Fall is here, and with it comes the cozy comforts of warm sweaters, colorful foliage, and the delicious flavors of the season. If you’re looking to elevate your autumn experience, why not consider infusing your favorite fall recipes with a bit of cannabis? Cooking with cannabis can be a fun and therapeutic way to enjoy the season!
When talking about cooking with cannabis in this blog, we are referring to both THC and CBD. Whichever you choose to cook with is up to you and the legality in your state, but keep in mind they are interchangeable in our tips and recipes throughout.
The Benefits
Cooking with cannabis offers a host of benefits that are gaining widespread recognition in the culinary world. One of the key advantages is precise dosage control, making it a preferred choice for both medical and recreational users. Unlike traditional methods like smoking, cooking allows users to accurately measure the amount of THC and CBD they consume, ensuring a more predictable and controlled experience. This precise dosing is particularly valuable for those seeking to manage specific health issues or seeking symptom relief, as they can fine-tune their intake to match their needs.
What makes cooking with cannabis truly remarkable is the potential therapeutic advantages it offers. First, we’ll dive into the raw form of cannabis. This includes the leaves, stalks, stems, and seeds, all of which are rich sources of essential nutrients such as carbohydrates, protein, fiber, fat, amino acids, water, magnesium, calcium, beta-carotene, zinc, and an array of vitamins (E, C, B1, B3, B6), among others. Moreover, raw cannabis boasts acidic cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids, each holding unique health benefits in their own right.
As cannabis is heated, studies suggest that additional health benefits emerge as these acidic cannabinoids undergo decarboxylation. This process unlocks their therapeutic potential, offering the possibility of:
- Inflammation and pain reduction
- Spasm relief
- Nausea relief
- Improved sleep
- Improved mood
- & so much more!
Moreover, cooking with cannabis opens up a world of culinary creativity. Infusing oils, butters, or even entire recipes with cannabis enables enthusiasts to craft a wide range of dishes, from savory to sweet. This versatility means you can enjoy the therapeutic benefits of cannabis while indulging in delicious meals tailored to your palate. Whether you’re exploring new flavors or simply seeking a unique culinary adventure, cooking with cannabis offers an exciting and enjoyable way to embrace the plant’s potential benefits. As cannabis continues to gain acceptance, its integration into the kitchen promises to be an innovative and exciting culinary frontier.
Our Go-To Tips and Tricks:
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- Use high quality ingredients, this includes your cannabis! However, there’s no need to drain your wallet on premium cannabis flower. Many edible-makers will even use shake or trim in their recipes and achieve desired results. We suggest a middle ground: don’t spend too much on cannabis that you’re just going to cook away, but avoid selecting old or poor-quality weed–as you are still ingesting it.
- Start low and go slow. CBD specifically works through the accumulation of the Endocannabinoid System. In order for it to provide day to day relief from your symptoms, you may want to explore consistent dosing. When cooking with it, you will want to have enough to where it may provide some added benefit but not too much so that it will overwhelm the taste of your recipe or be too high of a starting dose. This is especially the case when cooking with THC, as it is psychoactive.
- Calculate your dosages and potency. You’ll need no more than one (1) cup of cannabis flower to each cup of oil or butter, so there’s no need to dump a whole pack of cannabis into your recipe. Utilizing lab-tested flower with well-defined cannabinoid percentages will help you to accurately dose your recipe and plan your serving sizes.
- Decarboxylate your cannabis. Making edibles isn’t as straightforward as merely adding cannabis to your recipe; you need to activate it through decarboxylation, or heating it. This process transforms the THCA in the plant into THC, the CBDA into CBD, and so forth. To decarboxylate:
- Evenly spread out your flower on a baking sheet
- Heat the oven to 245 degrees Fahrenheit/120 degrees Celsius
- Bake for 30-40 minutes, flipping the buds every ten minutes
- Avoid overchopping your cannabis. Chopping or grinding your weed into excessively small pieces will make it more challenging to remove plant matter from your cannabutter. Instead, break it into small, uniform pieces large enough to be caught in a cheesecloth or strainer.
- Select your infused ingredient. You have the option of either cannabutter or infused oil, depending on your recipe. The process for making both types of infused ingredients is roughly the same, so your choice primarily relies on taste preferences and the type of recipes you intend to create.
