Curious if you can chow down on decarbed cannabis? Short answer: YES!
After the decarboxylation process, you can eat your activated material with no further processing such as infusion. Precision activation gives you an average of 100 – 250 mg THC per gram (depending on the potency of your starting flower), which means you only need a small amount of decarbed bud if you’re adding it to your food. Once your weed is activated, the options are endless!
One of the most mess-free and convenient ways to make edibles is by sprinkling decarbed bud directly over your food before consuming. Instant edibles save time and keep the mess to a minimum. You can literally do anything with it and you will feel the effects – including eating it plain or tossing some into your favorite home cooked meal or your takeout!
Next question: Should you eat decarbed cannabis as is? It’s all about preference! We’re big fans of the instant edible method but for many in our Owner’s Club, Ardent You Glad You Can Decarb?, this is a hot topic. Recently, Ardent community members shared their insights and consumption choices. Read more below!
And if you still need to grab an Ardent decarboxylator in order to activate and eat directly or to infuse into your favorite snacks, grab one now!
Everyone’s body (and endocannabinoid system) is slightly different, which is why it’s so difficult to answer the “what should my dose be?” question. The answer depends on a number of factors, including the strain you’re consuming, the consumption method you’re using, your tolerance, your size, and your metabolism. Let’s take a closer look at how these circumstances impact your cannabis experience.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
What impacts the cannabis consumption experience?
Strain specifications
Each strain has its own unique cannabinoid profile as well as its own specific terpene profile. When these cannabinoids are consumed together, which contain varying amounts of not only THC or CBD, but trace quantities of any of the other 111 known cannabinoid compounds, along with that unique blend of terpenes, the consumer experiences what’s called the entourage effect. That’s why every strain feels and tastes slightly different, and why you might not experience a full therapeutic range of effects when using an isolate product, like distaillate. Full spectrum cannabis, like flower, kief, solventless concentrates like ice-water hash and rosin, as well as trim and even sugarleaf and stems are a much better choice because they contain the full slate of benefits the plant has to offer.
Setting
If you’re consuming in a comfortable, familiar environment, you may experience cannabis completely differently than you would in a new or uncomfortable place. If you’re only used to smoking or consuming quietly in your bedroom in order to relax but then decide to go to a museum or art gallery when you’re high, for example, it can suddenly seem like your boots are a bit too loud and stomp down when you take each step, your breathing is weirdly recognizable, and you think everyone around you knows that you’re high. From your bedroom, you might not necessarily have the same feelings of paranoia, even with the same strain and dose, because your setting is a major contributor to your cannabis experience.
Set/Mood
Your emotions also play a part in the cannabis consumption experience. You’ll likely experience the same strain of cannabis slightly differently if you’re going through a breakup vs. when you’re celebrating a new job, for example. The mindset you bring to the experience makes all the difference. If you consume before a brainstorm, you might feel ultra creative and productive for a long time, where smoking prior to a stressful call might completely blow your high.
DNA
Since everyone is slightly different, and everyone feels ingested cannabis differently, our experience actually comes back to our DNA. A gene called CYP2C9 is responsible for turning cannabinoids (among other things) into usable materials for the body. This gene and the enzyme it subsequently produces come in three variations: CYP2C9 AA, CYP2C9 AC and CYP2C9 CC. Folks with the AA variation usually have issues feeling the effects of ingested cannabis overall, which is why some people don’t feel the effects of edibles as their genetic code converts the cannabinoids into waste prior to hitting the bloodstream. The AC variation is somewhere in the middle, while folks with the CC variation feel the most impact from ingested cannabis.
Tolerance
Tolerance is when your body and brain get used to a compound and requires more of that substance to feel that initial effect. THC activates CB1 receptors in the brain. After repeated use, anywhere between a few consecutive days to a few weeks of use, the brain slows down CB1 activity and doesn’t give you the same punch for the same quantity of cannabinoids. You can easily give your mind and body a reset with a tolerance break, which after just two weeks, can return your receptors back to normal.
Methods of Consumption
Inhalation
You will generally feel the effects of inhaled cannabis within 2-10 minutes of consumption. It first hits the lungs, then the bloodstream, and it lasts, on average, about 1-3 hours.
Oral
When you eat your cannabis, in the form of edibles, capsules, or a swallowed tincture, it can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 3 hours to kick in. Although you usually feel most of the experience around the 2 hour mark, an edible high can last for a whole day, and can sometimes result in a mild groggy feeling the next day. Note that as cannabis moves through the liver, it is metabolized into 11 hydroxy THC, which can have varying effects on the individual. Due to the issues with oral consumption and the resulting first-pass metabolism involved, people who are not satisfied with oral consumption often seek sublingual, vaginal, or rectal methods of consumption.
Sublingual
Consuming cannabis sublingually is usually done with an alcohol or oil-based tincture. Many consumers opt for this method, which involves holding the product under the tongue for about a minute before swallowing, because it has an onset time of about 10-15 minutes and can last for a few hours.
Topical
Topical application of an infused cream, salve, balm, or oil, results in absorption through the body’s largest organ, the skin. When cannabinoids are applied topically, they don’t result in psychoactive effects, just localized relief in joints and muscles. However, be careful, as THC lotions, bath soaks and other topical applications can inadvertently make contact with mucous membranes and enter the bloodstream. There are also specific topicals, like transdermal patches, that have ingredients designed to penetrate the skin and enter the bloodstream
Vaginal or Rectal
Suppositories are an excellent method for delivering cannabinoids into the bloodsteam and providing localized therapy for the lower half of the body, without having to go through the digestive system. With a varying time of onset, from 15 minutes to an hour, the intensity of the effect is also related to placement, with further insertion often linked to more intense psychoactive effects.
