Summer Infusions

With summer around the corner, let’s talk about making it greener than ever. Whether you’re sitting by a beach with your toes in the sand or enjoying the sunshine from an office window, there are plenty of ways to infuse your summer with fancy drinks, cookouts and adventures. Check out these tasty and fun filled ideas to add to your next sunshiny day.

Drinks

An afternoon cocktail can add sparkle to any day. For a citrus twist, here’s an Italian classic: the Aperol Spritzer. Teasingly bitter, but cool and bubbly, it’s between a cocktail and a glass of wine, ideal for adding a few drops of alcohol tincture for greenery. Traditionally consumed after lunch and before dinner, aromatics help stimulate the appetite. We already know cannabis does that.

Aperol Spritzer

½ oz Aperol

1/8 oz cannabis tincture over ice

Top with Prosecco ¾ of the way

Finish with a splash of sparkling water

Express an orange peel over the top

If wine is your thing there are frozen versions at even fine dining locales. Go a step further and introduce cannabis to be savvy. Pink wine is low in alcohol and watered down with ice and fruits, so it’s a safe place for a dose of cannabis. You can make them on demand or two at a time by dividing the ingredients in half for each run of the blender.

Frosé (Makes 5)

1 bottle rosé wine (drier the better, since you’re adding sweetness!)

½ carton of fresh strawberries, leaves removed

Juice of ½ lemon

1 tsp cannabis glycerin tincture

2 cups ice cubes

Fruits for garnish

Eats

When you’re entree ready, this recipe boasts mouth watering ingredients and potential for a grilled hit! Spark up your bowl and grill.

Cannabis-Infused Lemongrass Chicken Skewers (Makes 4 servings)

8-12 stalks lemongrass, or 8-12 metal or wooden skewers

4 boneless, skinless breasts cut in 1” chunks

2 lemons, sliced

12-16 whole mini peppers, poked through with a skewer if using lemongrass stalks

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

1-2 tbsp. canna-oil

1 tbsp. bell pepper, finely chopped

1 tsp. cumin

½ tsp. Aleppo pepper

¼ tsp. ground ginger

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp. coarse black pepper

1 tsp. salt

Juice of ½ lemon

Lots of lettuce leaves — Romaine, Boston, red or green leaf (or a combination)

Directions:Preheat grill.

1. Skewer chicken, lemon slices and peppers.

2.
In a small bowl combine yogurt, canna-oil, chopped peppers, ginger, garlic, and salt. Squeeze lemon juice into the mixture. Stir well.

3.
Grill skewers until the chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear. Serve with the sauce and lettuce on the side. Wrap the chicken and peppers in the lettuce leaves to eat.

The only thing better than a grilled slab of meat is a grilled slab that gets you stoned. This citrus steak pairs perfectly with spicy fresh greens.

Marijuana-Infused Skirt Steak Salad (Makes 4 servings)

20-ounce skirt steak

Juice of 1 lime

1 tbsp chili powder

2 bunches cilantro, stems removed

1 bunch flat parsley, rinsed, stems removed

1 bunch arugula, rinsed and trimmed

1 bunch scallions, shredded or chopped

½ cup shredded carrots

16 cherry tomatoes

2 tbsp canna-olive oil, plus 1 tbsp olive oil

3 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tsp Dijon mustard

Salt and coarse black pepper

Directions

1.
Place steak on work surface, rub with lime juice and chili powder. Broil or grill until done. Allow to sit after cooking for 8-10 minutes.

2.
In a large bowl combine the cilantro, parsley, arugula, scallions, carrots and tomatoes.

3.
In a small bowl whisk together canna-olive oil, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and mustard. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve on the side with the steak and greens, or toss before serving.

After Dinner Coffee

Coffee after dinner is common. Why not add some CBD benefits without losing quality or taste? BOCO-based SteepFuze was founded from Devin Jamroz and Ben Glennon’s quest to merge CBD’ with whole roasted coffee beans. Congenitally blind Master Coffee Roaster and Owner of The Unseen Bean, Gerry Leary roasts SteepFuze’s organically grown, fair trade, 100% Arabica beans to perfection. Complementing every small-batch roast is a full-spectrum cannabidiol (CBD) infused with hemp extracts during the roasting process.

