Green tea dessert offers relaxation

Green tea tapioca pudding offers refreshment, relaxation.

Green tea tapioca pudding is a delicious, healthy way to end a meal or have a wonderful snack. This green tea dessert offers relaxation via the L-theanine that is an active ingredient of green tea. L-theanine has been shown to improve memory and concentration, enhance mood and promote energy.

This recipe from the Tampa Bay Times uses matcha green tea powder grown in Japan. The tea leaves are mostly hand picked, steamed and dried before being ground into powder. The Japanese tea ceremony centers on the preparation, serving and drinking of a tea made with matcha powder.

Matcha powder is also used in recipes to flavor foods and impart a pleasing green color. Soba noodles and green ice cream are tasty examples, as is this recipe.

Green Tea Tapioca Pudding

• 3 tablespoons instant tapioca
• 1 ¾ cups coconut milk
• 1 ripe banana, chopped fine, or 

1 tablespoon coconut sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon matcha green tea powder
• Grated dark chocolate

Mix tapioca, coconut milk, banana and egg in medium saucepan. Let stand 5 minutes. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture comes to full boil (does not stop boiling when stirred). Remove from heat. Cool 5 minutes. Sprinkle on green tea powder and stir to blend. Pour into serving dishes. Cool before topping with chocolate.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 77 calories; 1g protein; 8g carbohydrates; 2g fat; 29mg sodium.