CBD is one of the biggest health trends of the decade, and its popularity has caused makers of CBD products to incorporate it into everything from chocolate to bath bombs. The remarkable therapeutic properties of cannabidiol are undeniable, and more people than ever want to learn how to use it in their daily routines, like cooking with CBD.
Cooking with CBD is simpler than you might think and in the long run it may be cheaper to learn how to make your own edibles. If you would prefer to add CBD to your diet by using it in the food you eat, this is the article for you.
What Are the Benefits of Cooking With CBD?
CBD can increase the healthfulness of many menu items. This non-psychoactive compound found in hemp won’t get you stoned, so there are no worries there. It also contains other nutrients like amino and omega acids as well as healthy MCT carrier oils. Full-spectrum CBD contains dozens of other beneficial cannabinoids and terpenes that help regulate the human endocannabinoid system.
People have been using hemp since antiquity to improve overall wellness, and its renaissance has been welcomed by health advocates who promote natural remedies over pharmaceutical drugs. It has been shown to help with sleep, alleviate anxiety, improve appetite, and even increase libido.
If those benefits alone aren’t enough, cannabidiol is being studied for a growing number of conditions. Fibromyalgia, depression, epilepsy, and Alzheimer’s disease are just a handful of those being researched.
So, if you are into a healthy lifestyle, hemp is where it’s at. And if relaxing in the kitchen is one of your favorite pastimes, cooking with CBD should be right up your alley.
Tips for Cooking With CBD
Whenever you are unfamiliar with an ingredient, its best to have a general understanding of it before adding it to your repertoire, so here are a few tips to help you navigate this new culinary item.
Temperature
CBD is a temperature-sensitive ingredient. When you warm the oil, it can increase its overall effectiveness. However, overheating CBD will result in some of the beneficial chemicals losing their structure. Ideally, you want to maintain all the other cannabinoids and terpenes in your recipe. If you are heating CBD, gentle warming is the way to go as evaporation will start to occur around 320 degrees.
Think Sweets
Cannabis has long been famous for being added to sweets—commonly referred to as “edibles.” Alice B. Toklas whipped up the first batch of what was then called “hashish fudge” in 1950. Later published in her cookbook, The Alice B. Toklas Cookbook, a loyal cult following of the so called “pot brownie” confection took off from there.
One reason cannabis goes so well with cookies and baked goods is likely because the inclusion of chocolate and sugar easily mask the musky flavor of hemp. If you utilize CBD in your own pot brownies, you won’t experience the same mind-altering effects that Alice Toklas intended, but you will reap the therapeutic benefits of the compound.
CBD is an easy addition to baked goods, provided they are cooked at low heat. Combining the CBD with olive oil, butter, or ghee will help incorporate it into your recipe better. Packaged mixes are a simple way to get started with making your own edibles.
Baby Steps
If you are brand new to using cannabidiol in cooking, be sure to start out small. Cut your recipe in half as this will keep you from wasting too much oil if you don’t like the results. Using too much can ruin the taste of your recipe. You don’t want to have to throw away a ruined dish, and CBD is a costly ingredient, so test the waters before you dive in.
Assess the flavor and texture first. Gradually increase the amount as you grow accustomed to preparing the dish. Experimentation is key when cooking with CBD in order to perfect your culinary prowess with the ingredient.
Which Oil to Use?
Refined oils are more mild in taste and lend themselves better to most recipes. Less refined oils tend to be stronger and earthier tasting, leaving a potent aftertaste. These are best used with stronger flavored ingredients–like pungent spices or chocolate–to mask them. One benefit of using less refined oils is that they contain more of the amino acids and vitamins than refined oils.
Whip it Good
You want to ensure that the CBD is evenly distributed throughout the batch, so regular stirring is important. CBD is volatile and will easily separate during the cooking process, so whip it. Whip it good.
Storage
When you are done, store your CBD in a cool, dark place. Light and humidity degrades the oil and can cause it to become bitter and rancid. All cannabinoids should be bottled in glass that is amber or dark colored for this reason.
CBD Cooking Recipes
This article would just be a tease if we didn’t provide you with a couple of tasty recipes to get you started. If you follow the steps above, you will be well on your way to mastering CBD in the kitchen.
Now, on to the recipes!
CBD Chocolate Latte by MBGFood
Ingredients:
- 1 cup unsweetened plant-based milk of choice
- 1 tablespoon raw cacao powder
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch of sea salt
- Flavorings of choice
- 1 dropper full of neutral-flavored CBD oil.
Method:
Combine all ingredients except CBD in a small pot. Bring just to simmer over medium heat, whisking to break up any clumps. When it starts to simmer, remove the ingredients from the heat and whisk in the CBD. Pour whole mixture into a mug or over ice. Serve immediately.
Healthy CBD Oil Gummies by Real Nutritious Living
Ingredients:
- 1 cup tart cherry juice
- 1/4 cup gelatin powder
- 2 tablespoons of raw honey
- 1 dropper of CBD oil (or more, if desired)
Method:
Pour the juice into a small saucepan over medium heat. Slowly mix the gelatin powder into the juice. Add the honey. Turn temperature to low heat and stir as the contents begin to warm. Stir for 2-3 minutes, or until the mixture is smooth and gelatin has dissolved. Remove the ingredients from heat and add the CBD oil.
Pour the mixture into silicone molds (or a very lightly greased glass baking dish). Place in the refrigerator for 2 hours to harden. Remove the gelatin from their molds after 2 hours. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
To help with sleep troubles, take one-two gummies 30-60 minutes prior to bedtime.
Holy Mole Guacamole with CBD by the Culinary Cure
Ingredients:
- 3 medium ripe Hass avocados halved, pitted and flesh removed. Reserve pit.
- 1 tablespoon of fresh lime juice
- 1/2 cup sweet onion finely diced
- 2 small tomatoes seeded, cored and diced
- 1 large clove garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon of fresh cilantro chopped
- 1/2 jalapeno minced
- 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
- 4 milligrams unflavored CBD oil
- Jicama slices, watermelon radish slices, and tortilla chips for serving
Method:
Place avocado in a bowl and mash with the back of a fork. Add the lime juice, cumin, garlic, cilantro, jalapeno, onion, tomatoes, and salt. Adjust seasoning as needed.
Add in the CBD and stir to combine. Place the reserved avocado pit in the bowl with guacamole and place a plastic wrap directly on the surface. Allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for 2 hours before serving.
Serve with vegetable slices and chips
Conclusion
With so many notable health benefits and a handful of easy-to-try recipes, cooking with CBD oil is well-worth a try. See for yourself the advantages that come with incorporating CBD into your everyday diet and feel free to even experiment with recipes of your own creation.