Calculating Your Dose
Decarboxylation: Using Ardent technology means you’ll activate 97-100% of your plant material, as compared to other decarb methods that average only 60%. Check the label on your cannabis to determine the percentage of THCa present in your starting material. Now here’s the science: In order to convert THCa into biolaviable THC, the acid molecule (the “a” of the THCa) is removed during decarboxylation. That acid molecule is 13% of the THCa molecule’s weight. So in order to find the maximum total amount of THC possible in your flower after decarboxylation, multiply the amount of starting THCa by .87%. Sometimes, in dispensary cannabis, the calculation is already made on the back of the label (in Washington DC, for example) so if you see a final THC % on the back of your flower, that number is the max THC potential of that flower, though the flower itself actually contains THCa that will need to be decarbed before you use it for edibles, topicals or other products.
Once you know the total amount of THC that your plant has, move the decimal point one space to the right. That number is the amount of maxium THC per gram after precision decarb with Ardent. Check out our Dosing Guide for more information on understanding the potency of your starting material.
With older methods of decarb such as the oven, toaster oven, and crock pot, you need to account for about 30-40% additional loss in your final product due to the unstable heating conditions and environmental deterrents. Understandably, the outcome dose can become very unclear and inconsistent when decarbing and infusing outside of an Ardent device, which is why we embarked on the scientific testing and development of these amazing lab-grade devices for the home that let you get more out of material every time. Find comparisons of the different decarb methods and see how they impact your final product dosage here.
Once you’ve decarbed in Ardent FX, Mini or Nova, you can place the decarbed flower right into your food and use it sublingually. You get the absolute most out of this “instant edible” method. If you do want to infuse, be sure to use a high fat oil or butter, or an alcohol. Cannabinoids bind best with fat and alcohol, so if you want to extract the maximum amount (90+%), make sure to choose the right medium. Check out our guides on infusing into oils and alcohol in our education section.
The best part of all is that you can make custom doses by activating and blending different strains with varying ratios of THC, CBD, CBG, CBC (or any of the other cannabinoids) in order to personalize the experience for yourself or your family and friends. The blends can be used together in food directly or infused all together at the same time into your favorite butters, oils and more. There’s no limit to what you can create and the variety you can achieve with Ardent. Make anything you need and stretch your supply!
Cannasugar is a very special type of infusion that can be added to food and drinks of all kinds because of its ability to blend in with liquids instead of separating like its oily counterparts. It’s made using a strong grain alcohol, such as Everclear, as a powerful solvent, which eventually gets evaporated off with exposure to the air.
If you’re ready to enjoy cannasugar for its yummy, versatile, and sweet properties, watch or read below to learn about our foolproof method for making it at home: no kitchen required.
https://vimeo.com/516806413
How to Get Started
Making an alcohol infusion is actually quite simple, but it’s often misunderstood as tricky or dangerous. One important thing to note is that alcohol infusions should never be put under any heat, including being put inside the oven or your Ardent device, as that’s when the process gets dangerous. Luckily, cold alcohol infusions are just as effective as heating, because alcohol is such a strong solvent, and a bit of agitation (or shaking the infusion vigorously) does the trick in just a few hours.
¼ cup of Everclear (or another strong grain alcohol)
1-3 grams of cannabis or hemp flower
Directions
Decarboxylate your plant material in the Ardent Nova by starting a cycle, or if using the Ardent FX or Mini, by running the A1 setting for THC or CBG-rich material and A2 setting for CBD-rich material.
Place your decarbed material inside an empty mason jar and pour the grain alcohol over top, covering the material completely. Close the mason jar securely.
Agitate your cold alcohol infusion by giving it a good shake every few hours, and storing the jar in a cool, dark place such as a cupboard or closet. It’ll be ready for use within 24 hours. (Our lab testing shows that after 1 hour and 3 hours Everclear soak, there’s already significant extraction of over 80%. If you can wait longer, the additional overnight soak will give full potency)
Spread out a cup of sugar on your baking sheet.
Pour your alcohol infusion over the spread-out sugar, and mix it around.
Make tracks in your sugar to assist with airflow, and leave the sugar out for the alcohol to evaporate. Keep moving it around every few hours.
After 12-16 hours, your cannasugar should be ready. Move your cannasugar to an airtight container for storage, such as the Ardent Vessel.
Storage
When stored in an airtight, moisture-free, light-safe container such as the Ardent Vessel, cannasugar retains its potency and shelf life for at least six months.
When to Enjoy Cannasugar
In your morning coffee
To coat churros
To sweeten strawberries
On crepes
In lemonade
In bread recipes
Over cereal
Trying out our trusty cannasugar recipe? We’d love to see your creations! Tag us on Instagram for the chance to be featured on our page.
The kids are back to school, so we decided to launch Ardent Academy – bringing you the science to answer the most pressing questions we see being asked in the community! 🎓 First up – what’s the deal with infusing milk and cream?
Instead of infusing butters and oils, for delicate recipes, or to enhance coffees, teas, and other beverages, milk and cream can be enticing alternatives. But how well do milk and cream extract the beneficial cannabinoids like THC and CBD from the plant? How effective are they as infusion bases?
We put the FX to the test, and we’re excited to share yet another method of infusion, with lab results to back it up! Check out our infused milk and cream recipe ideas after the testing results, and try your hand at THC or CBD infused dairy. 🐄
Weed Milk & Cream Test Results
We set out to make all-purpose CBD milk and cream infusions, perfect for the recipe ideas listed down below. The first step is always activation (decarboxylation). After a precision decarboxylation on the A2 setting of FX, our activated flower had over 130 mg of CBD per gram.
We took 2 grams of this activated CBD flower and infused 1 gram into 1 oz of milk. The other 1 gram of activated CBD flower was infused into 1 oz of cream. You might have guessed that the cream, with it’s higher fat content, had better infusion capabilities than the milk, and you would be right!
After the FX infusion cycle, the weed milk had over 64 mg of CBD and the cream had over 90 mg of CBD. That’s approx 50% infusion rate for milk and approx 70% infusion rate using the cream.
