MMJ Raspberry Sorbet

Beat the heat with this summertime treat!

I just love summertime.  The organic berries from my garden are ripening and I have bowls full of raspberries every day right now.  I've been making jelly, jam and syrup to put up for the winter a pint or 2 at a time as my berry bushes keep yielding.  Since we've been in a heat wave here in the Seattle area I decided it was time to do something a little different with my berries.  I mean after all just how much jam do we need?

I've also had some requests recently for a medicated recipe featuring a glycerin based cannabis tincture.  I thought why not combine 2 great ideas.  So here it is..... MMJ Raspberry Sorbet.

What you will need:

• A metal or pyrex 9x13" cake pan
• wire sieve or cheese cloth to remove the seeds
• small saucepan
• freezer with room to put your cake pan for about 12 hours
• 1 Cup Water
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 3 Cups fresh raspberries
• Juice from 1/2 of a lime
• 4 doses of glycerin tincture  (dosing is variable depending on a patients tolerance and the strength of the tincture itself.  If you normally use glycerin tincture for medicating you should have a good idea of what amount works for you as a dose.  For this recipe I used 3 squirts of the tincture per serving as we both have fairly high tolerance levels and will be eating this medicine as a nighttime treat.  This will be a good amount and allows for a really good nights sleep.)

How to make it:

1. In your small saucepan combine the sugar and water.  Cook over medium heat until all the sugar is dissolved.  Allow this to cool to room temperature
2. Add your fresh raspberries to the cooled sugar water and using a stick blender mix until the raspberries are fully mixed in.  **if you don't have a stick blender, pour sugar water and raspberries into a blender and pulse until well mixed
3. Use your wire sieve or cheesecloth to strain out any of the raspberry seeds.  Reserve the liquid and toss the seeds into the trash.
4. To your reserved liquid add the juice of 1/2 a lime and your 4 doses of glycerin tincture.  Mix well.
5. Pour your liquid into your 9 x 13" cake pan.  Place in the freezer for 4-12 hours to allow the sorbet to set up and freeze through. To keep it light run a fork through the freezing mixture every couple of hours.
6. Once your sorbet is fully frozen it is ready to serve.  I like to garnish with a few fresh garden raspberries and some lemon balm leaves like in the picture above.  Other good garnishes are chocolate and mint (a perfect match for raspberries), whipped cream, or shortbread cookies.  Of course you could always serve on an ice cream cone too!

I hope you will enjoy this fresh and tasty summertime recipe.  Let me know how it works out in your cannabis kitchen.

Stay lifted!

Cannabalm Lotion Bars

Here's a topical that I made at the request of a patient suffering from rheumatoid arthritis.  I've made these in a roll up tube that I found on ebay for ease of application, but you could make the same recipe in any kind of a container with a resealable lid and just apply by hand as well.

Here's what you'll need:

1-2 whole cayanne peppers
1/4 Cup of plain coconut oil
1/4 Cup of Cannabis infused coconut oil
1/2 Cup of Shea Butter
2/3 Cup of shredded unbleached bee's wax
5 drops lemongrass essential oil
1 drop geranium essential oil
1 drop ylang ylang essential oil
3 drops tea tree essential oil
A small sauce pan
resealable container or empty roll on tubes
sieve or cheese cloth


Here's how to do it:

First off we will infuse the plain coconut oil with Cayenne pepper. Cayenne pepper is known in the herbal community to help mitigate pain.  Check out this link for a bit more information: Learningherbs.com

To infuse the plain coconut oil with Cayenne pepper first slice the pepper the long way to open it.  Place pepper and 1/4 Cup of plain coconut oil in a small sauce pan.  Over low heat melt the coconut oil.  Leave on low-medium heat for approximately 30 minutes (you can go longer for a stronger infusion) to infuse the coconut oil with the pepper stirring occasionally.

Using the sieve or a cheese cloth, strain the pepper, seeds & stems from the melted coconut oil. Return the infused coconut oil to your pan and discard the pepper.

Next add your cannabis coconut oil & Shea butter to the pan.

Return pan to burner on medium low.  Heat until all of your oils are melted.  Add in the bee's wax shreds.  Continue heating until the bee's wax is melted and well incorporated.

