Barley grass is a great herbal calcium source (it has twice the amount of calcium than cow's milk or even wheatgrass!!), as well as rich in amino acids, enzymes, iron, potassium, zinc, vitamins A, E, K, C (seven times more than oranges!), vitamin B1 and B12, folic acid, magnesium, antioxidants and other trace elements. It strengthens the immune system, activates the metabolism, detoxifies blood and tissue, promotes calcium deposits in the bones, lowers cholesterol levels, acts blood-building, improves skin, helps with hair loss, promotes sleep, increases the ability to concentrate, is strongly alkalising, and much, much more. It's also a sustainable superfood for me, as it also grows in Europe, and even here in Germany. A great green food!
The taste of barley grass (and also wheatgrass) however takes some getting used to. It tastes very "green" and ... well, grassy. Although I do sometimes take it as a shot, mixed with only half a cup of water or so, and I kind of "like" the taste of it by now, I usually mix it into juices or smoothies or, like it this case, a latte to mask the taste, just like I do it with most other superfoods such as spirulina or ashwagandha.
Preparation time: 5 mins
Main ingredients: non-dairy milk, barley grass powder
difficulty level: easy
serves: 2
suitable for: vegan, lactose-free, gluten-free, soy-free, low-fat, low-sugar
1 tsp sweetener of your choice (coconut blossom sugar, maple syrup, raw honey ...)
Warm up the plant-based milk. Divide half of the warm milk into two mugs, and stir 1/2 tbsp of barley grass powder in each mug, until completely dissolved. Foam up the remaining warm milk, add on top of the barley latte, sweeten and enjoy.
NOTES:
- According to my Mum, adding 1/3 teaspoon of baobab powder to the mix also helps to cover up the "grassy" taste.
- You can also make an iced version of this by simply adding a big handful of icecubes to the mix (see below). Place non-dairy milk along with two thirds of the ice, barley grass powder and sweetener of choice into a blender and blend until smooth. Add the remaining ice into a large glass and pour in the green barley grass mixture. Or, of course, you could simply whisk together chilled non-dairy milk (I looove the Oatly Oat Drink Whole for this one!) and barley grass, and pour over a handful of icecubes. Either way: Pop in a straw, and enjoy!
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| Matcha Green Tea Ice Cream (vegan) |
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| Green Porridge (vegan) |
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