CBD oil can be used in any and every kind of recipe! Here are a few key points you should know about it before trying scrumptious recipes!
Cannabinoid (CBS) is well-known for being an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and also for its neuroprotective effects. It is also consumed by recreational users to feel relaxed and composed while staying completely sober. Usually, CBD oil is consumed by smoking or vaping CBD-rich flowers, oils, or extracts. However, it can also be added into daily-life recipes in a limited quantity to avoid over-dose. No matter which method you choose – smoking or using as an ingredient to prepare homemade foods – you will be able to enjoy all the benefits of the hemp plant completely!
Hemp plant yields flowers the way its THC-toting cousin marijuana. The flower, then, is processed to obtain CBD oil. CBD oil’s market has seen a rise in the demand for hemp flower with high concentrations of this emerging cannabinoid.
What is Cannabinoid Flower or CBD Hemp Flower that is Used For Cooking?
CBD hemp flowers grow on industrial hemp plants. These are known for comprising a number of naturally occurring cannabinoids that are related to our body’s endocannabinoid system to produce a broad range of physical and mood-related benefits.
Some people love this process because here CBD hemp flower doesn’t go across the thorough extraction process like CBD or Cannabinoid oil does, which destroys the plant’s natural waxes that, according to users and brands, have additional health benefits.
On the other hand, CBD flower is harvested, dried, and then packed for sale. Due to a different delivery format, CBD flowers have a lot more natural cannabinoids and waxes of hemp than other CBD delivery methods.
Is CBD Good for You?
Cannabinoid or CBD oil is a nutritional supplement that has several distinct properties. Its source is hemp: a Cannabis sativa plant’s form. CBD oil is known for phytocannabinoid, which means that it is one of the active compounds placed in cannabis plants. All cannabinoids can interact with the human body as we have an endocannabinoid system (ECS), a biological system, which regulates and controls different functions of our body. ECS can be considered as a transmission system, which assists in keeping our bodies in equilibrium and a homeostatic balanced state. The ECS function via signaling molecules called endocannabinoids that are comparable to the compounds in cannabis.
When we consume CBD oil, the formation of endocannabinoids’ quickens, and this leads to a healthier body and a better-functioning ECS. Adding to it, as per the World Health Organization, cannabinoid oil is harmless as well as tolerable. It is also considered to be non-intoxicating, non-addictive, and doesn’t even have a lot of side-effects. Because of these qualities, a lot of people are shifting to CBD oil in a hope to improve their health and live a healthier life. Up till now, the results are proving the same!
Why Cook with CBD oil?
There are various ways of consuming CBD such as sublingual oils – topical moisturizers, vaping e-liquids, and capsules. All the methods are safe, but sublingual oils are the most widely used and have enduring effects. However, not everyone can deal with sublingual oils; people may drop more than the maximum number of droplets or can swallow after of before completing two minutes of placing.
Also, unflavored CBD oils have a strong ‘hemp’ taste, which everyone may not like. The raw taste may discourage you from consuming, but you can add them while cooking. This changes the unpleasant taste into a pleasant one.
By looking for easy recipes that you can make and leave in the fridge, you and your loved ones can consume a portion of it every day. Introducing CBD oil in your daily meals is very easy and can also benefit you and your family in a variety of ways. So, now that you know it’s possible to cook with CBD oil, think about the dishes you’ll be adding it in!
Cooking with CBD Oil
Cannabinoid oil, a lipid-soluble, can easily be added into various kinds of recipes when infusing it in fatty-based ingredients such as coconut oil or butter. This oil can be added into desserts such as cakes, brownies, or savoury items as dressings, marinades, and sauces. Similarly, drinks such as cocktails and coffees can also contain CBD oil.
However, there are certain guidelines you should follow while making your favourite dishes or drinks in order to avoid overdoing or wasting this valuable item, i.e., cannabinoid.
Below are a few tips to remember while using CBD oil.
Decarboxylation Is Key
We often hear, “Raw cannabis is psychoactive.” This is nothing but a misconception. The herb has cannabinoids, yes. But, they are not active. CBD and THC, both, are in their acidic forms in raw cannabis as THCA and CBDA. In order to transform both into CBD and THC, the molecules have to undergo a procedure called ‘decarboxylation.’ In this process, the cannabis has to be heated at a certain temperature to eliminate a carboxyl group. Hence, sprinkling or mixing raw cannabis on edibles will provide with CBDA. CBD oil can only be obtained after the procedure is done.
You are decarboxylation weed constantly, without even realizing if you smoke cannabis. Smoking joint works on the same premise; it uses very high temperatures to instantly combust and decarboxylate the cannabinoids in raw cannabis to induce a high. If you add the raw flowers, the hot dishes’ temperature might be sufficient for them to decarboxylate. However, the safest technique is to decarboxylate the herb rather than adding raw.
To do this, grind the raw flower and lay it on the baking pan or sheet. Then place the chopped herb in the oven for an hour at 110-120°C.
Grind Your Bud To The Correct Consistency
It’s always better for the cannabis flower to be into a granular consistency for maximum surface area to be achieved while cooking. Not only that, but this technique will also make the sauces, butter, and dressings turn green and will make weeds tastes dominate the dish. Not grinding the weed into powder form will lead to subtle yet good tastes, textures, and colours – satisfying chefs who are perfectionists!
