Tea is the most widely consumed beverage all over the world (besides water). It’s considered sacred in certain parts, like China and Japan, and has been used in rituals by emperors and spiritualists. Matcha green tea in particular has been used for thousands of years, known for its medicinal properties, and considered to be fit for zen monks and royalty (heyyyyy).

Well, the Japanese were right! Matcha green tea is extremely nutritious stuff. It’s an antioxidant powerhouse. One antioxidant in particular, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg), is the most potent antioxidant that we know of. This makes me happy to tell you that 60% of the catechins (antioxidants) in matcha are EGCg. That puts goji berries, pomegranates, and blueberries to shame!

Rest assured, when you drink matcha green tea, or eat some of this yummy bark, you’re giving your body the ability to fight off DNA damaging free radicals from all the lovely pollution, radiation, UV rays, and other nasty things we humans get exposed to everyday.

So, please, enjoy this sweet treat in moderation and smile when you do knowing that you’re feeding your soul and your body well.

CHIA-MATCHA BARK

Prep time: 15 minutes

Total time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Makes: one 9 x 13 inch sheet

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 tsp. avocado oil, plus more for greasing
• one 9-oz. bag Lily’s dark chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup semi-sweet dark chocolate chips (~2 cups with Lily’s chips)
• two 12-oz bags white chocolate chips (4 cups)
• 1 Tbsp. matcha powder
• 1 tsp. chia seeds

Directions:

1. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan and line with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, mix together both types of dark chocolate chips. Pour about 1.5 cups into another bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Pause to stir. The do another 30 seconds; stir until smooth. Add remaining dark chocolate chips and repeat until melted. Careful not to burn! Spread an even layer in the lined baking pan.
2. In a small bowl, mix the oil with the matcha powder until well combined. In a large bowl, microwave the white chocolate chips following the same directions as before (in 30 second bursts) until melted.
3. Mix 1/2 cup of the melted white chocolate with the matcha until there are no streaks. Randomly place large spoonfuls of this matcha white chocolate over the layer of dark chocolate in the pan. Working quickly, use a small spoon or spatula to swirl in the rest of the plain melted, white chocolate with the matcha white chocolate.
4. Sprinkle with chia seeds. Let stand a room temperature for 1 hour, then place in the fridge for another hour. Remove the bark from the pan, cut into pieces and serve!

I chose to use Lily’s dark chocolate chips because they actually have zero sugar (sweetened with stevia), and as much as I love sweets, too many added sugars cause me tummy troubles. This is one of the many reasons I make an effort to make my own “candy” and sweets — so I can control what goes in them!

Because of the antioxidants and caffeine found in both matcha and chocolate, this delicious bark is a nice mid day pick-me-up, an energizing snack, or a smart dessert choice. It can be stored in an air tight container at room temp for four days or in the fridge for up to two weeks! Enjoy!