Now that CBD is readily available, consumers are starting to get creative with their use of the miracle plant. Before you get out the mixing bowls and pots and pans, here are a few tips that will help you get started on your new culinary experience.

Rules to Cook By

Avoid Heat. 

When cooking or baking with CBD oil, it is best to avoid going over a temperature of 320F. Above this, CBD will lose its potency and burn, giving a foul flavor. Try adding it as a finishing touch, almost like a garnish, to enjoy the full effect. Add it to your soups, sauces, and cremas, when they’re warm but not boiling. Or, add it to your frostings or dressings instead of in the dish.

Use Healthy Fats 

Remember: CBD is fat soluble so it is better absorbed by the body when combined with fat. Some good options include: butter, ghee, grapeseed oil or coconut oil. In the event you’re branching out to CBD cocktails, strong alcohols like whiskey, gin, vodka, or mezcal will work best as they are not water-based and will instead act as an alcohol-based tincture, rather than an oil-based infusion. 

Play With Flavors, Not Sugar

What I mean by this is to find complementary flavors to work with your CBD oil, as opposed to creating dishes where you need to cover up the taste. CBD has a strong grass-like flavor, not unlike celery, cilantro, parsley, or lemongrass. Try adding your CBD oil into a summer salsa or guacamole. Making a mint chutney? Experiment with your CBD oil. There’s more to CBD oil cooking than brownies! Taste your oil and experiment with the flavors you think will enhance the oil, rather than just cover it with sugar. 

Start Low and Slow

Do not treat your CBD oil the way you use EVOO. You want to start with lower doses to experiment with both the flavor and how you feel after consuming the oil. While CBD does not carry dangerous side-effects with it, too much can cause an upset stomach in some people, as well as dry-mouth, or high blood pressure. Don’t forget, you’re adding your oil into a meal so you will not feel the effects of your CBD oil until it passes through your digestive system, approximately 90 minutes to 2 hours.  

Mix Well

Be prepared to stir, shake, and mix your food well! You want to make sure that your CBD oil is well incorporated in your dish in order to have a well-balanced meal and dosage. 

Tell Your Guests If You’re Serving them CBD Infused Food

Always inform your guests that there is CBD in their food prior to serving, especially if you are serving cocktails. While CBD is safe, it can interact with certain medications and may cause a dangerous drug interaction if someone unsuspectingly ingests it. Everyone also has a different tolerance to CBD and may also wish to control their own dosage, which can be easily done in the case of it being added to dressings or sauces that can be served on the side.

A Few Recipes To Get You Started

Keto Coffee

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 tablespoons ground coffee (For best results, start with whole beans and grind them just before brewing.)
• 6-8 ounces of filtered water
• 1 teaspoon – 2 tablespoons MCT oil
• 1-2 tablespoons Grass-Fed Ghee or unsalted butter
• 1 dose CBD oil

Instructions

1. Brew 1 cup (8-12 ounces) of coffee using filtered water to your desired strength
2. Add 1 teaspoon to 2 tablespoons of MCT oil (Start small with 1 teaspoon and work your way up to 1-2 tablespoons over several days if you’ve never had keto coffee)
3. Add 1-2 tablespoons of grass-fed, unsalted butter or ghee. l
4. Mix all ingredients except for your CBD oil in a blender for 20-30 seconds until a creamy latte appearance is achieved. 
5. Add your desired dose of CBD oil and stir to combine.

For a little extra flavor, you can add cinnamon or Hymalayan sea salt to your coffee as well.

Strawberry CBD smoothie

Ingredients

• 1 cup packed baby spinach, washed
• 1/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves
• 1/3 cup fresh or frozen strawberries
• 1/4 medium avocado, pitted and peeled
• 2 dried apricots
• Juice of 1/2 lime (about 1 Tbsp)
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1 tablespoon honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar (optional)
• 1 dose CBD oil
• 1/4 cup ice cubes

Instructions

1. In a high-speed blender, combine the kale, basil, strawberries, avocado, fig, lime juice, salt, honey (if using), CBD oil, and half cup water. Blend until smooth.
2. Pour into a glass over ice and enjoy, or pout into a jar or bottle with a lid, store in the refrigerator, and drink within a couple of hours. Shake well before drinking.

CBD Pesto Pasta Sauce

Ingredients

2 cups fresh basil leaves

3 cloves garlic

1/2 cup pine nuts (or walnuts)

3/4 grated parmesan

1/2 cup olive oil

Desired dose of CBD Oil

Instructions

1. Place the basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until it becomes a coarse paste. 
2. Transfer to a bowl and add the cheese and oils
3. Stir and toss until completely combined

Note: This sauce is great on top of pasta, baked chicken, or on sandwiches.

CBD Infused Mayonnaise 

(Yields 2 cups CBD Mayonnaise)

Ingredients

• 2 egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 4 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1¾ cups of canola oil
• 2 tablespoons of CBD oil

Instructions

1. In a food processor, mix together the yolks, mustard, white wine vinegar, and salt until completely smooth
2. While the food processor is still running, slowly stream in the oils until you have a smooth and emulsified mayonnaise
3. If at any point the mixture looks like it is becoming chunky or is too thick, add a few drops of warm water to the food processor to help maintain the emulsion

Note: The potency of your infusions will depend on many factors, including your weight, metabolism, and the quality of your CBD oil. To test the potency of your finished product, try ¼ or ½ teaspoon of your mayo and note the effects after approximately 90 minutes. Decrease or increase your dose as desired.

CBD Guacamole

Ingredients

• 1 large ripe tomato
• 3 avocados very ripe but not bruised
• juice 1 large lime
• handful cilantro, leaves and stalks chopped, plus a few leaves, roughly chopped, to garnish
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 1 jalapeno, deseeded and finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Desired dose of CBD oil
• tortilla chips, to serve

Instructions

1. Using a large knife, pulverise 1 large ripe tomato to a pulp on a cutting board, then transfer into a bowl.
2. Halve and pit the 3 avocados (saving a pit) and scoop out the flesh into the bowl with the tomato.
3. Finely chop the onion and jalapeno and add to the bowl
4. Add the juice of 1 large lime, a handful of roughly chopped cilantro, then season with salt, pepper, and cumin.
5. Add the CBD oil and mash the ingredients together until well combined. 
6. Serve with tortilla chips

Note: If not serving immediately, place an avocado pit in the guacamole. This helps stop it from going brown. Cover tightly with cling wrap and chill until needed.