Timing Is Everything
Preparing cannabis oils and butter requires a lot of patience as the ingredients have to be infused at low temperatures for quite a few hours. It’s suggested to lightly cook the fatty CBD infusion at between 160-200°C. A kitchen thermometer can be helpful here. The infusion will have to stay at this temperature for about three hours.
Adding Water Will Improve Your Oils And Butters
In order to improve the taste and make the dish appealing, it is suggested to add an equal volume of water to butter or oil while preparing infusions. During the heating process, the water will boil, making the end product look washed, smooth, and less green. Not only that, but water will also prevent the cannabinoids from going bad during the process and infusion from burning.
Filter With Care
After you are done infusing your raw plant into a base of butter or oil, strain it using a filter, such as cheesecloth. This step, again, requires patience and time because the infused liquid drips at a very slow pace, but don’t worry, it will surely drip through! Try to resist the temptation of squeezing the cheesecloth to speed up the filtering.
Oils And Concentrates Can Make Things Easier
If you don’t want to go through the hassle of decarboxylating and chopping raw flowers, you can go for readymade oils and concentrates. Several CBD oils are available that give customers some exact and useful information, such as dosage measurements, which makes it a lot simpler to determine the amount of CBD being consumed in each bite. For the right use of it, you would have to go through the instructions on the bottle’s label and add the amount accordingly.
An even better option is of CBD isolate. CBD crystals can be added to almost all of the meals and drinks easily. Likewise, they can also be sprinkled on brownies or cakes to add an artistic touch and as a crunchy covering, or added into coffee creations like sugar.
Cooking with CBD Oil Recipes
Keep reading to find out some of the healthiest and mouthwatering recipes you can try out with CBD oil:
1. Scrumptious Cookies and Cream Cheesecake CBD Bites
Though the name of this dish is a mouthful, these little bites are just the perfect size! Even though the name has ‘cheesecake’ in it, these sweet, scrumptious balls are gluten-free and vegan. So, you do not even have to worry about your dietary preferences! If you do not have any dietary restrictions or preferences, you can always modify the recipe according to your taste. If you prefer regular butter and have it lying in your fridge, go ahead and swap it with almond butter.
Those who enjoy Oreos, would definitely love the cheesecake bites. Consume one or two each day to get a healthy portion of CBD. The following is the recipe, and it serves 14:
- ½ cup almond flour
- One teaspoon (gluten-free) baking powder
- Four tablespoons cacao powder
- One flax egg (1 tablespoon of flax mixed with three tablespoons water)
- 5 drops vanilla extract
- One tablespoon coconut oil
- ½ cup almond butter
- CBD oil
- 1 cup cream cheese (vegan, of course!)
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 300˚F.
- Add cocoa powder, almond flour, a pinch of salt and baking powders in a mixing bowl, and mix well. Add coconut oil and flax egg.
- Spread a sheet of baking paper and place the dough on it. Scoop the mixture onto the paper and spread it well. Press the dough into cookie shapes, approximately 1-2 inches wide.
- Shift this on to a baking pan and place it in the oven. Bake for 12-15 minutes until crispy and crunchy. Take the cookies out of the pan and allow them to cool – it should get crispier as it cools.
- When the cookies get crispy enough, crush them into crumbs in a bowl and set the bowl aside.
- Add cream cheese, almond butter and CBD oil to a mixing bowl and combine well.
- Fold in half of the crumbled cookies.
- Take a spoon – preferably an ice cream scoop – and scoop out the mixture—one ball at a time. Drop the ball into the rest of the crumbled cookie mixture, and role to make sure the cheese gets covered.
- Set the completed balls on another tray and chill them in the freezer or fridge.
Enjoy!
2. Superfood CBD Protein bars
These bars are delicious yet nutritious. Your sugar cravings will be satisfied, without any doubt, but you will also remain healthy! Filled with proteins, the bars will keep you full for longer periods and make sure that you’re getting the necessary ingredients to keep you fit and strong! Once made, put them in a Tupperware box and consume them anywhere, anytime, and however, you want.
The following recipe of protein bars serves 10:
- 1 cup chocolate protein powder (or plain protein and some cocoa powder)
- 1 cup mixed nuts and seeds
- ½ cup hemp seeds
- ¼ cup chia seeds
- 20 dates, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- CBD oil
- Four tablespoons coconut oil
- One tablespoon nut butter
- ¼ cup of water
- 25g dark chocolate, chopped
Instructions:
- Line a dish with greaseproof paper.
- Add hemp seeds, chia seeds, mixed nuts and seeds, dark chocolate, chocolate protein powder and cinnamon in a food processer and mix for 10 seconds. Don’t over mix it, or they won’t be chunky and crispy. Set the mixture aside.
- Add CBD oil, coconut oil, water, dates, and nut butter in a blender and mix until fully combined. If the mixture is stiff, add some more water gradually to soften and liquefy it. The dates may not completely blend, but its fine as long as all the ingredients have been mixed thoroughly.
- Combine the two mixtures in a large bowl and mix well.
- Pour the mixture into the dish. Spread it evenly. The mixture will not change in size or elevate, so while pouring and spreading, adjust the height and thickness of bars according to your likeness. For spreading and smoothing the top, you can use any flat utensils lying in your kitchen. If you want to make it look even more tempting, sprinkle or add more nuts and seeds at the end.
- Refrigerate for about 2-3 hours. Once solidified, cut into bars.
Enjoy!
CBD oil is can be a great addition to your recipes, make use of it to have its beneficial effects without trying too hard.