- Strain any plant matter. After infusing your butter or oil, you’ll want to get rid of any plant matter, as this can help improve the flavor and shelf life of your butter or oil. Cheesecloth is an excellent choice for straining, as it allows oil to pass through while leaving behind the leftover bud.
- Mix well. A common mistake in making edibles is not properly distributing the infused ingredient throughout the recipe. Neglecting proper mixing can be risky since certain portions of the food might contain significantly higher THC doses than others, leading to an unexpectedly potent experience.
- Don’t heat over 340 degrees fahrenheit. THC, CBD and other chemicals in cannabis start to degrade at temperatures that exceed 350 degrees Fahrenheit, diminishing the potency.
- Store and label properly. Labeling your creation, however, is of the utmost importance. Keep your edibles out of the reach of children, animals or unsuspecting adults who might not be aware of the cannabis content in your homemade treats.
If you can follow instructions, you’re going to love this blog! We’ve put together four cannabis-infused recipes perfect for embracing the fall spirit.
Cannabis-Infused Pumpkin Spice Latte
Ingredients:
2 cups of preferred milk
2 tablespoons of canned pumpkin puree
2 tablespoons of sugar
1-2 tablespoons of cannabis-infused coconut oil or butter (adjust to your preferred potency)
1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin spice blend
1/2 cup of strong brewed coffee or espresso
Whipped cream (optional)
Cinnamon sticks (optional)
Instructions:
- In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk, pumpkin puree, sugar, and cannabis-infused coconut oil or butter. Whisk until well blended and heated through, but do not boil.
- Remove from heat and stir in the pumpkin spice blend.
- Pour the brewed coffee or espresso into your favorite mug.
- Carefully pour the pumpkin spice mixture over the coffee. Option to use a handheld blender to mix together.
- Top with whipped cream and garnish with a cinnamon stick for extra flair.
- Sip and savor your cannabis-infused fall delight!
Cannabis-Infused Butternut Squash Herb Soup:
Ingredients:
1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
4 cups of vegetable broth
2 tablespoons of cannabis-infused olive oil
1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup of heavy cream (optional)
Fresh sage leaves for garnish (optional)
Instructions:
- In a large pot, heat the cannabis-infused olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the chopped onion and garlic, sauté until fragrant and translucent.
- Add the butternut squash, vegetable broth, and dried thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the squash is tender.
- Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Stir in the heavy cream if desired for a creamy texture.
- Serve hot, garnished with fresh sage leaves.
Crispy Cannabis-Infused Apple Crisp:
Ingredients:
6 cups of sliced apples (peeled and cored)
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
1/2 cup of granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
1/4 cup of cannabis-infused butter or coconut oil
1 cup of old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup of all-purpose flour
1/2 cup of brown sugar
Vanilla ice cream (optional)
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the sliced apples, lemon juice, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Toss until the apples are well coated, then transfer to a greased baking dish.
- In another bowl, mix the cannabis-infused butter or coconut oil, rolled oats, flour, and brown sugar until it forms a crumbly mixture.
- Sprinkle the oat mixture evenly over the apples.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and the apples are tender.
- Allow the apple crisp to cool slightly before serving.
- Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an extra indulgent treat.
Cannabis-Infused Hot Apple Cider:
Ingredients:
4 cups of apple cider
1/4 cup of cannabis-infused honey (adjust to your preferred potency)
2 cinnamon sticks
4 cloves
4 slices of orange peel
Whipped cream (optional)
Ground cinnamon for garnish (optional)
Instructions:
- In a saucepan, combine the apple cider, cannabis-infused honey, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and orange peel.
- Simmer over low heat for 15-20 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
- Remove the cinnamon sticks, cloves, and orange peel.
- Ladle the infused apple cider into mugs.
- Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon if desired.
- Sip and savor this warm and soothing cannabis-infused fall beverage.
Fall is the perfect season to experiment with THC or CBD cannabis-infused recipes, adding an extra layer of comfort and relaxation to your culinary adventures. Whether you’re craving the warmth of a Pumpkin Spice Latte, the heartiness of Butternut Squash Soup, the sweetness of Apple Crisp, or the soothing embrace of Hot Apple Cider, these recipes are sure to elevate your fall experience. Remember to consume responsibly and be mindful of your desired potency.
If you have any questions about this topic, a Realm of Caring Care Specialist is here to help. Call us at 719-347-5400 option 1, email us at info@realmofcaring.org, or visit our website and sign up for a free client account at www.realmofcaring.org.
