1

GOOD MORNING JAH

“Misty mornin’,
don’t see no sun /
I know you’re out there somewhere having fun.”

—“MISTY MORNING,” BOB MARLEY

GUAVA CREAM CHEESE–STUFFED BANANA MUFFINS

MAKES 12 MUFFINS (5 MG THC PER MUFFIN)

ENHANCED MUFFINS are a great pack-ahead and go option for a hike, a picnic, or any place where a portable spiked treat might be welcome (long train ride? all-day concert?). These have some banana for fiber and complex carbs in the form of white whole wheat flour for slow-burning energy. (For an even more nutritious muffin, use all white whole wheat flour—the muffins will be a little heartier.) They are topped with crunchy granola, but the real magic is in the gooey guava–cream cheese filling made using guava paste; it’s such a tasty surprise when you bite in (see here for more about guava paste). The granola topping adds extra crunch and deliciousness.

→ TO FULL RECIPE ←

JAMAICAN CORNMEAL PORRIDGE

SERVES 4 (5 MG THC PER SERVING)

THE FIRST MEAL OF THE DAY in Jamaica is often a porridge, maybe oatmeal, green banana, or one like this sweet and creamy cornmeal porridge. It’s warm and hearty, and Mama used to say it’s a thinking food—it fuels your brain and fills you up with energy. Sometimes I like to sprinkle wheat germ on top for extra nutrients. If you are into the practice of saving kief after grinding Herb, try sprinkling a little pinch of it (see here for more on kief and trichomes) over the porridge.

→ TO FULL RECIPE ←

BANANA FRITTERS

SERVES 4 (MAKES 8 FRITTERS; 5 MG THC PER SERVING)

WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, when the bananas became too overripe and sugar-rich to eat we turned them into luscious and sweet, crispy banana fritters—what a treat! The trick to crispy edges and a deep brown sugar flavor in the fritter is to fry the bananas in butter and coarse cane sugar before adding the batter to the pan. The bananas caramelize and become sticky-good—when you flip the fritter it’s like a mini upside-down cake. If you have CannaVanilla Extract on hand, you can replace ½ teaspoon of the regular vanilla with it, and then omit the spiked butter or oil.

→ TO FULL RECIPE ←

CURRY RUNDOWN WITH BOILED GREEN BANANA

SERVES 4 (5 MG THC PER SERVING)

YOU WANT TO FEEL GOOD? You make a rundown! This is Jamaican comfort food at its best, and since it is loaded with healthy veggies, while it will fill you up it won’t weigh you down. When I’m hosting a brunch, I’ll often use up all the veggie odds and ends in the fridge to make a rundown—it can easily be doubled or tripled for a big group. Any time you add coconut milk to a dish it immediately takes on a sexy vibe—and it’s even sexier tun up with some Herb, too. Like lots of saucy Jamaican dishes, we begin by “burning” the garlic, ginger, and curry powder in some annatto oil (here). Burning it doesn’t mean you actually burn it; you just give it a good hard cooking in the pan. The flavors of the coconut, ginger, garlic, and curry are very bold, making this recipe a great one for introducing friends who might be wary of Herb flavor to a great-tasting Herb-enhanced dish.

→ TO FULL RECIPE ←

SMOKE RING STUFFED BAGELS

SERVES 4 (5 MG THC PER SERVING)

THIS IS A GOOD ONE for those times when you just want to make something impromptu spiked with Herb that’s delicious, simple, and fast. It’s as perfect on the brunch table as it is in a picnic basket. Lox makes a special-occasion food, so even though this cool-looking dish takes only minutes to make, it seems kind of fancy. I scoop out some of the doughy center of the bagel and stuff it with a smoked salmon spread made with cream cheese, cucumber, red onion, dill, and capers—and a little CannaOil too, which works really well with the smoky taste of the salmon. When you slice it in half, it looks like a little bit of wizardry was cast upon the bagel—it really does look “stuffed.” If you don’t have CannaOil to add to the cream cheese, you could sub in an Herb-enhanced spice blend (here).

→ TO FULL RECIPE ←

HEMP SEED FRIED DUMPLINGS

SERVES 4 (MAKES 8; 5 MG THC PER SERVING)

FRIED DUMPLINGS (also known as Johnnycakes) are one of the most common breakfast “withs” you come across in Jamaica—they are the must-have side dish to the custardy fruit called ackee (which looks like scrambled eggs when sautéed). Add saltfish and you have our national dish. In Jamaica where the humidity is high and bread goes bad fast, dumplings not only taste so good but they make sense too as they can be quickly made and fried fresh. Hulled hemp seeds (see here for more information) are a wonder food, a perfect protein that brings the whole spectrum of amino acids to these dumplings; but don’t worry, the hemp seeds you buy in the grocery store are agricultural hemp seeds—they don’t have the THC that gets you high, so no fears about double dosing.

→ TO FULL RECIPE ←