Remove pan from heat.

Add in all of your essential oils.

Stir well.

Allow to cool slightly until warm but not solid.

Pour mixture into your roll up containers or your resealable container.

Allow to cool on counter or in refrigerator until solid.

Once cooled completely, place lids on containers.

To use:

This balm can be applied to swollen joints or anywhere you are feeling pain.  It will help with inflammation as well as pain. Just be sure not to apply to eyes, nostrils or any other tender areas ;) as the cayenne pepper will give a burning sensation on these sensitive areas.

Note: I have been using this on my psoriasis and it doesn't seem to give a burning sensation.  Try it on a small area of your skin first and see how it feels for  you.

I hope you will enjoy this recipe and that it can help you to find relief as well.

Comment for questions or just to let me know how the recipe works out for you.  Also if you find it to work well for a certain medical problem let me know so I can share that with other patients who may also find relief.

Enjoy!

Cannabis Foot Soak Recipe

Here's a quick and easy topical cannabis recipe. A cannabis infused foot soak will refresh sore tired feet. This recipe combines the antifungal qualities of both tea tree oil and cannabis making it an effective treatment for athletes foot. The peppermint oil leaves feet refreshed and the Epsom salts and coconut oil will soften rough and cracked heels. 

What you will need:

1 Cup Epsom Salts

2 Tablespoons cannabis coconut oil 

6 drops tea tree essential oil

6 drops peppermint essential oil

1 clean jar with lid

To make:

Melt cannabis coconut oil until liquid. Allow to cool until tepid but not solid. 

Place Epsom salts in a quart mason jar with lid. Add the essential oils and seal jar. Shake jar vigorously to mix in the essential oils. Next pour in your melted oil. Return lid to jar and shake vigorously until well mixed 

To use:

Add 1/4 Cup of mixture to your foot bath. Soak feet in the bath for at least 20 minutes. 

To store:  

Keep mixture in a sealed jar in a dark cupboard. 

Enjoy!

THChristi

Dank Doggie Biscuits

I've had a few requests for my recipe for making medicated dog treats.  As many of you know, marijuana can be good medicine for our 4 legged best friends too.  This is a personal choice so please do your own research before deciding if medical marijuana is the right course of action for you or your pooch. 

Here's a couple of articles that endorse or support this type of treatment:

• http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/05/medical-marijuana-for-pets_n_3391770.html
• https://www.avma.org/news/javmanews/pages/130615a.aspx

I have also read some articles where dogs have become sick after accidentally consuming a human patient's medibles. Sometimes this can be detrimental if things that dogs shouldn't eat are in the medible (ie Chocolate & raisins).  The other problem is that most medibles made for humans contain high doses of THC which can be very disorienting and even dangerous to the animal. Please exercise caution and keep your medications up away from your pups.

In an attempt to limit the amount of THC in my dog biscuits I use the trim that remains after making infused butter or coconut oil  The key is to squeeze out all of the oil that remains in the cooked trim.  Once you have done this place the pressed trim in a small cooking pot and cover with boiling water.  Allow it to cool slightly and press again (I use a french press coffee maker to do this but you could also use a sieve and hand press it).  This will remove the water and any remaining oil.  Now you have the rinsed cooked trim material from which we will make our treats.

With all that said if you are wanting to make a medicated treat geared toward the canine in your life here's a recipe that I have created for my buddies.

Dank Doggie Biscuits

Ingredients you will need to make these treats:

• 1 Cup of rinsed cooked trim from making cannabis infused butter or coconut oil
• 1 Cup of dry oatmeal
• 1/8 Cup of water
• 1 1/4 Cup of whole wheat flour 
• 1 Tablespoon of natural peanut butter
• 1 egg -beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Here's how you make them:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
   
2. Place the rinsed trim, water and oatmeal in a blender and blend on high until the mixture is pulverized.
3. In a separate large bowl combine flour, salt and baking powder
4. Add the wet pulverized mixture, peanut butter and beaten egg to your flour mixture and stir together until the mixture begins to stick together.
   
