How to Make the Best Cannabis Veggie Dish For National Eat Your Vegetables Day

“Did you eat all your vegetables?”

We hope so! This is your health we’re talking about!

And vegetables are an important part of maintaining good health.

Why else do you think June 17 is National Eat Your Vegetables Day?

Here’s the truth: 90% of Americans don’t eat enough vegetables. Which is crazy.

U.S. dietary guidelines recommend that we eat at least 1 1/2 to two cups of fruit per day and two cups of vegetables per day.

And there’s a good reason for that.

Why We Need Vegetables

We’ve been told since we were kids that you should eat your vegetables, but why should we? What are the benefits?

We want details!

Well, for one things, vegetables contain tons of vitamins and nutrients that your body needs to function properly. When you eat lots of vegetables, you can

Lower your blood pressure
Reduce your risk of heart disease
Reduce your risk of stroke
Help prevent certain kinds of cancer
Reduce your risk of eye and digestive illnesses
Help maintain healthy blood sugar levels
Promote weight loss (non-starchy vegetables and fruits)

On the other hand, NOT eating enough vegetables means that you aren’t getting enough nutrients and are therefore increasing your likelihood of developing illnesses like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.

Tips on How to Eat More Vegetables (and Fruits)

Keep a bowl of clean fruit on your countertop or dinner table. Sort of like a reminder, as if to say, “Hey there. Remember me? I’m fruit. Eat me!

Eat vegetables of different varieties and color. The categories you want to be sampling from are dark leafy greens, yellow and orange vegetables, red vegetables, beans and peas, and citrus fruits.

Skip potatoes. If you’re trying to cut back on your calories and carbs, you’ll definitely want to cut back on potatoes. Instead, eat sweet potatoes; they have less carbs and calories than regular potatoes.

Do Meatless Monday. Did you know that a vegetarian/vegan diet is better for the planet? But if you’re not ready to bite the bullet and become a full-on vegetarian, the next best thing is to dedicate an entire day to plant-based foods. Check out Meatless Monday for recipes and tips.

Cannabis and Vegetables

Okay, technically, cannabis is a vegetable…more or less.

In fact, some people claim that eating raw cannabis is really good for you.

Unfortunately, most people living in the Las Vegas / Clark County area don’t have access to raw cannabis because, according to state law, you can only grow cannabis if there’s no dispensary within a 25-mile radius.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the health benefits of cannabis while feasting on veggies and fruits!

3 Vegetables and Fruits that Will Enhance the Power of Your Cannabis

Mango

Mangos contain high concentrations of the terpene myrcene, which when paired with cannabis, can intensify its relaxation and pain relief effects.

Many indica strains, like Black Afghan, contain high concentrations of myrcene, so combine these with mangos to achieve that extra sedative feeling!

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are filled with Vitamin E and B, which helps your brain make serotonin. This can go great with a sativa strain like Jack Herer, which can help improve your mood and focus!

Broccoli

Broccoli is full of beta-caryophyllene, which is a natural pain reliever and anti-inflammatory. Pair a few bites of broccoli with a CBD-dominant or hybrid strain for some additional relief.

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Want to make the best cannabis veggie dish for National Eat Your Vegetables Days? Here are some recipes!

1. Cannabis-Infused Roasted Summer Vegetables

(Adapted from Food Network)

What You Need

2 medium zucchinis
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow or orange bell pepper
1 fennel bulb
1 small red onion
2 tablespoons of cannabis olive oil
3 cloves (1 tablespoon) of minced garlic
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper
4 sprigs of fresh thyme

How to Make It

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
Cut off the ends of the zucchinis and cut them diagonally into 3/4-inch thick slices
Cut peppers lengthwise in 1 1/2-inch-wide slices. Throw away the core.
Trim the fennel stalks and cut the bulb through the core into 1-inch wedges
Peel the onion and slice it into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
Place the vegetables on a sheet pan in a single layer. Drizzle with the cannabis olive oil and add garlic. Use an extra sheet if necessary.
Toss the vegetables gently to ensure all the vegetables are covered with oil.
Sprinkle the vegetables with salt and pepper. Place the thyme sprigs on top.
Roast for 15 minutes.
Turn each piece over and put pans back in oven for 5 to 10 minutes until vegetables are crispy yet tender.
Add a extra bit of salt and serve.

