1 o I Cannabis owMagazine.com

HIGH QUALITY, HIGH RESULTS Cooking with Laurie & Mary Jane

Recipes by Laurie & Mary Jane I Photos by Bruce Wolf

Cannabis-infused fo ods have come a long way from the days of grainy pot cookies and mediocre marijuana butte r. ln a world with an endless variety of strains, today's edibles are working hard to mirror the same range and diversity.

It take true kill to be able to afely create de li ­cious cannabi treat with fi ne se and con istent do age amount . If you've never tried an edible before, the ex­perience i one you wiiJ likely never forget. Theta te and mell of a cannabi treat is unique and inimitable; difficult

to replicate and impossible to fe ign. When it's done right, pot can enhance the flavor of a mea l, complement a par­ticul ar ingredient and he ighten the overall ex perience of con uming food.

That's where Laurie and MaryJane come in with their cookjng expettise and te ll ar recipe-developing prowess. For them , the key i treating cannabi like any other in­gredient and u ing its d istinct flavor profi le to boo t and enhance theta te of a di h.

"When cookjng with cannabi we try to treat it as a new pi ce or herb and decide how much of the weed ta te and potency hould be pre ent in ou r products," Laurie explains.

While many may view indulg ing in cannabi treat as a tr ictly recreational activity, the shi ft into healthier option

also place eati ng edibles in the medica l realm where diet and nutrition can make or break a patient's path to recovery.

The Pottland , Oregon based company relies on the tru ted high ca liber of locally-sourced marijuana and rit­ually test and monitor their products to en ure cons i tent re ult fo r patient . It' not about getting ky high - it 's about getting what you need in an enjoyab le nack.

"Mary and I are both of the mind et that people who indulge hould be able to eat the entire ed ible without the fear of overdoing it or cau ing the 'Dowd' effect," Laurie ay , referring to " ew York Times" columnist Maureen

Dowd's in famou bad experience ampling edibles . And many agree with that sentiment. With the steady

ri e in popularity, dispensaries have tarted offering lower do age edibles and tate like Colorado and Wa hington have been tightening thei r regulation to ensure that ed­ible continue healing - not hurting - tho e who need it.

"A few years ago, it was all about high THC content but people were getting dizzy or sick and just not enjoyi ng them elves. Moving forward , I think there will be a trend of ed ibles with lower do age ," she says.

While the re are still some smoker who may be he itant to experience the type of high that edible can induce, there

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is no denying that there ' a revolution of sorts takjng pl ace in the edible world that 's changing the way people are con­urning cannabis. The demand for healthier option with

reliable do es i increa ing and many companie are ri ing to the occa ion to create the supply. Some use leftover trim , ome u e shake, others use tinctures and ome go for the

full fl ower. When it come to choo ing cannabis for cooking, Laurie

and MaryJane prefer sativa-dominant trains Jl and Hazy Train from growers who con i tentl y provide quali ty herb wi thout pe ticide . Occa ionally, the pa ir will stray from their regul ar reci pe to create edib les with low THC content in favor of train high in BD for patient who require pecific treatment.

Through year of trial, error and ex perimentation, they ' ve di covered that cannabis pair beautifully with chocolate, caramel and other de sert ingredient but have branched out to include both weet and savory options in the ir product line . Their signature g luten-free Almond Bli bar are a cu tomer favo rite and boa t 125mg of THC and l4mg of CBD. Made with just a few key ingre­dient , thi yummy de e rt not only ta te good but i ti ll good fo r you.

"The hint of weed really complements the almond fla vor," Laurie hare . "It' fabu lou ly moi t and goe great with a cup of tea or even drizzled in chocolate ."

Laurie and MaryJane have hopes of expanding to se ll their product in other states with med ica l or recreational programs. They ' re on ly about 20 minute from the Oregon­Wa hington state line.

Their products are just one piece of the edible puzzle, bedding light on the way the art of cookjng cannab i -in­

fu sed foods can evolve. Ye terday it was cookie , cake and brownie , today it 's gluten-free bar and protein-packed mixed nut . A the industry continues to tran fo rm , taking baby steps into the mai n tream, the edibles of tomorrow wi ll like ly find themselves on the shelve of grocery tores and ga tat ions.

Until then, though, we ' ll all be makjng our butter at home and thanking companies like Laurie and MaryJane for providing products with high quali ty and high results .*

Ganja Gummies

For smokers with a sweet tooth, there's almost nothing better than sinking your teeth into a succulent, cannabis-infused dessert. Unless, of course, we're talking about bite­sized gummies that you can easily pop in your mouth wherever you are. Aside from being cute and convenient, they're fantastically flavorful and a fun way to medicate - they can also last for weeks when properly stored.

If possible, make these candies in a silicon mold and they'll pop right out after being chilled. It's also helpful to taste the mixture before pouring it into the mold. If the weed taste is too strong, try adding some additional honey.

• llarge pkg. orange Jell-0

• 1 cup orange juice

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• 1/2 cup honey

• 1/4 cup canna-oil

• 4 packets gelatin

• 1/2 cup orange juice

• A dash of cornstarch

1. Combine the Jell-0 and 1 cup of orange juice in a medium saucepan. Add the honey and canna-oil and heat slowly, stirring frequently.

2. In a small bowl mix the gelatin with the remaining orange juice and allow to sit for five minutes.

3. Add the gelatin to the Jell-0 and cook over low heat for 5-7 minutes. Whisk almost constantly and get the sides of the pan.

4. Pour the gummies mixture into silicon molds or coated mini paper cups. Allow to cool at room temperature and then chill in the fridge.

5. Remove the candies from the molds. Toss each candy with a bit of cornstarch to prevent sticking.

These bars are moist and have a wonderful almond/mild weed taste that we adore.

The almond bliss bars are not hard to make and are extremely easy to eat - tasty drizzled with chocolate or topped with your favorite scoop. Not too long ago I topped them with toasted almond ice cream and that was beyond magnificent. Edibles rock.

• 8 ounces unsalted butter, melted

• 4 ounces canna-butter, melted

• 2 '12 cups granulated sugar

• 4 eggs, lightly beaten

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• 1 teaspoon almond extract

• 3 cups all purpose flour (substitute

gluten-free flour if desired)

• 1 cup sliced almonds

• '!. cup granulated sugar

1. In a large bowl combine the butters and the sugar. Stir until smooth.

2. Add the eggs and mix well. And the extracts and continue to mix.

3. Stir in the flour until there are no lumps.

4. Spread the batter into a parchment lined 9 x 13 inch pan. Sprinkle with the almonds and top with the sugar. With your clean hands evenly distribute the almonds and sugar.

5. Bake until set, about 35-40 minutes. Allow to cool before cutting.

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By Laurie & Mary Jane

This yummy recipe keeps in the fridge for a week and freezes well. Freeze in ice cube trays for single portions. So easy.

o 6 ounces fresh spinach

o 1 cup walnuts

o 1 tablespoon lemon juice

o 2 tablespoons ABV

o 1 teaspoon oregano

o 1/2 teaspoon thyme

o 3/4 to 1 cup olive oil

o Salt and pepper to taste

1. Combine the spinach, walnuts, lemon juice, ABV, oregano and thyme in a food processor. Puree.

2. Add the oi l in a stream and continue to puree.

3. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Photos by Bruce Wolf