This has got to be the peak time of year for people getting ill. It feels like a cold has been doing the rounds at work for weeks and my family have been pretty under the weather as well – no one is safe! I’m probably jinxing it, but I’ve just about been able to avoid getting anything too terrible so far…

Matcha is taking the world by storm right now, with its health benefits largely owing to its high antioxidant content. However, matcha has long held a place in my heart and especially since I first went to Japan in 2012. Matcha is essentially very finely ground green tea and originated in Japan where it is the focus of the traditional Japanese tea ceremony. It’s also used as a flavouring in all sorts from chocolate and baked goods to soba noodles and it’s absolutely delicious!

Matcha goes really well with lemon, so this lemon matcha from Bluebird Tea Company is right on the money. Matcha is generally pretty expensive, and so this blend has a fairly hefty price tag at £15 for 30g, but you use it sparingly and so it should last.

You can just use the lemon matcha with hot water as a super-charged tea, but I thought I’d create a zingy, energising, refreshing cold drink and mix it into some freshly pressed apple juice. The additional hit of ginger and the fresh mint sprig were the finishing touches.

This juice is a brilliant winter morning pick-me-up. It’s like a beautiful marriage of lemon matcha and the Pret A Manger ginger shots. It’s a great way to boost that old immune system while all these bugs are around!

Ingredients

Makes 1 serving

• 1/2 tsp lemon matcha
• 1 cup freshly pressed apple juice
• 1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
• Mint sprig

Method

1. Blend together the lemon matcha, apple juice and fresh ginger.
2. Serve in glasses with a sprig of fresh mint.

Fancy another juice recipe? Try this Pineapple Juice with Sage and Black Pepper.