A Balance Of Tastes

Probably everybody who consumes cannabis or just enjoys reading about it knows the cannabis compound tetrahydrocannabinol, better known as THC.

THC is famous for being the marijuana substance with psychoactive effects, which in other words means it is responsible for getting you high. Yet, not everyone knows the cannabis compound cannabidiol (CBD).

As a matter of fact, CBD is one of cannabis most important compound, if not the most important of all. This miraculous substance is responsible for giving children with epilepsy new life perspective, improving their well- being.

Recently the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Epidiolex, a cannabidiol-based medication for childhood seizures. Different from THC, CBD oil is legal. Well, kind of. But we’ll get to that later.

What’s so different about CBD that makes it legal? In order to solve that question, we are going to explain the differences between THC and CBD, and in addition to that, you’ll also get to see an expert opinion.

THC vs Cannabidiol

Before we start comparing these two, we are going to give you a clear view of what is THC and what is CBD.

THC is one of the hundred substances found on the cannabis plant, and it is the main psychoactive compound of the substances found in the plant. CBD is also a compound found in the marijuana, and in fact, both substances share the same chemical structure. CBD may not be everyone’s favorite since it lacks any psychoactive effects, and no one can get high by consuming it.

Even though both CBD and THC share the same molecular structure, which is 21 carbon atoms, 30 hydrogen atoms, and 2 oxygen atoms in case you want to know, they are arranged differently. THC has a cyclic ring while CBD has a hydroxyl group. These small differences separate these two into completely different compounds.

Consequently, the effects of CBD and THC are nothing similar. Aside from getting people high, THC also increases the user’s creativity, euphoria, hunger and helps reducing stress, fatigue, and aggression.

THC also helps to treat and to manage symptoms of several medical conditions, such as:

• Chronic pain
• Mood disorders (depression, bipolar disorder)
• HIV/AIDS
• Cancer
• Inflammation
• Spinal cord injury
• Glaucoma

CBD, on the other hand, doesn’t get anyone high. But it does have a great number of benefits for your health and in treating medical conditions. CBD helps to treat and to manage symptoms of:

• Acne
• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
• Anxiety Disorders
• All kinds of pain (neuropathic, chronic, acute, etc.)
• Dyskinesia
• Diabetes
• Epilepsy
• Heart Disease
• Inflammation
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
• Mad Cow Disease
• Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
• Nausea
• Parkinson’s
• Psoriasis
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Schizophrenia
• Substance Abuse

Despite the extent list of medical benefits both THC and CBD brings to people, only a few controlled clinical trials were conducted until 2018, which leaves space for doubts.

To the best of our knowledge, many people testified the benefits of marijuana for a wide variety of medical conditions, whether it has been proved scientifically or not. You can also avail medical marijuana card in New York through Veriheal.

The Expert Committee on Drug Dependence of the World Health Organization published a review on November 2017 about cannabidiol, in which they affirmed that “In clinical trials, CBD has been demonstrated as an effective treatment for at least some forms of epilepsy. A good example of that is the case of Alex Repetski’s daughter. He gives his daughter Gwenevere cannabis oil in order to stop her from having seizures. Ever since she started getting treated with cannabis oil, she had one small seizure the day after she first started taking it.

One of the major reasons why CBD is widely used by medical marijuana patients is that unlike THC, it has no side effects. Only if used with other medications. However, THC causes a series of side effects such as dry mouth, red eyes, problems with coordination, memory loss, and increased heart rate.

CBD also lacks psychoactive effects, so children treating medical conditions are free to use it without their parents having to worry if their kids are getting high on drugs.

There’s a gray area on the law that also allows that CBD is sold online and it can be shipped all across America, not only in the 30 states with a medical marijuana program. But this CBD must be hemp-derived, which means it must be CBD from a marijuana plant that contains less or 0.3 of THC content.

The WHO review also reported that CBD in a study made with animals “no tolerance developed to CBD at any of the dosages, unlike with THC that was also studied.”

Without further ado, cannabidiol and tetrahydrocannabinol are effective substances for certain medical treatments, and both have pros and cons. It is up to cannabis consumers to pick what they believe it’s best, including those who are under a medical marijuana treatment.

Now that you know the differences between these marijuana substances, why don’t you go to Veriheal and get a medical marijuana card to try both of them?…

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I’m a huge lover of anything in miniature.

