This year, Christmas festivities for most of us will differ from the norm. We will be around fewer people than usual and attend fewer parties to keep each other safe during this pandemic. Yet, just because Christmas 2020 looks different this year, it doesn’t mean it can’t be unique.
This year calls for far better food and presents shared with only the best company. With that, we can add CBD to the mix — an ingredient utterly unusual to our traditional Christmas meal ideas but one that could take our festivities to the next level.
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What is CBD?
Cannabinol (CBD) comes from the same plant family as marijuana, but the two natural compounds differ in one critical aspect. While marijuana makes you high because it can contain up to 30 percent THC, hemp-derived CBD cannot make you high, nor is there a risk of overdose because it has less than 0.3 percent THC.
This difference, together with the fact that CBD is now legal in all US states and other countries, are just two reasons CBD has become so popular nowadays. Although research on this natural compound is limited, experts have observed encouraging results regarding its benefits for anxiety, depression, insomnia, diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, acne, and more.
It is no wonder that all these reasons have encouraged more people to try CBD. Knowing that this natural compound causes no harmful side effects makes it more tempting to try. CBD products come in different packages, from CBD oil tinctures to bath bombs, creams, vape liquids, and more.
CBD edibles are popular as well. You can find a whole range from CBD flour to gummies, chocolate, cooking oil, hard candy, pastries, and beverages. With so much variety out there, it is easy to create a CBD-themed Christmas meal. The following are seven delicious Christmas meal ideas to infuse with CBD.
CBD gravy
With so many turkey Christmas meals in our past, it’s no wonder we roll our eyes any time someone suggests turkey for Christmas lunch. You may be sick of this bird, but instead of foregoing this tradition, why not give it a modern spin by pairing it with an indulgent CBD gravy? Using CBD cooking oil or CBD flour to thicken the sauce, use this natural compound to bring a note of calm during lunch while indulging in the rich gravy and all the other condiments.
CBD scones
Although Christmas lunch is special, it is not the epicenter of our holidays. Maybe you are more into tea parties, where the guests can act refined, and the food doesn’t come with a mandatory three-hour nap to process it. If this sounds like you, then maybe a high tea party is your thing, and what better way to bring the CBD theme to such a classy event than by introducing your guests to CBD scones?
Scones are these wonderfully warm, buttery pastries that require us to cut them in half and cover them with spoonfuls of jam and lemon curd. They are always the protagonists of a tea party, and they are super easy to make in advance and bake just before the guests arrive to serve warm. You can try CBD flour for this occasion or melt CBD chocolate for guests to dress their scones.
CBD cookies
Served at tea parties, with coffee after a lengthy lunch, or in the break room before one meeting and the next, cookies are hard to resist, and adding CBD to them makes them even more tempting. You can turn cookies into CBD edibles no matter which flavor is your favorite. Some ideas for holiday-themed cookies include shortbread, sugar cookies, and the classic gingerbread men.
CBD sauce for the pudding
The Christmas pudding isn’t the most exciting part of the holiday season. This fruit cake is often decadent and has a potent taste of alcohol, which can even put off some avid drinkers. But if you love to honor tradition, how about making a CBD-infused butter or toffee pudding sauce that will make even skeptics fall in love with this old dessert recipe?
CBD brownies
The weed and brownie combo is not new to the scene, but with CBD, you can turn it into a safe dessert for chocolate lovers to indulge. Brownies are popular all year long, and yet, we never tire of them. Use CBD flour, cooking oil, or chocolate to create these creamy, heavenly squares. You can serve them warm with ice cream for dessert, during high tea, or give them as edible presents to someone who needs them.
CBD soup
Most of us need to prepare at least three courses for Christmas lunch. Often, the first course served is soup, followed by pasta or salad, and then the third and biggest meal. Winter soups can be as rich or as healthy as you want them to be. Pumpkin, cauliflower, broccoli, and marrow are all great options, and you can infuse them with CBD to launch Christmas lunch on an unexpected note.
CBD pancakes
If for no other reason, the holiday season allows us to enjoy slow mornings with the family. Many of us spend these mornings making holiday-themed pancakes, such as the famous pumpkin spice pancakes. So why not start the day with a dose of CBD by adding this natural compound to your favorite pancake recipe?
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