Weekend Breakfast? Matcha, Checkmate!

I love lazy, leisurely, long weekend breakfasts. In the company of family members or friends who are early risers, sometimes still in pajamas, and always with a large jug of coffee or an infusion of my favorite herbs. And often sweet, because after all, when, if not on the weekend, can I give myself a break and... time for pancakes and fritters, crepes and muffins? This is important even in the case of my favorite pancakes and muffins with matcha, which take me only a few moments to prepare. Because they are so delicious that sometimes you have to make another batch!

I couldn't decide which of these breakfasts I like more, so today I'm showing you not one, but two recipes for sweets with Japanese powdered green tea. I don't think I need to convince anyone about its health benefits - it's known all over the world as a powerful antioxidant. It contains catechins, which have antiviral and antibacterial properties, and additionally reduce the risk of atherosclerosis and lower blood glucose levels. And it has a beautiful, light green color. It's good to start the day with it; on weekdays I greet mornings with a matcha infusion, and on weekends - I enjoy it sweetly. So let's jump out of bed and rush to the kitchen!

Let's start with optimistic, green pancakes with matcha. To prepare them, you need a glass or one and a half of milk (it can be plant-based), one egg, three tablespoons of oil, a tablespoon of matcha and two glasses of flour - I mix rice and millet, but regular wheat flour will also work great, and my friend even experimented with homemade buckwheat flour, made by grinding buckwheat groats, and served the pancakes in a savory version, with smoked salmon and sour cream. In my version, you can also add sugar to taste. I mix all the pancake ingredients with a mixer until a fairly thick, uniform mass is created, heavier than in the case of pancake batter. I put it in small portions with a spoon on a dry, hot pan and fry them for a minute or two on both sides. The result is tiny, round pancakes with a sponge cake consistency, which taste best with honey, because they are not too sweet on their own (although this of course depends on the amount of sugar added!).

Prefer something significantly sweeter and have a bit more time? Bake breakfast muffins with matcha. Here's a good tip: first set the oven to 200 degrees - it will take longer for it to heat up than it will for you to prepare the dough! Take three ripe bananas, two eggs, a little over half a cup of spelt flour and a little over a third of a cup of oil (like I do - all by eye!), a tablespoon of matcha, a teaspoon of baking powder and half a teaspoon of baking soda. Mash the peeled bananas with a fork and mix the eggs, oil and all the dry ingredients in a bowl. Add the banana pulp and mix it well with the dough, then transfer the finished mixture to ten or twelve muffin tins. If the oven is already preheated, put the baking tray with the tins inside and... wait 20 minutes with the morning newspaper. That's it! After fifteen minutes, it is worth checking with a stick whether the cupcakes are ready - depending on the oven and the starting temperature of the ingredients used for the dough, the baking time may be slightly shorter or longer.

Matcha cupcakes taste best with fruit juice, syrup or exotic fruit jam, but also with vanilla cheese and cardamom or honey with a distinct, sharp flavor. And green tea - and in good company, of course!

You have to admit: such a breakfast feast also feeds the soul. It's like cooking, but there's time for reading and chatting with loved ones - and all in a zen atmosphere. That's how it should be on the weekend!