5. Pour your mixture onto a floured surface and knead by hand until everything is well combined. (about 5 minutes). Add additional flour as necessary.  You want this mixture to be the texture of a roll out cookie dough.
6. On a floured surface, roll out the mixture to a thickness of about 1/4".  
7. Cut out biscuits using a small or medium dog-bone shaped
   
   cookie cutter or use a pizza cutter and cut into small squares.  Use a fork to make holed in the dog bones (this will vent out any of the steam created and keep your biscuits fairly flat)
8. Place these cut outs on an UNGREASED cookie sheet*** This is SO important!  If you add grease or oil to these biscuits
   
   they will be TOO strong!!!!
9. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes
10. When your biscuits are done, remove from the oven and cool on a baking rack.

For short term storage you can place the cooled biscuits in a sealed container and keep in your fridge for up to 2 weeks.

For a little longer term storage place in a sealed container in

your freezer.  These will be good for about 4 months.

To store them long term without refrigeration will require a few more steps.  To do so place your cooked dog treats in a food dehydrator for about 48 hours or until their is no residual moisture remaining in the biscuit.  Trapped moisture will cause mold so break open one or two

of the biscuits to see if the center has been fully dehydrated.  Once you've removed all of the moisture these can be stored in a cookie jar at room temperature and will last for a very long time.

NOTES ON USING THESE BISCUITS:

Just like humans, each dog will have their own tolerance to marijuana in an edible form.  Use caution when giving your dog these treats until you know how much your dog can tolerate.  So start out small!  Each batch I make is different depending on the starting material and strain of marijuana used so I like to give my dogs about 1/4 of a biscuit and wait 45 minutes to an hour to see how effective it is.  If I notice that the pooch is still in pain after this waiting period I will give another 1/4 and again wait to see what affect it has.  I do this with each and every batch that I make for the dogs that way I can determine the acceptable dose.  Always err on the side of caution.... you can always give more but you can't take it back.  Remember the goal is pain relief, not a high dog.

I use these biscuits for pain relief, to relieve canine anxiety and to calm my dogs during the 4th of July celebrations, thunderstorms and when going to the groomer or long rides.

Best wishes & puppy kisses!

THChristi & friends

Cannabis Infused Coconut Oil

Today I'm sharing my process for making a Cannabis Infused Coconut Oil.  The beauty of this medicine is it's versatility.  It can be used in creating both tasty edibles and healing topicals.

You will notice that my recipe uses a mixture of buds, sugar leaf trim & fan leaf trim.  I have found that using all parts of the plant is the best way to make this.  Each part of the plant holds cannabinoids in different concentrations.  By using a whole plant mixture (minus stems) it makes a well balanced medicine that is easily processed by the body in both a topical treatment and as an edible. 

What you will need:

Steeping the plant matter

• Crockpot
• RO (reverse osmosis) water, or distilled water
• Organic Coconut Oil
• Dried and cured medical marijuana buds, sugar leaf trim and fan leaf trim
• A french coffee press or other straining device that you can press out the liquid from the material
• A large bowl or pot
• Latex or nitrile gloves
• A gold coffee filter or fine sieve

Here's the recipe for 1 Cup of Coconut oil.  You can easily double, triple or whatever you like.

1. In your crockpot add 1 Cup of organic Coconut Oil.  Turn your crock pot on low and allow the oil to melt into a liquid.  
2. Once the coconut oil has melted add 2 ounces of dried plant material.  I like to use about 1/3 dried buds, 1/3 dry fan leaf trim, and 1/3 sugar leaf trim. It's not important to make these exact 3rds but it is key that your total dried plant matter is a total of 2 ounces for every cup of coconut oil.
3. add 5-6 cups of your RO or Distilled water.  IMPORTANT:  some folks make this without the water and just mix the fat with the plant matter.  I do not recommend doing it that way.  The water acts as a filter for a large amount of the chlorophyll as well as prevents your mixture from becoming too hot and scalding or cooking off the precious cannabinoids which you are after.
4. Turn your crock pot on high.  Stir your mixture every hour.  This will agitate the plant matter in the oil and help to infuse the cannabinoids into the oil.  
5. After 1 hour turn your crock pot onto low or warm and allow this mixture to cook and steep for at least 4 hours but up to 24 hours.  
6. Once you've reached the desired time, turn off your crock pot and allow this mixture to cool down to a temperature you can work with easily without burning yourself.
7. Using a ladle or large spoon, scoop your mixture into your clean french press coffee maker.  Press the mixture to strain out the plant matter and pour the liquid into a large bowl or pot.  This may take several pressings depending on the size of your french press.  If you are not using a french press you can use a wire sieve to strain out the liquid.  Be sure to glove up and squeeze out the liquid by hand.  
8. When you have strained out all of the plant matter cover your bowl or pot (which now contains a mixture of water and oil) and place it into the refrigerator overnight.
9. Once your liquid has chilled overnight it will have seperated into 2 layers.  Remove the hardened coconut oil from the top and drain on a paper towel.  Discard the water.
10. At this point you may notice there are still some fine particles attached to the bottom of your hardened coconut oil.  To remove these you will want to remelt the hardened coconut oil in a pot over low heat.  Once this is melted back into a liquid strain it through a fine sieve or your gold coffee filter.
11. Place this liquid back into the refrigerator to solidify.

