February's deep freeze in Toronto hasn't let up. I'm constantly making warm drinks while thinking of places like Cali and Hawaii. Homemade lattes have been on the top of my list lately.

Last week, I posted this photo and recipe of coconut matcha green tea latte on my Instagram page.

On Saturday, a group of busy moms and working women came to our home for a Workshop. A portion of it was spent in making different nut milks. Making them at home, although a bit inconvenient, is the best way to go. They taste fresh with no preservatives, no packaging or transporting required. All you need are the nuts, filtered water, a high speed blender and a nut milk bag.

Since it's another snow day, I decided to make latte again, This time I'm using using homemade macadamia milk. My husband enjoyed it and he also took pictures for this post.

Fun facts about matcha green tea:

It's a high quality, bright green tea powder that’s quite expensive compared to regular green tea. This is due to the unique way of growing the tea leaves before they are stone-ground into fine powder. Farmers cover the plants with a shade cloth for three weeks prior to harvesting. This process causes new shoots to grow thinner leaves with better flavour. After that, they are harvested by hand with the youngest and smallest leaves chosen for the best quality matcha.

Matcha is rich in catechins. These are polyphenol compounds that have high antioxidant activity. The most important polyphenol in matcha is EGCG. These compounds have cancer protection properties, help prevent cardiovascular disease and slow down the aging process. . It boosts metabolism, increases energy, enhances mood and aids in better concentration. It provides Vitamins A, B-complex C, E,K and trace minerals.

Macadamia-Matcha Green Tea Latte

1 ½ cups homemade macadamia milk (see recipe below)
1 cup water
½ vanilla bean, scraped or ¼ vanilla essence or powder
1 Tbsp. organic matcha green tea (I used this brand)
1 Tbsp. coconut nectar or maple syrup (optional)

Method:

In a saucepan, heat the milk until warm but not boiled. Add the rest of the ingredients then
whisk until frothy. If you don’t have a matcha whisk, place all the ingredients in a blender and
blend briefly until frothy. Serves 2.

Homemade Macadamia Milk
1 cup raw macadamia nuts, soaked overnight and rinsed
4 cups filtered water

Method:

Combine the nuts and water in a blender and blend at the highest speed for 1-2 minutes until the macadamia nuts are broken down into a fine meal and the water turns white. Strain the pulp through a nut milk bag, cheesecloth or wire sieve.

Suggestions:

You can also use other nuts or seeds to make your choice of non-dairy milk. Light coconut milk like my first recipe on Instagram is also a great option. Soak 1 cup of coconut flakes in 2 cups of water for 30 mins. to 1 hour in order to soften. Save the water and use it to blend. Strain in nut milk bag or wire sieve.

Last week, there were a lot of frozen pipes in the city due to the extremely record low temperatures that we've been experiencing. The hot water in our kitchen sink didn't work for almost 2 days and we were so scared that the pipes may burst. Thankfully, the water finally came back after what seemed like long moments of expectation and stress at the same time. We're also thankful that our furnace has been working very well and we are constantly warm.

At this time, the flowers inspire us on what's ahead - Spring! I can't wait!