It’s the holiday season, which means that you’re probably going to—or may even host—a party or two, or three. The last thing you want to hear from any of your family or friends is, “Where’s the dip?” and not have one prepared.
Let’s face it: A holiday get-together is incomplete without a big bowl of grub-worthy dip surrounded by a platter of bread, vegetables and/or chips.
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If there’s one standard dip that’s guaranteed to please just about everyone at your party, it’s the classic spinach artichoke dip. Spinach artichoke dip isn’t only delicious, it’s also packed with lots of healthy nutrients. And if you really want to up your dip game this year (and score extra points with your friends), we suggest infusing it with cannabis.
Be Like Popeye & Eat Your Spinach
The benefits of spinach are almost legendary, thanks largely to that cartoon sailor named Popeye. Whenever Popeye saw trouble brewing, he’d eat a can of spinach, and suddenly his biceps would bulge like bowling balls. While the Popeye cartoon may have exaggerated spinach’s effects on the body, there are definitely big health benefits to be had from this leafy green.
For one, spinach is loaded with iron, which improves red blood cell function. As you may remember from high school biology, red blood cells transport oxygen through the body, and they increase your energy levels.
Your bones will also thank you for eating spinach, because of the plant’s high levels of vitamin K and calcium. One cup of cooked spinach provides a quarter of your daily recommended calcium intake, and there’s hardly any other food on the planet that can match spinach’s vitamin K content.
Even your eyes get to enjoy the benefits of spinach due to the high vitamin A content. One single cup of boiled spinach provides an entire day’s worth of vitamin A.
Finally, spinach is also a great source of:
- Vitamin C
- Manganese
- Magnesium
- Vitamin B2
Get the Health Benefits of Artichoke From Your Cannabis-Infused Dip
Meanwhile, the artichoke was once considered a delicacy by the Ancient Greeks and Romans. We’d like to think this was because of its nutritional benefits, but it probably had more to do with the fact that they thought the artichoke was an aphrodisiac.
While we can’t make any claims for the artichoke’s ability to get you in the mood, this vegetable is at least packed with nutrients. To start, it’s one of the best sources of antioxidants, which help protect your body against cancer and heart disease.
RELATED: DIY RECIPE: CANNABIS-INFUSED STUFFED ARTICHOKES MADE WITH LOVE
Thanks to its high fiber content, artichokes also promote regular bowel movements. The cynarin in this vegetable promotes improved liver health and helps fight against bad cholesterol. Artichokes have even been found to be effective at preventing skin cancer.
Additionally, artichokes are a good source of:
- Vitamin K
- Vitamin B9 (folate)
- Iron
- Magnesium
- Copper
- Calcium
- Phosphorous
- Manganese
- Potassium
How to Make Cannabis-Infused Spinach Artichoke Dip
So now that you know why spinach and artichokes are so good for you, why not combine all these health benefits into a delicious cannabis-infused dip?
When making a cannabis-infused dip of any kind, it’s important to keep the fat content relatively high. The cannabinoids in cannabis, like tetrahydrocannabinol
(THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), are fat-soluble, meaning they’re absorbed by fat in the body when eaten. The more fat that’s in food, the better the body can access the cannabinoids.
RELATED: WHY YOU NEED TO EAT FAT WITH YOUR CANNABIS
Luckily, spinach artichoke dip tends to have a pretty high fat content anyway, and the following cannabis-infused version is no different. For this rendition, we’ve kept things as simple as possible—all you really need to do is mix the ingredients together and throw them in the oven. So without further ado, let’s get started.
Ingredients for Cannabis-Infused Spinach Artichoke Dip
Makes approximately 10 servings.
- 10-oz package of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
- 14-oz can of chopped artichoke hearts
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated and divided
- 1 cup mozzarella, grated and divided
- 10 droppers full cannabis tincture of your choice (As listed, this works out to one dose per person. But the amount of cannabis tincture can be adjusted according to the number of guests, tolerance levels and desired effects.)
How to Make Cannabis-Infused Spinach Artichoke Dip
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the spinach, artichoke hearts, garlic, sour cream, mayonnaise, half the Parmesan cheese, half the mozzarella, and your desired amount of cannabis tincture. Mix together until smooth.
- Pour the mixture into a baking dish (a 9×9 casserole dish or even a pie dish should work fine) and sprinkle the remaining Parmesan and mozzarella on top.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
- Let cool and enjoy.
Photo credit: Melissa Walker Horn
If you’re new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our Cannabis 101 index of articles. HelloMD can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it’s easy, private and 100% online.