Looking closely at the results, you can also see small amounts of other cannabinoids also present in the infusion, resulting in a broad spectrum of cannabinoids in the final product. These small yet significant amounts of THC and CBC in the infusions alongside the CBD act in synergy to enhance their individual impact – also known as the entourage effect. Creating full-spectrum products that harness all of the plant’s potential is one major benefit to activating and infusing flower on your own, rather than using heavily processed products like distillate.
Weed Milk and Cream Summary:If you’re looking to extract the maximum amount of THC or CBD, infuse butter or oil, which have infusion rates of close to 90%. However, cream, at 70% infusion rate, can also be a good alternative, especially if the recipe wouldn’t work well with butter or oil. Lastly, infuse milk if you’re willing to sacrifice some cannabinoids for your tasty recipe, but know that your infusion rate will hover around 50%. Note: you can always avoid any loss by using all of the plant material in your dish (not straining after infusion), which is ok for some recipes and uses, but obviously wouldn’t work for others.
After infusion, give your CBD milk or THC milk a chance to fully chill and then test it out with your favorite cereals or use it to dunk your afternoon cookies.
Also, if you want to know how to make weed ice cream without the separation and taste issues that can come with using infused oils to create frozen dairy products, this becomes possible using infused milk and cream.
Classic mac and cheese is also an option – use your favorite recipe or give this one a try:
If you’d like to make this recipe one instead of two servings, use half the ingredients and make the whole recipe right inside your FX! Just use the A2 setting to complete steps 3 & 4 instead of the stovetop.
Weed stems are often tossed to the side of the rolling tray with cigar guts and ashes. Did you know that cannabis stems actually contain precious cannabinoids that can be repurposed in edible, topical, and sublingual DIY products with precision decarb?
We’re going to teach you 5 ways to repurpose your cannabis and hemp stems, because your trash might actually be your treasure!
How Much THC is Leftover in Weed Stems?
Our lab testing shows that the main stem (the primary stem located in the center of the nug) has roughly 2% of cannabinoids present. This means that in just a single gram of leftover main stems, you can expect to yield 20 mgs of THC or CBD! That’s a sizable dose coming from something considered trash!
Then, we were compelled to test the side stems, which are the small branches holding the bud clusters together. On top of that, tiny pieces of the bud often stick to these smaller stems, giving them an extra boost in potency. In just one gram of side stems, we discovered over 6% of cannabinoids, yielding 60 mgs of THC.
But first, decarb:
It’s important to remember that the first step to making any infused product is decarboxylation. If you’re using sugar leaf, stems, concentrate, and kief, this still applies just as it does with cannabis and hemp flower.
The difference in potency from material decarbed in the oven, toaster oven, crockpot, etc. vs. using the Ardent FX, Mini or Nova is significant. With any of the Ardent devices, you’re guaranteed to activate between 97-100% of all available THC. So, in material with less cannabinoids, such as in the case of stems, you’ll find that using an Ardent device makes all the difference.
Cannabutter
Cannabutter is a classic. It can be used for light sauteing, can be tossed into pasta and rice to make it creamier, on corn to make the sweetness pop, and in baked goods of all kinds.
To make cannabutter with leftover cannabis stems, add your stems to the Concentrate and Infusion Sleeve or unlidded Vessel inside the device, or place inside the device directly. Cover the Nova or FX’s lid. Begin a cycle in the Nova by pressing the single button interface and waiting for the light to return back to green. In the FX, use the A1 setting to activate THC or CBG-rich stems, and A2 to activate CBD-rich stems.
Once the cycle is complete, add butter to the Sleeve, Vessel, or device, fully submerging the decarboxylated material. Place the Sleeve or Vessel back inside the device, and begin another Nova cycle, or start an Infuse cycle in the FX. Once your butter is infused, strain the butter of all stems and plant parts using the Frainer, Infusion Press, or a standard cheesecloth. Dispose of your raffinate and store your butter in an airtight container such as the Infusion Mold or Vessel in the fridge to extend its shelf life.
Cannabis Oil
Similarly to cannabutter, cannabis oil can be made using stems and other undesirable plant parts. Cannabis oil can be made using a variety of infusion mediums across different smoke points, flavors, and applications (including cooking, topical application, and tinctures.)
To make cannabis oil with leftover weed stems, add your stems to the Concentrate and Infusion Sleeve or unlidded Vessel inside the device, or inside the device directly. Cover the Nova or FX’s lid. Begin a cycle in the Nova by pressing the single button interface and waiting for the light to return back to green. In the FX, use the A1 setting to activate THC or CBG-rich stems, and A2 to activate CBD-rich stems.
Once the cycle is complete, add the oil of your choosing to the Sleeve, Vessel, or device, fully submerging the decarboxylated material. Choose between coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, sesame oil, grapeseed oil, avocado oil, peanut oil, canola oil, vegetable oil, walnut oil, among many others.
Place the Sleeve or Vessel back inside the device, and begin another Nova cycle, or start an Infuse cycle in the FX. Once your oil is infused, strain the infusion using the Frainer, Infusion Press, or a standard cheesecloth. Dispose of your raffinate and store your cannabis infused oil in an airtight container such as the Infusion Mold or Vessel in the fridge to extend its shelf life.
Green Dragon Tincture
Green dragon, or cannabis-infused into a strong grain alcohol such as Everclear, is a handy infusion to have around for making cannasugar, cannasalt, and cocktails of all kinds.
To repurpose cannabis stems for infused cannabis tincture, just add your stems to the Concentrate and Infusion Sleeve or unlidded Vessel inside the device, or inside the device directly. Cover the Nova or FX’s lid. Begin a cycle in the Nova by pressing the single button interface and waiting for the light to return back to green. In the FX, use the A1 setting to activate THC or CBG-rich stems, and A2 to activate CBD-rich stems.
