Sunday April 19, 2020
By Erin Hiatt
With the COVID-19 pandemic causing people to shelter in place across the glove, cannabis consumers and non-consumers alike may be noticing that since the quarantine began, clothes are fitting a bit tighter than usual. Maybe you haven’t noticed because you’ve been in your favorite pair of sweatpants on the regular, but the inactive lifestyle being stuck at home promotes is not good for your waist line. With 4/20 approaching, it’s the perfect time to create some healthier edibles to consume on the big day. Making healthy, homemade edibles is a great way to celebrate marijuana’s biggest holiday without worrying about a sugar overload.
Some Notes on Cannabis Edibles
There’s a lot more to consider for homemade edible chefs than losing weight. Many people have health conditions like diabetes, or gluten or lactose intolerance. Others may be keeping vegetarian or vegan diets. So, with that in mind, here are a few recipes to set you on the path to healthier edibles without having to give up cannabis goodies.
A note to keep in mind when making any cannabis infused baked goods. Dosing can be tricky, so be sure to follow the recipe closely, and as with any edible, it makes good sense to follow the rule, start low and go slow.
Another trick is to mix ingredients thoroughly – a process called homogenization – which will ensure that all the ingredients, (but most importantly the weed) will be evenly distributed. After all, why let one cookie or brownie have all the fun?
From the team at Wake and Bake, this brownie recipe uses a protein-packed seed or nut butter, maple syrup or honey instead of sugar, and can easily be made vegan. You’ll need:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup sunflower seed butter, almond butter, or peanut butter
- ½ cup maple syrup or honey
- 1 egg or flax egg (vegan)
- 2 tablespoons cannabis infused coconut oil or hash butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ⅓ cup raw cacao powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
Before you start mixing, preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit, and line an 8x8 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
Once you’ve gathered all the ingredients, in a large mixing bowl, beat together your peanut/almond/sunflower seed butter, maple syrup, egg/flax egg, cannabis infused coconut oil/hash butter, and vanilla.
Next, whisk in cacao and baking soda. Spread the batter evenly throughout the baking pan, and bake for about 20 minutes, or until brownies firm and spring back when touched.
Ok, these cookies have some sugar in them but this recipe comes courtesy of Gluten Free Cannabis Recipes, where you can find many other gluten-free options. For these cookies, assemble:
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup cannabis infused coconut oil
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ½ white sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup gluten free flour (Bob’s Red Mill was the test gluten free flour for this recipe)
- ¼ cup chocolate chips
First things first; preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, mix the infused coconut oil and white and brown sugar until well-combined. Add egg yolk into sugar/oil mixture and combine.
Next, add salt, baking soda, vanilla extract, and gluten free flour (you may need to use a little more flour depending upon what kind flour you use), then stir in chocolate chips.
Now, here’s an important detail. In order to make sure that cookies are evenly dosed as possible, use a 1 1/02 tablespoon spring loaded cookie scoop, and place dough on baking sheet about 3-4 inches apart. Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until the cookies turn golden on the edges. Remove from oven, and let cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes, then place on cooling rack. Best enjoyed warm and with milk!
Let’s just admit it, everybody loves a lip-smacking quick bread. This recipe, once again thanks to the folks at Wake and Bake, can be made conventionally, vegan or Paleo-style. First step is to preheat the oven to 325 Fahrenheit, and grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan. Next, grab these ingredients from your cupboards:
Ingredients:
- ⅓ cup cannabis infused coconut oil
- ½ cup honey or ½ cup maple syrup or agave (vegan)
- 2 eggs or flax eggs (vegan)
- ⅓ cup warm water
- 1 cup mashed bananas
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 ¾ cup gluten free flour (or Paleo flour blend)
- ¼ cup chocolate chips, walnuts, sunflower seeds, etc. (optional)
In a large bowl, mix cannabis infused coconut oil honey/maple syrup/agave, 2 eggs/flax eggs, and warm water. Next add bananas and vanilla and stir until combined, then slowly stir in flour until just combined (don’t over stir). If you’d like, add your optional chocolate chips/walnuts/sunflower seeds.
Bake for 60 minutes, then insert toothpick to see if it comes out clean. Once the toothpick passes the clean test, remove from the oven and let cool for at least five minutes. Best served warm!
We might be under quarantine but that doesn’t mean you can’t bake up some delicious infused treats to enjoy! Do you have any healthier edible recipes you like to make? Share them in the comment below.
Photo Credit: Marco Verch (license)