A Seat At Our Thanksgiving Table: A Celebration with LEVO & Sous Weed

By Monica Lo for MARY Magazine

 

It sounds kind of silly but Thanksgiving is one of my favorite days of the year. Aside from the delicious food, the reflective nature of this holiday tends to bring out the positivity in people. ‘Tis the season for gratitude! It’s also a time to explore the senses–from the warm fragrances to the sounds personal connections being made with friends and family. But let’s be honest, the best sense to explore on this day is taste, and food always tastes better in good company.

Give thanks to loved ones by upgrading a few of your favorite Thanksgiving dishes with a little help from LEVO. Lightly enhancing your food with cannabis is something I like to do on a daily basis to soothe tensions and be more mindful. Have fun playing with different strains throughout the course of a meal depending on the desired effects or terpene flavor profiles. For example, I like to start my meals with a sativa with a citrusy aroma in a cocktail or a salad dressing, then move onto indica for the main courses, and end the meals with something a little more CBD heavy at the end to ground myself. Much like a wine pairing, it’s a personal preference and there are no absolutes, but it’s important for you and your guests to have fun with it!

First, let’s set a few ground rules for medicating safely this holiday season. Always test the dosage of your oil beforehand so you know how much to infuse into each dish. You can use a tCheck device to accurately determine the strength of your oil. Start low and go slow–a beginner’s dose should be 5-10mg per person and allow up to an hour for full effects. It’s best practice to label every dish with the dosage so people can self-medicate as needed. Finally, keep all medicated food away from children and animals.

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Medicated Butter with the LEVO

Makes 16 oz

Ingredients

• 6 grams herb, coarse ground
• 16 oz grassfed butter

 

Directions

1. Fill LEVO herb pod with herb. If you have the new Power Pod, you can double your dosage and make an even more potent batch.
2. Fill the LEVO reservoir with butter and set to 175ºF for 4 hours, very much like sous vide, or Sous Weed, if you will!
3. After two hours, use the LEVO Herb Press to give the herb a good press and let it run for another two hours.
4. After the infusion is ready, dispense and use for your recipes. Use a tCheck to test the strength of your dosage!

 

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Medicated Creamed Spinach

Serves 3 people

Ingredients

• 2 large bunches flat-leaf baby spinach, stems trimmed
• 1 medium shallot, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 oz cream cheese, cut into cubes
• 2 Tbsp medicated butter
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• Pinch of nutmeg
• Salt and pepper to taste

 

Directions

1. Bring a medium pot of salted water to boil. Add spinach and cook for 30 seconds.
2. Remove the pot from heat and rinse spinach in colander with cold water. Squeeze out all liquid, chop, and set aside.
3. In a large saucepan, heat medicated butter over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
4. Add heavy cream, cream cheese, and stir until smooth. Add in spinach and stir until uniform. Simmer over medium for about 8 minutes.
5. Stir in parmesan cheese and nutmeg. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.

 

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Medicated Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Serves 3-4 people

Ingredients

• 3 large russet potatoes, cleaned
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 oz cream cheese
• 1/2 cup medicated butter
• 1/3 cup milk
• Salt and pepper to taste

 

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil and add in potatoes. Boil for 30 minutes or until tender.
2. In a small frying pan over medium heat, add a Tbsp of cooking oil and minced garlic. Cook until lightly brown. Quickly remove from heat before they burn. Set aside.
3. Drain potatoes and add back to pot. Add in medicated butter, cream cheese, milk, crispy garlic and mash together with a potato masher.
4. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.

 

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Medicated Sweet Corn Spoon Bread

Serves 4-6 people

 

Ingredients:

• 1 (8.5 oz) box of JIFFY Corn Muffin Mix
• 1 can creamed corn
• 1 cup fresh corn kernels
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup medicated butter, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

 

Directions

1. Preheat over to 375ºF and lightly oil a cast iron skillet.
2. In a large bowl, combine corn muffin mix, creamed corn, fresh corn, sour cream, heavy cream, medicated butter, eggs, honey, and sea salt.
3. Spread the corn mixture into the skillet and bake in oven until golden brown, about 35-40 mins.
4. Serve warm.

 

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Medicated Turkey gravy

Serve 6-8

 

Ingredients

• 1 cup Turkey drippings from the oven
• 2 cups of chicken stock
• 3 Tbsp medicated butter
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 1/4 cup AP flour
• Salt and pepper to taste

 

Instructions

1. In a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat, bring turkey drippings, chicken stock, and rosemary to a boil.
2. Once it’s boiling, remove the rosemary and turn the heat down to medium. Add in medicated butter and stir until uniform.
3. Whisk in AP flour and continue stirring until the gravy thick. Once you reach the consistency of your choice, turn the heat to low.
4. Salt and pepper to taste and serve when ready.

 

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Medicated Sous Vide Pumpkin Cheesecake

Serves 4 people

 

Cheesecake Ingredients

• 8oz cream cheese – softened
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice
• 1 Tbsp AP flour

 

Crust Ingredients

• 10 Graham crackers – crushed
• 1/3 cup medicated butter, softened
• 1/3 cup sugar
• Smoked Maldon Salt for garnish, optional

 

Directions

1. Set up sous vide water bath to 77ºC (170ºF)
2. Add an egg and sugar into a large mixing bowl and beat using a hand mixer.
3. Beat in cream cheese, sour cream, heavy cream, pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice, and AP flour until completely uniform.
4. Pour the cheesecake mixture in a gallon sized zip seal bag. Seal and remove air using the water displacement method and sous vide for 2 hours.
5. In a food processor, mix together Graham crackers, medicated butter, and sugar until fully incorporated. Split the mixture between 4 medium-sized ramekins or glasses. Set aside.
6. After 2 hours, remove the cheesecake mixture from the water bath and cut one corner. Squeeze the mixture into the ramekins or glasses. Refrigerate for at least an hour for the cheesecake to set.
7. Serve with a pinch of pumpkin spice and crunchy smoked Maldon Salt on top.