When the decarb cycle is complete, place your activated stems in a glass jar, then pour Everclear over top, fully submerging the plant material. Place this jar in a cool, dark place, like a pantry or closet, and agitate (shake) whenever you remember. Since Everclear is such a strong solvent, it will pull the majority of remaining cannabinoids in just a few hours. You can, however, leave the jar to finish infusing as long as you like. Do not, under any circumstances, place alcohol inside an Ardent device. It’s dangerous and will void your warranty.
Cannabis Hand and Body Salve
Cannabis salve starts with an oil or topical butter base. Our foolproof salve recipe begins with cannabis infused coconut oil. Though you can simply use cannabis-infused coconut oil topically on its own, it’s much more rich and effective with a few simple additives.
Make cannabis-infused coconut oil out of your weed stems and strain out the raffinate. Add about ¼ cup of your coconut oil to a glass jar inside the unit, then add ¼ cup beeswax, ¼ cup shea butter, and a few drops of vitamin E to the jar (optional.) Feel free to add more beeswax for a more firm salve, or more oil for a softer salve. Place the jar inside the FX to warm. Once the mixture is fully melted, remove from the FX, then add 10-20 drops of your favorite essential oils and stir. Allow your salve to cool and harden, then enjoy!
Cannabis Capsules
Cannabis capsules are great for discreet dosing any time. Another wonderful thing about capsules is how easy they are to prepare.
After you decarb your stems in the Nova or FX, carefully use a knife to break the stems down into smaller pieces, or toss them into an electric coffee grinder. Once the pieces are small enough to fit into capsules, just pop them inside and enjoy.
For stomachs that need a little less…fiber… turn your stems into a cannabis infused oil, then use a tincture dropper to add cannabis oil into each capsule.
Repurposing your cannabis stems? Show us how it’s done on Instagram for the chance to be featured on our page.
They stick your fingers and poke through your papers, yes, but that doesn’t mean that weed stems are all bad. In fact, if you’re just throwing stems away after breaking up your bud for smoking or vaping, you’re wasting valuable THC, CBD or other cannabinoids. So, don’t throw your weed stems away!
But how much THC is actually in your stems? And are some stems better than others? We put it to the test to see exactly how much THC is in weed stems from different parts of the nug after decarboxylating in the Ardent FX.
Experiment 1: Main Bud Stem
First we started with the main stem of the nug. This is the larger stem going up the middle of the bud, and usually has some side buds coming off it. Surprisingly, there were over 2% cannabinoids present in the main stem.
That means in 1 gram of these stems, there’s approximately 20mg of THC, enough to make a nice edible or topical treatment. Definitely not something to waste.
See the full test result below to see the cannabinoid content in these stems:
Experiment 2: Side Stems
Our next experiment was on the smaller stems holding each individual bud together. When your joints and blunts rip while you’re rolling up, these little stems are often the culprits.
Don’t be fooled by how annoying they can be in that situation, because these stems are chock full of THC (or CBD if that’s what kind of buds you are starting with). Since they are deeper in the bud, they naturally have more cannabinoid-containing trichomes. On top of that, tiny pieces of the bud often stick to these smaller stems, boosting their potency.
You can see below that after activation in Ardent FX, 1 gram of these side stems had over 60 mg of THC per gram!
See the full test result below to see the cannabinoid content in these side stems:.
In summary, don’t sleep on stems! They aren’t just a throwaway product, but can actually be used to make useful therapies. Check back soon for more stem test results from CBD and CBG buds. In the meantime, make all of your favorite products for less AND make use of every part of the plant with Ardent’s precision tech.
If your cannabis keto lifestyle has got you stumped on what to make for dinner, these recipes are sure to please!
The keto diet, or ketogenic diet, is based on the principle of removing carbohydrates and sugars from your diet to induce fat burn in the body. When the body makes energy from fat, the energy is created in the liver, where the body produces ketones. Ketones are used as a power source, instead of glucose, which is created for energy when the body consumes carbs.
If you’re tired of seeing every keto recipe using a ton of bacon, ground beef, and pepperoni, vegetarian options like ours will get in your cannabinoids and fats at the same time. Ready to dig in? Keep reading.
How to Get Started
When you’re on the keto diet, you’re able to eat plenty of fats. Luckily, fats make cannabis even more bioavailable. Feel free to decarb your plant material and infuse it into mediums like butter, ghee, coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, and more.
With keto recipes, you can also turn any food into an instant edible by sprinkling ground, decarbed herb into or on top of the food. It’s an easy solution when you’re short on planning, or making a recipe such as our infused keto coleslaw below. Plus, the fats in your food will make sure the cannabis is delivered to your endocannabinoid system in an efficient way.
Another solution, best for savory food, is by making and using cannasalt in your keto recipes for a simple, low-dose boost of infusion. If you’re looking for a keto version of sweetener, use the same methodology we use for cannasugar in crystallized forms like monk fruit, allulose, and erythritol.
Ardent community member Jaclyn Isabella makes a keto cannabis-infused morning loaf using infused coconut oil made with Ardent technology. Although her recipe doesn’t include sweetener, she recommends using liquid erythritol to taste as a keto-friendly alternative. To make Jaclyn’s Morning Cannabread, start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees. Combine 2 cups almond flour, 3 pureed ripened bananas, 3 eggs, ½ cup walnuts, ¼ cup infused coconut oil, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, and 2-3 tablespoons of unmedicated coconut oil in a bowl. Mix well. Place batter inside 2 small, greased loaf pans, and bake for around 40 minutes.
Ardent community member Michele Renner Pressley recommends making keto peanut butter cups by melting down keto chocolate for the shell, and combining peanut butter with a bit of infused coconut oil and some monkfruit as sweetener. (Ardent side note: monkfruit sweetener can also be infused using the same method as cannasugar.) Peanut butter cups can be prepared in a silicone cupcake mold.
