I've been playing with matcha more and more lately, trying to find clever ways to integrate it further into my daily life. So far I've made everything from Gluten-Free Matcha Waffles to Strawberry & Coconut Matcha Chocolate Bark. Today I decided to try my hand at another baked matcha treat; muffins! After all, who doesn't like a good muffin for breakfast?

So, what's so great about matcha? Plenty.

One cup of matcha has the nutritional content of 10 cups of regularly brewed green tea. And that's not all. It has 137 times more antioxidants in it too. Meaning it detoxifies your body and calms your mind naturally. It enhances your mood, boosts metabolism, and burns calories. All in a mere cup of tea.

To keep these muffins rather simple, I started off with a whole wheat bran muffin dry mix that I added to and amplified into the matcha glory that it now is. One of my favorite things with matcha, as you've seen, is strawberry. I think that's because the sweetness of the berry counteracts the sometimes bitter notes that come along with matcha naturally.

Since I wanted to keep these muffins rather health savvy, I used a fat free milk with less sugar and added protein, plenty of fresh fruit, and of course matcha powder!

These muffins were super easy to make and kept me going each morning for a good week. Another great thing is that they're perfectly freezable.

To Freeze:

1. Bake the muffins as instructed below and, let them cool completely.
2. Place the muffins on a baking sheet, and put them in the freezer for about 2 hours.
3. Once the muffins are completely frozen, place them into freezer-safe bags or containers to keep until ready.
4. Remove from the freezer when desired and microwave for 15-20 seconds.

I served mine with some more fresh berries, strawberry jam, and... oh, yes - that's matcha whipped cream right there that I made from scratch. Good stuff. I mean... you can't really go wrong with any sort of whipped cream in my book!

These would also be really good paired with a good Greek or Icelandic style yogurt.

Matcha & Strawberry Bran Muffins
TheSkinnyFork.com

The Skinny:
Servings: 6 • Size: 1 Muffin • Calories: 172.5 • Fat: 3.3 g • Carb: 31.3 g • Fiber: 3.6 g • Protein: 6.2 g • Sugar: 9.5 g • Sodium: 239.4 mg

Ingredients:
7 Oz. Dry Whole Wheat Bran Muffin Mix
1 Tbsp. Matcha Powder
1 Tbsp. Cold Light Butter
1/2 C. Reduced Fat 2% Milk
1 Whole Large Egg
1 C. Diced Fresh Strawberries

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. and line a cupcake tin with paper liners.

Lightly spritz the inside of the paper cups with non-stick baking spray; set aside.

Place the 7 oz. muffin mix and 1 tbsp. matcha powder into the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment; cut in the butter and mix until well blended.

Add in the 1/2 c. milk and the egg; mix until just incorporated.

Finally add in the 1 c. strawberries and stir with a spoon to carefully combine.

Divide the mixture evenly among the prepared baking cups.

Place into the oven to bake for 15 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Once done, remove from the oven.

Sprinkle the tops with a little sugar or natural sweetener if desired.

Transfer for a wire rack to cool.

Enjoy with a little  butter or some strawberry jam!