CBD Coffee Ice-cream (Makes 1-quart)

1 1/2 cups whole milk

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups of whole Original SteepFuze Coffee beans OR SteepFuze Peruvian Decaf beans

Pinch of salt

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

5 large egg yolks

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Heat the milk, sugar, whole coffee beans, salt, and 1/2 cup of cream in a med. saucepan until warm, not boiling. Cover & remove from heat.

2. Let steep at room temperature for 1-hour.

3. Pour remaining cream into a med. size metal bowl, set on ice over a larger bowl, place mesh strainer on top of the bowls, then set aside.

4. Reheat the milk & coffee mixture on med. heat until hot. In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks together. Slowly pour the heated milk & coffee mixture into the egg yolks while whisking. Pour the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

5. Stir constantly over med. heat for about 10 minutes, scraping the bottom as you stir.

6. Pour the mixture through the strainer into the cream. Press on the coffee beans in the strainer to extract as much of the coffee as possible. Discarding the beans, mix in the vanilla and stir until cool.

7. Finally chill the mixture in the refrigerator and then place in your ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

Smokes

When you’re ready to spark your own sunshine these buds are sure to put a smile on your face. Godfather OG is the most potent marijuana strain on the planet. This indica dominant hybrid is reported to have a THC content of over 34 percent! This strain will hit with an incredible cerebral high that soon results in euphoria. Users feel happy, and soon, Godfather OG works its magic on the body.

Chemdawg previously held the record for highest THC content, winning the Cannabis Cup with a THC level of 32.13 percent when cultivated by Next Harvest in Denver. It is one of the most mysterious marijuana strains as little is known about its genetics or history. This strain has a powerful relaxing effect ideal for calming down a racing mind. If you’re stressed and need to chill out, Chemdawg is perfect. It is also conducive to creativity.

If you’re growing your own remember the heat of summer can wreak havoc on any garden, indoor and out. Taking precautions with cannabis is highly recommended. Cannabis plants can only withstand a certain amount of heat and light. To keep your green garden from wilting here are some tips for indoor and outdoor grows to survive a hot summer.

1.Never let your plants dry out, but don’t over water!

Plants drink a lot in the heat and if they dry out they can die almost overnight. Having a good amount of water will help them be as healthy as possible. Conversely, it’s easy for plants to get over-watered in the heat, because hot water contains less oxygen. “Over-watering” and droopiness are actually the symptoms of the roots getting enough water but not enough oxygen.

2.Take Advantage of Evaporative Cooling

As water evaporates during the day, evaporative cooling keeps the roots and area directly around the plant slightly cooler. To enhance, some growers take a shallow but wide tray, fill it with something like pebbles or gravel, then fill it with water up until the top. Place your plant container on top.

3. Temperature monitoring & counteraction.

This is the magic number: 77°F (25°C). Even tropical plants thrive around this temperature, providing relative humidity is around 50%-60%. In fact, this temperature is damn near perfect for most plants.

Strategies for Combating
Excessive Heat in your Indoor Gardens

1. Reduce Nutrient Concentration

Highly recommended for hydroponic growers!

2. Temporarily raise and/or dim your grow lights.

3. Power Down!

It’s much more preferable to simulate a cloudy, overcast day than a scorched desert. Don’t be afraid to switch off half of your grow lights for a few days during a heat wave.

4. Add Air Conditioning

5. Keep Your Roots Cool

The optimum temperature for active metabolism in most plants’ root zones is around 64-68°F (18-20°C). Ensure that your water or nutrient solution is at this temperature too.

Outdoor Gardens

If your grow is outdoors it becomes a bit more difficult to control temperature but opportunities to cool your grow are still available.

1. Offer Shade.

It’s easy to move plants in containers, but even if plants are in the ground you can offer shade. Erect a frame around them so they’re getting full sunlight most of the time, but when it gets really hot you can throw a shade cloth over the top to give them partial shade without reducing airflow.

2. Offer a Breeze.

If your plants are in containers and can be moved this is an ideal option. Sometimes different parts of your yard or grow area are more suitable than others, so it can help to think about whether a slightly different placement may be better for your plant. That being said, don’t leave cannabis plants totally exposed or put them somewhere they’ll get beat up by the wind! If your plants can’t be moved remember that plants that are grouped together often perform better than a single plant scorching in the sun by itself.