Community member Darlene Sharples seems to be a keto cannabis expert! Check out a few of her contributions to the Ardent community below:
Darlene Sharples’ Keto Sugar Cookies Makes: 18 cookies Nutritional Information Per Cookie: Calories 84, Protein 3 gr, Fat 6 gr, Sat Fat 2 gr, Carbs 4 gr, Fiber 1 gr, Sugar 1 gr, Sodium 54 mg, Cholesterol 19 mg
Ingredients:
5 tablespoons cannabutter, room temperature
1/2 cup erythritol
1 egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/4 cups superfine almond flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoons salt
How to Make Cannabis-Infused Keto Sugar Cookies
Using an electric hand mixer or a whisk, cream together the butter and erythritol until light and pale in color. Add in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract and beat until evenly combined.
Next, add in the almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, and salt then mix until a firm dough is formed. Bring the dough together into a ball then wrap tightly in cling wrap. Transfer the dough to the fridge and chill for a minimum of 2 hours to overnight.
Once ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper, set aside.
Place the dough onto a large sheet of parchment paper, then cover with another large sheet, sandwiching the dough between the 2 sheets. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out into a 1/4 of an inch thick sheet. Using cookie cutters, cut the dough into a variety of shapes.
Using a large offset spatula, gently run under each cookie, lifting off the parchment and removing from the excess cookie dough. Place the cut-out cookie onto the prepared cookie sheet. Repeat this process until all of the cookies have been removed from the sheet. If you have a lot of excess dough after removing the cookies, roll the dough out again and continue to cut out cookies until all of the dough is used. This will make 16-18 large cookies, depending on what shapes you use.
Bake the cookies 1 cookie sheet at a time for 10-12 minutes, or until lightly golden brown and crisp.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before transferring the cookies to a rack to cool fully. Cover and store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Darlene Sharples’ Keto White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies Makes: 26 cookies
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups almond flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 teaspoon salt, to taste
1/2 cup cannabutter, melted
2 eggs
1/2 cup erythritol, or sweetener of choice
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup sugar-free white chocolate chips
1/2 cup macadamia nuts, roughly chopped
How to Make Cannabis-Infused Keto White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a mixing bowl, combine almond flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk together butter, eggs, erythritol, and vanilla.
Mix dry ingredients into the wet until a dough forms.
Fold in chopped macadamia nuts and white chocolate chips. (If using homemade white chocolate chips, wait to add them until the very end!)
Transfer dollops of dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment. Gently flatten each cookie on top – not so it’s flat as a pancake, but just so it’s not rounded on top.
If using homemade white chocolate chips, quickly pull them out of the freezer and press them into the top of your dough dollops.
Bake 12 – 14 minutes, until bottoms/edges begin to brown.
Remove from oven and transfer to a baking rack. Allow to cool 15 minutes before serving and enjoying!
Darlene Sharples’ No Machine Keto Ice Cream Makes: 3 pints / 12 servings Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories 150, Protein 1 gr, Fat 16 gr, Sat Fat 10 gr, Carbs 1 gr, Fiber 1 gr, Sodium 17 mg, Cholesterol 48 mg
Ingredients:
2 cups infused heavy whipping cream, cold
14 oz sugar-free sweetened condensed milk, cold
1 tsp vanilla extract
How to Make Keto No Machine Keto Ice Cream
Place sweetened condensed milk in the fridge to keep cold.
Using a hand or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the cold cream on medium/high speed until soft peaks form.
Turn off the machine and pour the cold condensed milk into the infused whipped cream.
Turn the speed up to high and whisk until the mixture is thick and stiff peaks form. Turn off the machine and stir in vanilla extract.
Now that you have your ice cream base you can add in your desired flavors. Generally, use 2 cups ice cream base and add mix-ins to create your favorite flavors.
Once you finish creating your flavors, transfer your ice cream mixture to an airtight container and freeze for a minimum of 6 hours or overnight before eating. Keep stored in the freezer for up to 6 weeks.
Trying out some cannabis-infused keto recipes using your Ardent decarboxylator? Tag us on Instagram for the chance to be featured on our page.
Decarboxylation method such as the Ardent FX, Mini or Nova (you’ll get the absolute most out of your THC or CBD and save money on each trip to the dispensary).
Infusion Sleeve or tempered glass jar (if decarbing wax/concentrates), plus the Lifter of your choosing to make placing materials into and out of the device a breeze. We like the Double Lifter because it allows us the space for two decarb, infusion, or bake cycles at once.
Airtight container for storage like the Ardent Vessel or Ardent Infusion Mold.
Cannabis-Infused EVOO Ingredient List
1 gram cannabis flower*, (or 1/4 gram cannabis concentrate, a bit of kief, or handfuls of stems and sugar leaf)
1 ounce of Ardent Extra Virgin Olive Oil**
*The amount of plant material and olive oil can be scaled up or down based on personal preference.
**You can also use another olive oil that you have on hand! We’re partial to our Koroneiki Varietal olive oil because it’s made using freshly harvested olives grown in sand on a private estate in Greece. Because of its high antioxidant content, it has a delicious flavor and high smoke point, making it a solid choice for all types of cuisine, including sauteing and pan frying.
Tips to Getting Started
Decide on Dosage
Check the label on your cannabis or hemp material to find out the percentage of THCA or CBDA that it contains. Let’s say your starting material tests at 23% THCA. After precision decarb in the Ardent FX, Mini or Nova, the material will contain roughly 200 mgs of activated THC; however, if you’re using an oven, toaster oven or crockpot, you will be losing about 30-40% of the final THC or CBD in your material by either failing to fully activate, or burning off the remaining cannabinoids.
Decarboxylation is a precise function of heat and time: because ovens and crockpots weren’t created for decarb, and environmental factors like temperature fluctuation often gets in the way during the activation process, the results usually leave much to be desired. The only way to achieve over 97-100% activation each time, is through precision decarboxylation with Ardent.
Though dispensaries usually divide edible portions into 10 mg pieces, many brands are also making microdosed foods at around 1 or 2 mgs a piece, so you can munch on a full portion with mild to moderate euphoria, or achieve very light on-the-go dosing with just a slight shift in mood. Some folks, however, need extremely high doses to touch their high tolerances, or for relief from various ailments including PTSD and chronic pain. It all comes down to preference.
