Christmas is over, and the music has ended. The confetti from New Year’s Eve has been swept up (mostly), but the cold and dark have remained. When the wrapping paper has been recycled, and the gifts begin to lose their luster, the bills come due, and the stress remains. It’s time for the winter blues. But there’s a tool you can use to combat the winter blues, and it’s one of our favorite topics — CBD.
How CBD Interacts with Your Body
To start, we’ll have a little biology lesson on CBD. Your body has what is known as an endocannabinoid system. This neurological network utilizes CB1 and CB2 receptors to send information from your body to the brain. Things such as discomfort, mood, and sleep are all functions that this endocannabinoid system can regulate. For example, when you cut yourself, your body creates endocannabinoids that immediately bond with the CB1 and CB2 receptors. These receptors send an impulse to your brain and tell it how to react to the cut. This endocannabinoid system is also responsible for keeping your body in a state of homeostasis. This means it keeps your body in balance and functioning properly.
CBD is one of over 100 phytocannabinoids contained in the cannabis plant. Hemp and marijuana are two families of this plant. You may be familiar with some of the other phytocannabinoids found in the cannabis plant, like THC, CBN, CBG. These cannabinoids, when introduced into the body either orally (tinctures and edibles), topically (salves and balms), or through the respiratory tract (inhalants such as vape or smoking), interact with the body’s natural endocannabinoid system and help it to do its job and reach homeostasis.
This elevation of your body’s natural levels will help you fight the blues and even be more productive during those long winter days.
Fun Ideas for CBD Recipes
Now that you know how CBD can help you fight the blues by encouraging your body into its natural state of homeostasis, let’s look at some fun recipes that you can make that include CBD and are sure to put a smile on your face.
Pudding
This one’s pretty straightforward, right? If you’re more interested in making it yourself rather than dipping into store-bought pudding. To make this pudding, you’re going to need the following ingredients:
2 cups of milk
1/8 teaspoon of salt
1/3 cup of sugar
2 eggs
3 tablespoons of cornstarch
1 tablespoon of butter
1 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract (optional – Vanilla Pudding Only)
1 teaspoon of coffee (optional – Chocolate Pudding Only)
1/4 cup of cocoa powder (optional – Chocolate Pudding Only)
Whisk a 1/4th cup of milk and the cornstarch together until the lumps are gone. Then, whisk the rest of the milk, sugar, and salt together in another pan. Bring it to a simmer (just below boiling temperature), and while that’s going on, whisk egg yolks in another pan or bowl. Once the milk mixture reaches a simmer, take the heated sugary milk and slowly pour it into the egg bowl while, you guessed it, whisking.
Now, pour all of that into a pot (including the cornstarch mixture) and cook it all on medium heat as it begins to thicken. Important note: you must keep the cornstarch mixture moving constantly both as you add it and as it cools. Now is the time to add CBD oil, butter, vanilla, or (if you want chocolate) cocoa and coffee.
And now you’ve got some fresh, grin-inducing pudding for your troubles!
Chocolate Chip Cookies
These are a simple recipe, a simple treat, all great stuff. A hint from someone who loves to bake, if after you place the unbaked cookies on the baking pan, you refrigerate the dough for about an hour, the cookies will hold more of their shape and be thick and chewy. For this recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients:
1 cup soft butter
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon of baking soda
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon of salt
3 cups of flour
2 cups of chocolate chips
While your oven is preheating to 350 degrees, mix the butter and sugars together. You want to mix it on high, so the butter is creamy and airy with the sugars well mixed. This mixture should not be very grainy.
Then, add the eggs into the mixture and beat them, topping them with the vanilla extract. Next, dissolve baking soda and salt with two teaspoons of hot water and add to the mixture. Now add the flour and chocolate chips and CBD oil (or, if you want, you can drizzle the oil onto the cookies once they’re done.)
Using a tablespoon, create 1 inch balls with 1 inch of space between them on a baking pan. For cookies that hold their form, refrigerate the dough for 1 hour before baking. Then bake for about 10 minutes until they’re nice, crisp, and the edges are just starting to brown!
There we go, now that feels like a job well done. So get out there and enjoy yourselves this year: you deserve it!