Now you have a strong coconut oil infusion which can be used in edibles as well as topicals.  This mixture will store well in the fridge or freezer. 

I like to place 1/4 Cup premeasured amounts into zippered bags and keep it in the freezer.  When I'm ready to make a recipe I can just pull out the amount I need and thaw it out and add it to the recipe.

You can use this infused coconut oil straight on your skin as an effective topical treatment or add it into your favorite topical recipes like my THChristi Tub Treats

For edibles, you can easily substitute 1:1 solidified coconut oil for butter, or melted coconut oil for other oils in your favorite recipes.  Or try making my 99% Organic Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

Subscribe or stay tuned for more make your own medicine recipes using Cannabis Infused Coconut Oil.  

Have fun and stay medicated!

99% Organic Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

MMMMMM!  Today I made these at the request of one of my patients and they turned out so great I wanted to share my recipe with you all.  I'm calling them 99% Organic because the chocolate and peanut butter chips are not organic but everything else in the recipe is!

So here's the ingredients you will need to make these tasty treats:

• 2 3/4 Cup Organic White Flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 Cup of cannabis infused organic cold pressed coconut oil
• 1 Cup organic cane sugar (the light colored stuff)
• 1 Cup organic brown cane sugar (the dark stuff)
• 2 farm fresh organic eggs
• 1 Cup of organic quick oats
• 1/4 Cup chocolate chips
• 1/4 Cup Peanut Butter chips
• 1/4 Cup shredded organic coconut

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees

In a medium mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, oatmeal, cinnamon and salt.  Set aside.

Put your 1 cup of infused coconut oil in the microwave for 30-60 seconds to melt.  

In another mixing bowl blend together eggs and sugars then drizzle in the melted coconut oil.  Beat this together until smooth. Then add the dry ingredients from the other mixing bowl a little at a time until you have a well mixed dough.  

Now add in the coconut and chocolate/ peanut butter chips and stir them in by hand so as not to break up the chips.

Use about 1 tablespoon to form a nice 2" size cookies. Place the cookies about 2" apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.   Use the back side of a spoon to flatten the dough on your cookie sheet.  

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. 

Let the cookies sit on the cookie sheet for about 2 minutes then remove to a cooling rack to finish cooling.  

This recipe will make approximately 48 @ 2" medicated cookies.

If you are new to eating medibles start with 1 cookie and wait about 45 minutes to guage the effect of the cookie.  If you still have pain then go ahead and have a second cookie.  Everyone's tolerance is different.

Enjoy!

420 Strawberry Cheesecake Bites

Happy 420!  In celebration of this marijuana movement holiday I made up a batch of these delightful 420 Strawberry Cheesecake Bites.  Packed with a double dose of medicated goodness these little treats will surely get your party started!