When planning your dose, keep in mind how many pieces or portions your recipe will yield. If you’re making 12 biscuits and are using extra virgin olive oil infused with 200 mgs of THC, each cookie will come out to roughly 16 mgs.
During decarboxylation, you’re removing the acid molecule from the THCA to convert it into THC (or in the case of CBD, decarboxylation turns CBDA to CBD, or in the case of CBG, decarboxylation turns CBGA into CBG – also by removing the acid molecule.) Calculate the amount of THC, CBD, or CBG in your olive oil by multiplying the amount of THCA, CBDA, or CBGA by .87%. Just move the decimal over two places to the right. For example, with starting material at 23% THCA, you move the decimal over to 230. Multiply by .87% and you get 2.00. Move the decimal over two spaces again and you get your final dosage: your oil will yield about 200 mgs of THC per gram of cannabis used. Factor in 30-40% loss if you’re using another method of decarboxylation such as the oven, crockpot, or toaster oven.
We tested the infusion rate of extra virgin olive oil at the lab, and found EVOO has an infusion rate of over 90%! In your final calculations, account for a little under 10% loss due to infusion. You can avoid this loss entirely by skipping the infuse step and turning your food into an instant edible (just tossing the activated bud into the recipe itself, or on top of your food like a spice.)
Decarboxylate your cannabis. Place your plant material inside the unit and begin the cycle by pressing the activation button. Use the A1 setting to activate THC or CBG-rich material, and the A2 setting to activate CBD-rich material.
Infuse your cannabis. Insert olive oil into the unit over the decarbed material and allow it to run on the Infuse setting.
Strain plant material out of the extra virgin olive oil using the Ardent Frainer, or if you have the FX, using the Infusion Press.
Pour your mixture into an airtight container such as the Ardent Vessel, or Ardent Infusion Mold, and refrigerate (or freeze) until use.
As long as you keep your cannabis-infused oil in an airtight container, it should last a little while. In the refrigerator, your properly stored cannabis oil should last a few weeks, in the freezer, up to around 6 months. Try to fill the oil close to the top of whichever container you use to keep out any extra air.
How to Make Cannabis-Infused Olive Oil Stronger
If your cannabis olive oil infusion isn’t as strong as you like, you can always run another infusion cycle to boost your infusion strength in the Nova or FX with more decarbed bud to increase its potency.
If you’re a more experienced consumer, you should consider using cannabis concentrates to make your final product stronger. You can infuse hundreds of milligrams at a time into olive oil with each gram of decarbed material.
Concentrate usually lies somewhere between 80-90% THCA, yielding a whopping 800 – 900 mgs of THC once activated. You can also add a bit of decarbed concentrate to a previously infused cannabis oil mixture to “infusion boost” it further. When infusing with concentrates, there’s zero loss of potency, as there’s nothing actually being strained out.
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Many of you have asked, and we finally have the lab results to answer! After decarb and infusion in the FX, Mini or Nova, can the infused oil be re-infused again with additional decarbed plant material to make it more potent? The short answer is YES. This is thanks to “infusion boosting.”
But why would you want to boost your infusion in the first place? Sometimes, your tolerance increases. Other times, you’re hosting, and want to offer your guests a stronger dose without wasting pre-existing oil. And on other occasions, especially if you aren’t sure of the potency of your starting flower, your first batch might not come out as strong as you hoped. Whatever your reason is for infusion boosting, we got to the bottom of it, so you can create whatever you like with as little waste possible. See the test results below in order to see what we found.
Please note that by opting to use decarbed plant directly in your final product (no infusion needed), you remove the risk of any cannabinoid loss during infusion. Feel free to sprinkle some decarbed herb over your final dish (that may even include your medicated oil) for an alternative instant addition of cannabinoids.
Here’s what we learned:
Step one is always decarb! We decarboxylated a gram of material in the Ardent FX and infused it into an ounce of canola oil. The final product yielded 89mg of CBDin our infusion. We then added another gram of FX decarboxylated plant material into the oil after the first infusion, ran another infusion cycle and strained the oil, which yielded170mg of CBD in the final product. An excellent infusion rate, nearly doubling the amount of CBD with very little loss (only about 8mg).
Next, we decided to test the limits of our infusion. For efficiency purposes, how much flower could we pack into an ounce of canola oil? We infused 3 grams of decarboxylated material into one ounce of canola oil, and yielded 283mg of CBD in our infusion. When we re-infused another 3 grams into the pre-infused oil, we yielded a total of532mg of CBD in our infusion. Here again, with infusion boosting we nearly doubled the amount of CBD and other cannabinoids, but with so much flower packed into the oil, and twice, you can see there was a bit more loss in the second experiment.
In conclusion, you CAN boost your infusion with a second round of new decarbed plant material to make your oil more potent!
If you are seeking a super potent dose, we recommend either infusion boosting when there is plenty of oil in comparison to the plant material, infusing with concentrate, or adding additional cannabinoids to your final product by sprinkling or drizzling decarbed material directly on top.
Cookie butter is a cult-favorite. Maybe you first saw cookie butter on the end cap of a Trader Joe’s aisle, or perhaps you’ve tried the speculoos cookies they’re made from on a Delta flight.
You probably didn’t know, however, that this highly sought after condiment was created on a Belgian reality show translating to “The Inventors,” and what an invention it was…
Though over the past few years, these European ginger cookies and their creamy spreadable counterparts have begun showing up in major grocery stores, they haven’t always been so available in the U.S. Let’s celebrate our access to these yummy, crispy delights by making our own cannabis-infused cookie butter using the power of Ardent technology!
How to Get Started
Cookie butter is a great recipe for those who use a lot of low-quality flower in their infusions, or for those with high tolerances, due to the large quantity of infused coconut oil called for in this recipe.
