if you're working out on a cheap workout machine you'll burn less calories than working out on a high quality machine, because the high quality machine was built with your goals in mind. Matcha is the same.

I really do love the smooth taste of Matcha Kari Matcha from Matcha.com. I've tried a variety of matcha from all kinds of brands over the years, and theirs is by far the best. Again, my code: "TANVEGAN" will get you 20% off!

What Can I Use Instead Of Bananas For This Matcha Smoothie Bowl?

If you're not a fan oof bananas, or have a banana allergy, do not fear! This Matcha Smoothie Bowl can still be made without banana. You can replace the banana in this recipe with all kinds of fruits. My personal favorite banana replacement is mango, because it achieves a similar creamy texture.

However you can also use pineapple, papaya, passionfruit cubes, etc. I frequently make smoothies with all these tropical fruits and they all taste amazing! It's important to keep in mind that the smoothie color may change slightly.

Related Recipes:

• Mint Chocolate Chip Popsicles
• Matcha Coconut Cupcakes
• Golden Berry Turmeric Bliss Balls
• Peach Mango Overnight Oats