Here's what you'll need:

• 1/4 package of cream cheese (2 ounces)
• 1/4 Cup of Powdered Sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
• 1/2 Cup Graham Cracker Crumbs
• 9 fresh ripe strawberries 
• 2 teaspoons of cannabis infused coconut oil (or Cannabutter)
• 1 Cup Milk Chocolate Chips
• 1/2 teaspoon cannaoil (or Cannabutter
• 6 chocolate candy melts (these are optional for putting a "lid" on your strawberries

Instructions:

1. Finely chop 3 of your strawberries.  Set aside.  
2. Carefully cut out the stem and core of the other 6 strawberries.  Place each berry with the cut side down on a cutting board.  Set aside.
3. In a mixing bowl combine your cream cheese and infused coconut oil.  Blend until well mixed.
4. Drain any liquid that has accumulated on your chopped strawberries and discard.  
5. Add your chopped berries, graham cracker crumbs, vanilla and powdered sugar to your cream cheese/coconut oil mixture and blend well.  
6. Place mixture in fridge for about 15 minutes to set up.
7. Now fill your cored berries with the cream cheese mixture.  The easiest way is with a pastry bag or put filling in a ziplock bag, cut off a small amount from the corner and squeeze the bag to fill the berries.
8. Return your filled berries to the fridge to chill.
9. While your berries are chilling out place some wax paper on a plate or sheet pan.
10. To prepare the chocolate coating you will want to use a microwave safe mug.  Add your milk chocolate chips and your cannaoil into this mug.
11. Microwave this mixture in 30 second intervals stirring between each time until you have a smooth mixture.
12. Remove your filled berries from the fridge.  One at a time dip these into your chocolate coating mixture and place on your waxed paper plate or pan.  

**Optionally add 1 candy melt as a lid to your filling on each berry.

Return dipped berries to the fridge and allow to set up for 1/2 hour or longer.

Serve and enjoy!

Stay Safe & Have a Happy 420!

Gooey Ganja Smores Bars

Oh yeah!  I just whipped up a test batch of these and after the first bite I could tell that this is a recipe worth sharing.  Now to get the blog done before the medicine kicks in and slows my typing to a crawl :0).

Ok so to make my Gooey Ganja S'mores Bars you'll need the following ingredients:

• 1 C Chocolate chips.  I used a combination of semi-sweet, peanut butter, dark chocolate and some pink chocolate chips I had left from valentines day.  You can use whatever kind you prefer or mix up a batch like I did.
• 3 Cups of Golden Grahams Cereal
• 3 C mini marshmallows
• 1/2 C mini marshmallows cut in 1/2
• 5 T Canna butter
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp mexican vanilla extract (or use regular vanilla extract)
• 1 Cup of Wiltons milk chocolate candy melts

You'll also need a 9x13 pan greased with cannabis butter with a little canna butter reserved for greasing your hands.

A large mixing bowl and a medium microwave safe bowl & a small microwave safe bowl. This is a pretty easy project, but still takes anywhere from 15-30 minutes.

So let's get started!  

1. Place your Chocolate chips in the freezer (they need to be cold for about 10 minutes to keep from melting when we mix the bars together.)
2. In your large bowl mix together the Golden Grahams and the 1/2 Cup of mini marshmallows that you cut in 1/2.  Set aside.
3. In your medium bowl, mix together 5 T of Canna butter and 3 Cups of mini marshmallows.  Place in the microwave for about 1 minute.  Remove from the microwave and stir.  If your marshmallows haven't melted all the way, return to the microwave in 30 second intervals and stir each time. 
4. Once the marshmallows and the Canna butter have melted and blended together fully, add the salt and the vanilla and stir until well blended.
5. Add the chocolate chips to your cereal mixture and mix it up
6. Pour the marshmallow mixture over your cereal mixture.  With greased hands mix it well together and press it into your greased pan. Press it in well so that as it cools it will form nice bars, but not so hard that you break up your cereal.  Set aside.
7. Place your candy molds in your small microwave safe bowl and microwave for 1 minute.  Stir.  Return to microwave in 30 second intervals stirring between each.  Do this until it is fully melted.  ***TIP:  Candy melts cannot get even a drop of water in them or they will freeze up into a nasty lumpy clump.  Be sure your bowl, hands and spoon are completely dry!
8. Pour your melted candy melts over the top of your cereal bars.  Spread with a knife to get a nice even top.
9. Place your pan into the fridge to set up for 20 minutes or until they have chilled.
10. Cut and serve.

To store, place indivindual bars into ziplocks.  Can store in fridge or in the cupboard.  These will store about as long as homemade cookies, about 5 days to a week, so eat them up.

Enjoy!