To make infused coconut oil, you first need to decarboxylate your cannabis or hemp material inside the Nova, Mini or Ardent FX using the A1 setting for THC or CBG, or A2 for CBD. Strain the infusion using the FX Infusion Press or Frainer and store the raffinate for later use or dispose of it.
Whether you’re following the Mediterranean diet, or if you simply enjoy eating a variety of fresh, fragrant, tapas-style foods, these easy-to-follow recipes will have you looking forward to your next meal.
Mediterranean foods also share many reported health benefits with cannabis and hemp. Not surprising, when you consider that fresh plants (as well as fish, nuts, and EVOO) are a major staple in Mediterranean cuisine, and can also help fight inflammation.
It’s easy to incorporate cannabis into Mediterranean meals and sides because the terpenes are either complementary to the earthy flavors found in each meal, or they’re easily masked with Mediterranean spices and flavors like lemon, parsley, cumin, garlic, za’atar, and others.
The Mediterranean region, along with other similar climates, is also ideal for growing cannabis. “Companion planting” suggests that when certain plants are grown alongside one another, it may impact the growth, features, and flavor expression of each plant. Oftentimes, cultural foods are based around the foods naturally found in each region. So, if cannabis can grow in the same region as other Mediterranean staples, maybe that’s why they taste so good together!
This recipe calls for a large serving of infused EVOO. Why not use the best? The Ardent Koroneiki Varietal Olive Oil is made using olives picked in the prime of their season, during the first two weeks. Oftentimes, store-bought olive oil contains blended oils made using rotted, fly-infested fruits, where they yield a larger quantity of oil.
Our olive oil is high in antioxidants, giving it the full-bodied flavor we love. The olives are grown in the sand on a private, family-owned, Greek estate, and the terroir lends itself to the oil’s Mediterranean flavors. The oil, mixed with the unique flavor profile of your cannabis infusion, will lend itself to the overall experience.
To dose out your oil, follow our simple formula: first, check the percentage of THCA in your starting material. If you purchased your cannabis compliantly, this should be on the back label. Note that in some states, the percentage of THC is pre-calculated for you on the label.
Let’s say you’re working with a starting percentage of about 23% THCA. We’re always going to move the decimal over one place to the right. In this case, that would be 230. During decarb, the acid molecule is displaced, and the acid molecule is 13% of your bud’s starting weight. So, 1 gram at 23% THCA – 13% = 200. If consuming your material raw, there’s no loss, but when infusing into different mediums, there may be less than 5% or so of loss. A good way to get around this loss is by repurposing your raffinate, or leftover plant material, to get every last activated milligram.
We’ll also be using infused olive oil for the shakshuka, so feel free to make a big batch. Infused oil tastes great in Mediterranean food of all types. Use it in your hummus, baba ghanouj, and other appetizers!
Activate your material in the Nova or FX using the A1 setting for THC or CBG-rich material, and A2 setting for CBD-rich material.
Pour olive oil over your activated material, fully submerging it, and allow it to infuse on the Infuse setting.
Pour bulgur wheat into a bowl and pour boiling water over top. Cover with a lid or upside-down pan, and allow it to absorb the water for about 30 minutes.
In a separate bowl, combine tomato, cucumber, and a ½ teaspoon of salt, allowing it to sweat out some of the liquid.
In the meantime, mince parsley and mint in a food processor and combine in a separate bowl.
Add minced scallion to the parsley and mint mixture, along with the infused olive oil, lemon, cannasalt, garlic, and cumin.
Cannaflour is the perfect method for infusing with flour or kief when including an oil or fat isn’t an option. If you’re making infused bread, for example, you might not be able to get much infused oil into the recipe unless you’re making something like focaccia, naan, or sabaayed, which are known for their oily textures.
Cannaflour uses the instant edible method to make an infused, pre-measured ingredient. It can be added to all types of baked goods including cookies, cakes, bread, and more!
Cannaflour is a classic approach to infusing THC, CBD or other cannabinoids into your favorite meals. The key ingredient is perfectly activated cannabis or hemp flour, which you have at the press of a button with your Ardent FX or Mini. Once you’ve decarbed your bud, make your cannaflour by following the simple steps below.
How to Get Started
Cannaflour essentially uses the instant edible method to make an infused, pre-measured ingredient that can be added to all types of baked goods including cookies, cakes, bread, and more.
Using the instant edible method comes in handy, too, because there’s no loss during the infusion step. You’re eating all of the available cannabinoids in the weed itself! It’s just hidden decoratively, in plain sight, throughout the meal.
When you store cannaflour, it’s also pretty discreet. Even in a see-through container, you usually can’t tell the ultra-fine specks of cannabis from the flour itself. If you want to take your discreteness to the next level, store the infusion in your Ardent Vessel, which is airtight and made from stainless steel.
To dose out your cannaflour, you must first know the percentage of THCA, CBDA, or CBGA in your starting material. Let’s say we’re starting with a one-gram nug at 23% THCA. We’re going to move the decimal point over one space to the right, giving us 230. Now we’re going to subtract 13%, which is the weight of the nug displaced during decarboxylation. In the end, we yield around 200 mgs of THC that will be eaten ground up inside your final edible. No loss due to the skipped infusion step! Now, enjoy!
1 cup flour (can be whole wheat, bread flour, almond flour, or all-purpose flour)
1 – 5 grams of ground cannabis flower
How to Make Cannaflour
Decarb your plant material in the Ardent Mini, FX or Nova. For FX and Mini, use the A1 setting to activate material packed with THC or CBG. Use the A2 setting to activate material packed with CBD.
Remove the activated material from the decarboxylator once the cycle is over and grind it up finely. Remove any stems
In the Ardent Vessel, or an air-tight mason jar, add 1 cup of flour.
Pour your ground-up material, sans any stems, into the flour.
Close the lid tightly and shake. Use in place of 1 standard cup of flour in any recipe and enjoy!
Now, let’s use the cannaflour we just made to prepare some cannabis-infused pita bread!
