Power charge your diet with green tea. Not just a drink, green tea is an easy way to increase the health value of your meals. Learn how to cook with tea and turn your recipes into super antioxidant power meals. Teas add a new and subtle flavor to otherwise ordinary dishes.
There are two easy way to add tea to your dishes:
- For a subtle flavor, brew leaves or bags in a tea pot for 2 to 30 minutes. By not adding the leaves to the cooking process, you prevent the sharp or bitter taste that comes with direct heat while still extracting all the antioxidizing power.
- To add a snappy punch, sauté dry leaves in heated oil and either strain or not depending on just how much of a punch you want.
How to Use Tea in Your Dishes
- Add the brewed tea to steamed vegetables
- Stir-fry in tea infused grapeseed oil
- Steam rice with lightly brewed green tea
- Use green tea scented with jasmine or lychee in dessert breads
- Replace liquid in cookies and cakes with lemon flavored green tea
- Add chilled brewed mint green tea to smoothies
- Use brewed teas in marinades
- Use sweet grassy teas to make complementary salad dressings
- Infuse butter with leaves by lightly sauteing then strain before the butter firms
Green Tea and Shiitake Soup
1 teaspoon grapeseed or sesame oil
1 3/4 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup brewed green tea
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup cubed sweet potatoes
1/8 cup cubed tofu
6-8 fresh shiitake mushrooms
Dash tamari or soy sauce (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Cornstarch to thicken
Sauté sweet potatoes, green onion and mushrooms in oil in a pot, add vegetable broth and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Add tofu, tamari and one-half of the green tea, simmer for 2-3 minutes. Thicken with cornstarch mixed with the remaining green tea and simmer another few minutes. Can be served alone or over rice or noodles.
