CASHEW CARDAMOM MATCHA LATTE.

This post was created in partnership with Truvía. All opinions are my own.

Last week my proverbial head almost exploded. It was one of those weeks where the pressure built and built and my inbox continued to expand exponentially and my kitchen flooded and I got two parking tickets and the volume of work grew unstoppably, like weeds on these suddenly verdant Southern California hills. And I wasn’t even keeping up with the news. Becoming a one woman marketing / publicity department for my book is a challenge—I have so many ideas about how and where I want to share the Kale & Caramel cookbook with you when it arrives in May, but executing each takes time and, quite considerably, money. I keep running up against the wall of reality as I sprint headlong through the wildflowered fields of my fantasy book release. Alas.

My refuge, though, as I sort through what’s possible versus what’s too expensive / ambitious / wild, has been the mellow sweetness of my blended morning drinks. I start with a base of hot water and hemp seeds, and riff from there. Sometimes it’s a turmeric and ginger golden milk steamer, sometimes a tea latte. I usually like a little sweetness in them, and that’s typically a few drops of stevia (more on that below). But this week, my routine was majorly up-leveled, with Truvía Nectar—a blend including honey, stevia leaf extract, and water. And the bright, grassy pop of matcha.

Before we get into the genius of all things cardamom matcha latte, I thought I’d share a few other things keeping me sane right now:

1. The wisdom of friends who’ve walked this walk before. I’m so grateful to be able to text Molly when I’m having a book meltdown and have her tell me that she had an exact replica of said meltdown in the same timeframe prior to her book release.
2. Cardamom matcha lattes laced with Truvía’s new Nectar, a blend of honey, stevia leaf extract, and water. Nectar has less sugar and fewer calories than honey or agave, and half the calories of sugar.
3. Beyoncé is pregnant with twins. Things have to work out now, right??
4. The power of the written word. I’ve been devouring books—right now I’m reading the nearly heart-stopping collection of essays The Empathy Exams, by my brilliant friend Leslie Jamison. This book has at least FIVE PAGES of rave reviews in its front pages. It’s that good. The first essay (about medical actors / abortion / heart surgery / empathy) left me weeping and breathless.
5. The care of family and friends—my dad is visiting now, and his commitment to my not going crazy with stress is tremendously helpful. He keeps reminding me to take breaks, take baths, eat meals, sleep, and generally be a non-workaholic. This is imminently valuable.
6. Pilates! Finally, finally—after three years of searching here in LA—I found a truly excellent Pilates teacher. My pelvic floor is bowing in gratitude.
7. Music. Music to let me dance around like a wild woman. Music to help me relax. Music to fill the wells of questioning and sadness and wondering how I’m possibly going to get it all done. I can’t stop listening to an album called Touristes from Vieux Farka Touré and Julia Easterlin.
8. Flowers. Gone are the days of waiting for people to buy flowers for me; instead, I pick up day-old roses by the dozen at the grocery store (they’re only $4.99, and make me feel oceans of joy).

But can we go back to those matcha lattes, please?

These matcha lattes are pure morning power. Here’s what we’re dealing with:

1. Matcha powder: Pure ground green tea leaves, packed with antioxidants, minerals, caffeine, and chlorophyll (the green stuff in plants!).
2. Hemp seeds: Incredible source of plant protein and healthy omega fatty acids. Mega skin and brain tissue nourishing.
3. Raw cashews: Minerals, minerals, and more minerals!
4. Raw coconut oil: Deep system nourishment, tissue restoring, filled with MCTs (medium chain triglycerides, which support heart and brain health).
5. Cardamom and vanilla: Nervous system soothing, their taste and fragrance deliver chill vibes.
6. Truvía Nectar: Truvía uses the power of the stevia leaf—a plant that has a taste that just happens to be two hundred times sweeter than sugar—to elevate sweetness without increasing calories. This new sweetener, a blend of honey and stevia leaf extract, provides the lush taste of honey with a reduced-calorie footprint.

The creamy blend of hemp seeds, cashews, and coconut oil eliminates the need for a packaged plant milk—all you need are the ingredients below to create your dream matcha latte. Cardamom adds a gentle, warming spice.

Welcome to your new favorite morning routine. Don’t hesitate to drizzle that Nectar on toast, fruit, yogurt, and anywhere else you’d use honey.