So financiers (aka little French cakes) are among my favorite desserts.

Made with a mixture of almond meal and all-purpose flour, they’re light and delicate while still packing a lot of flavors.

Today I’m bringing you this recipe for pear financiers because of #fall. Just be sure to use a real vanilla bean, that’s the key!

Recipe

Makes 9

Ingredients

150 g unsalted butter
120 grams egg whites
125 grams sugar
55 grams flour
55 grams almond meal
1 vanilla bean
1/2 pear, peeled cored and diced

Instructions

1. Cook the butter in a small saucepan until it starts to foam and dark particles start to form on the bottom of the pan. It will smell nutty. Strain the butter and let it cool.
2. Cut the vanilla bean in half and use the back of your knife to scrape out the beans. Whisk together the vanilla beans, egg whites, sugar, flour, and almond meal. Slowly add the brown butter and whisk until it is incorporated. Let the batter rest in the refrigerator overnight.
3. Spoon the batter into silicone molds. Top each pear and bake at 375 F for about 10-25 minutes or until golden. The time will vary depending on the size of the mold. I used these 2.5 oz cup molds and baked mine for about 22 minutes. Just make sure that a toothpick inserted into the center of the financier comes out clean.
4. Remove from the oven and transfer to a baking tray to cool. Dust with powdered sugar.
5. Enjoy!

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Recipe

Makes 8-10 small waffles

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp ground flaxseed meal
• 2 ½ tbsp water
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• ½ cup buckwheat flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp nutmeg (optional)
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¾ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)
• 3 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 small bananas, mashed
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• non-stick spray

Instructions

1. Stir together flaxseed meal and water. Set aside for 5 minutes.
2. Whisk together all dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
3. In a small cup, microwave coconut oil on 50% power until melted (about 1 minute). In a medium bowl, microwave almond milk on 50% power until lukewarm (about 20 seconds).
4. Add melted coconut oil, maple syrup, mashed bananas, and vanilla to the almond milk. Whisk to combine.
5. Gently fold wet ingredients into dry mixture until just combined with no floury streaks. Set aside.
6. Preheat a waffle iron (on medium-high if your waffle iron has a temperature setting).
7. Once hot, grease a waffle iron with non-stick spray (I use coconut oil). Use an ice cream scoop or 1/3 measuring cup to measure out batter for each waffle. Makes approximately 8-10 small waffles.
8. Enjoy!

Adapted from The Pancake Princess.…

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That pretty much sums up this key lime curd ice cream.

It’s the perfect dish for lazy summer afternoons.

For some added yum, try topping your ice cream with Annie’s Bunny Grahams (or Teddy Grahams, not playing brand favorites) and whipped cream.

Recipe

Makes 1-1/2 to 2 pints

Ingredients

KEY LIME CURD

1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp grated key lime zest
1/4 cup key lime juice
4 tbsp unsalted butter

ICE CREAM BASE

1 3/4 cup cream
3/4 cup 2% milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
5 egg yolks

Instructions

1. Prepare key lime curd. Combine sugar, eggs, lime zest, and juice in a medium nonreactive saucepan, and set over medium-low heat. Cook, whisking constantly until mixture begins to thicken and holds the mark of the whisk, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove pan from heat, and whisk in butter, 1 tbsp at a time, until well combined. Strain the mixture through a sieve into a glass bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, laying the plastic directly onto the surface of the curd to prevent a skin from forming. Chill 3 hours or overnight to set the curd.
2. Prepare ice cream base. In a medium-size saucepan whisk together cream, milk, 1/2 cup of the sugar and salt. Heat over medium/low heat until steaming.
3. In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk the egg yolks and slowly add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar.
4. When the cream mixture is hot and steaming, slowly pour a small amount of the hot cream mixture into the egg yolk mixture stirring constantly. Continue to add at least 1/2 of the hot cream mixture.
5. Gently pour the egg/cream mixture back into the pan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. When the mixture coats the back of the spoon, remove from heat and pour into an airtight container. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.
6. Freeze the bowl of an ice cream maker.
7. When ready to make the ice cream, pour the custard base into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions. Add lemon curd the last 5 – 10 minutes of mixing. Mix until incorporated then transfer to an airtight container and freeze until serving.
8. Enjoy!

Adapted slightly from Instapot.Online.…

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