Cannabis Veggie Pizza

(adapted from All Recipes)

2 teaspoons of active dry yeast
1 cup of warm water
3 cups of all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon of white sugar
1 tablespoon of dried oregano
1 teaspoon of salt
1 egg
1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil
15-ounce can of diced tomatoes
6-ounce can of tomato paste
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon of dried oregano
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon of onion powder
1 teaspoon of salt
A pinch of ground black pepper
1 1/4 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup of chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup of chopped onion
1/2 cup of sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup of cannabis olive oil

How to Make It

Add yeast to warm water (about 100 degrees F) in a small bowl. Let stand for 5 minutes until the yeast softens and forms a creamy foam.
Sift flour, sugar, 1 tablespoon of oregano, and 1 teaspoon of salt in a large bowl. Mix egg and non-infused olive oil into the dry ingredients; stir in the yeast mix.
When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and stretchy.
Coat the inside of a large bowl with non-infused olive oil, then place the dough inside. Coat the dough with oil.
Cover the flour with a light cloth and let it rise in a warm place (80 to 95 degrees F) until it doubles in volume. This should take roughly 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
Cook and stir diced tomatoes, tomato paste, onion, 1 tbsp of oregano, garlic, onion powder, 1 tsp of salt, and pepper in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the sauce has thickened – roughly 15-20 minutes.
Punch down the dough. Next, place it onto a lightly floured surface. Use a knife to divide the dough into two equal pieces without tearing it. Shape dough into rounds and let it rest for 10 minutes. Form dough into rectangles and place onto the baking sheet. Spread tomato sauce over the dough with a spoon.
Sprinkle with 1 1/4 cup of mozzarella cheese. Top with onion, mushroom and bell pepper. Add 1/4 cup of mozzarella cheese on the top
Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes until cheese is melted and crust is brown and crisp.
Remove from oven and drizzle with cannabis-infused olive oil.

Mashed Cannabis Cauliflower With Parmesan Cheese

(Adapted from Taste of Home)

If you’re trying to cut back on potatoes but still like that mashed potato taste, this is a bang-up recipe. Tastes almost like the real thing!

What You Need

1 large head of cauliflower (2 1/2 pounds)
1 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
1/3 cup of heavy whipping cream or half and half
1 tablespoon of cannabutter
1/2 teaspoon of pepper
Minced parsley

How to Make It

Break up the cauliflower into florets.
Place 1 inch of water and cauliflower in a large saucepan and bring to boil at high heat. Leave it covered for 10-12 minutes until soft. Drain water.
Mash the cauliflower. Stir in 1/2 cup of cheese, cream, cannabutter, and pepper. Top off with remaining cheese and parsley.

Cannabis Salad Dressing

Salads are easy. No cooking required.

Just rinse the vegetables off, cut them up, throw them in a bowl, and presto! You got a salad.

You can put anything you want in your salad: lettuce, spinach, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, mushrooms, olives, croutons, bacon bits…whatever your heart desires.

And if you’d like to make your own cannabis salad dressing, all you really need is cannabis olive oil.

First, pick up a Good Seasons Italian Dressing Cruet Kit. You can snag one at Target for $3.

Once you’ve got your cruet and you’re ready to make some salad dressing, here’s what you do:

Pour vinegar into the cruet until it reaches the “V” line.
Add 3 tbsp of water, which should take it up to the “W” line
Add 1/2 cup of cannabis olive oil up until it reaches the “O” line
Add in the salad dressing mix
Place the cap on the cruet tightly and shake vigorously until the ingredients are well-blended.

Voila! You’ve just made your own cannabis salad dressing. And when you run out of Italian Dressing mix, you can try some of Good Seasons other mixes: Balsamic, Garlic and Herb, and Greek.

And that should do it for our post on how to make the best cannabis veggie dish for National Eat Your Vegetables Day!

If you need to stock up on cannabutter, cannabis olive oil, or anything else, visit us at any of our three locations — Las Vegas Strip, Tropicana West and Henderson — and one of our dispensary consultants will help you out.

And remember: you can always place your order online for either pickup or delivery!