CBD Recipes You Need to Try

Now that both cannabis and CBD have achieved mainstream acceptance as health aids, it has spawned a fast-growing community of enthusiasts as well as entrepreneurs devoted to creating specialty products and services. 

CBD Edibles & Drinkables

Many are put off by the taste of CBD, so including it in food or drinks allows more people the chance to try it out. When infusing edibles with CBD, the compound can remain in the mouth for a relatively long period of time which allows for better absorption.  

One rule for using CBD in recipes is not to heat CBD oil or tinctures directly. Heating CBD will change its chemical structure, possibly rendering it ineffective. Additionally, before you select a recipe, get to know the flavor profile of the CBD oil or tincture that you plan to use. CBD oils will tend to have either a nutty quality or will project notes of citrus, depending on their purity and the carrier oil used. Remember that tinctures use alcohol as their base which further shapes the flavor profile.

One Sweet, One Savory Dish  

To accommodate either nutty or citrus flavor profiles, the following are a couple of recipes you should try—one is a sweet drink and the other is a savory dish. These recipes are outstanding by themselves and serve as excellent vehicles for CBD. You’ll notice that the CBD isn’t integrated into the dish “during cooking,” but is added to your own serving the same way you would add a garnish, just prior to eating. There are good reasons for this.

If you’re taking CBD,  you should consume an accurate dose immediately after it’s added to food. You’ll find plenty of CBD-inspired recipes that “infuse” the compound into the dish during the cooking process. This is problematic because you don’t want to cook your CBD oil. It’s also important that you get an accurate dose and consume that dose immediately. When CBD sits around in the form of leftovers it will degrade. 

Mexican Mocha

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp. instant coffee or two shots of espresso
• 1 Tablet Mexican chocolate (Abuelita or Ibarra brands), or you can use more expensive, specialty brands.
• 2 tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick or ¼ tsp cinnamon
• 1-½ to 2 cups whole milk of choice (including vegan options such as Almond, Hemp, Oat, Rice, or Soy). Total liquid should be two cups. If you don’t plan to add heavy cream, use 2 cups.
• ½  cup heavy cream (optional)
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• ½ tsp ancho chile powder, or ⅛ tsp cayenne, plus additional for garnish
• Vanilla extract
• Ground cinnamon for garnish (optional)
• Whipped cream of choice for garnish (optional)
• CBD dose

Instructions

1. Place coffee, milk, cream, chocolate, sugar, cinnamon stick, nutmeg, and chile or cayenne powder in a heavy saucepan, warm over medium-high heat. Do not boil. Whisk until combined.
2. Remove from heat. Whisk in vanilla extract.
3. Pour one serving into a cup and add your CBD dose. 
4. Garnish with chile or cayenne powder, cinnamon, and whipped cream, to taste.

Whitefish, Shrimp, or Vegan Ceviche

Ingredients

• 1-lb skinless saltwater whitefish of choice, or
            peeled/deveined shrimp, or 1 can Jackfruit,
            1 can Hearts of Palm, and 1 can white beans
                  for a vegan option.
• 1 cup lime juice (plus another 1/2 cup in reserve)
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 1 cup diced tomatoes, seeds removed
• 1 cup diced cucumber (peeled or unpeeled)
• ½ cup red onion, diced
• 2-3 cloves garlic, pulverized through a garlic press or grated
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tsp. lime zest
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• Diced jalapeno to taste with or without seeds, as desired (about 1-2 tbs)
• 1 avocado diced and preserved in citrus or vinegar for garnishing
• Cayenne and Black pepper for garnishing.
• Olive oil for garnishing
• CBD oil or tincture
• Corn chips or crispy tostadas

Instructions

1. Cut the fish into small cubes, or roughly dice the shrimp, or drain, rinse, and clean the jackfruit and cut up the hearts of palm. Place the fish, shrimp, or jackfruit/hearts of palm/white bean mixture into a non-reactive bowl. Glass or ceramic work best.
2. Add ¾ cup lime juice and half the lemon juice to the bowl, submerging the fish or shrimp entirely. If it’s not entirely submerged, add more lime juice. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator until the fish or shrimp is opaque. While there are no concerns about full cooking for the vegan option, you still want to maximize the marinade time for best flavor. Marinate for a minimum of 2 hours. Halfway through cooking time, stir the fish, shrimp, or jackfruit/hearts of palm mixture/white bean mixture to cook evenly.
3. Drain.
4. Add ¼ cup lime juice and the remaining lemon juice, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, cilantro, jalapeno, lime zest, and salt. Stir. Taste and season with more salt, as desired.
5. Serve the ceviche with chips or on top of tostadas.
6. Garnish with avocado, cayenne and/or black pepper, olive oil to taste.
7. Garnish with the CBD dose.