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. (Because the activated cannabis is encapsulated in the dough and these will only cook for a few minutes, the internal temperature of the bread won’t reach levels that will burn your cannabinoids off.) Let the baking sheet also pre-heat inside the oven.
In a bowl, combine flour, cannaflour, cannasalt, yeast, water, and infused oil. Mix until shaggy. Add a light brush or oil on each side of the dough.
Cover the bowl with a towel, and leave it somewhere to rise for an hour and a half.
Knead the dough into a ball, and divide into 6 equal pieces. Form into their own individual balls and allow them to rise for 30 minutes.
Roll out each ball into a flat pita shape, and allow it to rise for an additional 15 minutes.
Toss a sheet of parchment paper on the preheated baking sheet and place 2 pitas at a time. Bake for 3 minutes each. Enjoy!
Trying out our cannaflour recipe? Tag us on Instagram for the chance to be featured on our page.
The perfect moisturizer doesn’t exist. And that’s because we all have different skin concerns, skin textures, genetics, and environmental conditions around us.
It’s likely that you’ve already found a moisturizer that works for your daily use, though, despite maybe opting for a thicker moisturizer to prevent chapping in the wintertime and switching to a lighter alternative in the warmer months after long days in the sun.
So on the days where you’re experiencing morning puffiness, extra dryness, or even a rash, we won’t make you use something that might further trigger your skin. Use what you’re used to, and add a bit of homemade FECO: optimized with the help of your Ardent Mini or FX.
Keep reading to find out how.
How to Get Started
To make this infused moisturizer, you must first know how to make FECO. (Otherwise known as full extract cannabis oil.)
You can make FECO with THC, CBD, or CBG material; just decarb on their respective settings and combine in your cold infusion at the same time.
Making FECO requires decarboxylated cannabis or hemp material to be fully submerged and steeped inside a strong grain alcohol, such as Everclear, without adding heat. This can happen for as little as a few hours, since alcohol is such a strong solvent, but usually spends at least a full day steeping in a cool, dark place. Strain, then let your Everclear infusion evaporate off in a well-ventilated room, left alone, for up to a few days.
*You can use other decarboxylated concentrates, but with shatter specifically, be cautious and warm up your moisturizer to avoid seizing. FECO with a bit of alcohol left behind may be a bit easier to mix into your moisturizer.
How to Make FECO Face Moisturizer
Pour or scoop your favorite moisturizer into a small jar.
Using your dab tool, scoop some FECO into the moisturizer until you’ve reached your desired dose, and mix well.
Trying out our infused FECO face moisturizer? Tag us on Instagram for the chance to be featured on our page.
Your Ardent FX is more than a cannabis essential: it’s a portable kitchen appliance that serves a purpose in your home, office, car, RV, hotel, or Airbnb.
The Ardent Mini and FX are high-efficiency devices that use less than 100 watts of power, where the average electric stove uses between 2 and 5 thousand watts at a time. So, why use the stove when you can use your unit? Learn how to make poached eggs, boiled eggs, and thick, creamy hollandaise in your FX unit by reading below! Then, season your freshly cooked eggs with cannasalt, pepper, and the spices and herbs of your choosing.
How to Make Infused Hollandaise Sauce in the Ardent FX
Melt down cannabutter in the Concentrate and Infusion Sleeve inside the FX on the Bake setting.
Remove the Sleeve from the unit and whisk in cold lemon juice.
Slowly whisk in the butter and lemon mixture to the egg yolks. Pour back into the Sleeve and place inside the FX to cook for an additional 10 – 15 minutes on the Bake setting.
Whisk the mixture and close the lid every 3 minutes until it’s thickened.
Enjoy on poached eggs for eggs benedict, burgers, with fries, and more.
Pour hot water into the FX up to about the fill line on the inside of the device. The less water you use, the quicker it’ll come to a boil. Cover and allow it to come to a rolling boil.
Drop eggs inside the unit carefully and cover the FX with the lid. Cook for 15 minutes.
Remove eggs from the unit and place in a cool water bath.
Peel the eggs, sprinkle with cannasalt and pepper, and enjoy.
Can’t get enough eggs in your diet? Look back on our Infused Quiche Cups recipe for a new spin on wake and bake breakfast.
Making eggs inside your Ardent FX device? Tag us on Instagram for the chance to be featured on our page.
We just launched our newest device, the Ardent MINI. It’s the absolute definition of small and mighty!
The MINI features the same patented technology and sleek design as our best-selling Ardent FX, but it comes in a compact and ultra-convenient size. This adorable machine is an upgrade from our beloved OG device, Ardent Nova.
The Ardent MINI is great for those who live in a small space and need to keep their counters clear. It’s also perfect for people who travel, live with roommates, or want to decarb and infuse discreetly.
You can even bake tiny treats inside your unit, so you don’t need access to an oven. Plus, it comes with a custom carrying case to bring with you wherever you go!
The Ardent MINI holds up to one ounce of flower and six ounces of oil, so you’ll have more than enough to make your favorite edibles, topicals and beyond.
Just like the Ardent FX, the Ardent MINI features settings for activating your plant material (THC, CBG, and CBD) as well as a separate Infuse setting. There are many ways to combine your herb or hemp with fats like oil, butter, and ghee, to make your infused treats even tastier and more bioavailable than ever before.
Once your cannabis is decarboxylated, fats and oils act like insulators to your flower, and can typically undergo a bit more heating before fully binding with the cannabinoids and terpenes in your plant material. Here are some of our favorite mediums to infuse with using your brand new Ardent MINI:
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Butter
Cannabinoids like THC are fat soluble and butter is one of the best mediums to infuse. Cannabutter has an infusion rate of about 93% and is a very efficient delivery method.
Cannabis-infused butter is easy to make and can be used in a variety of recipes including brownies, cookies, cakes, muffins, rice krispie treats, or pies.
Infused butter can be used in savory dishes as well, like pasta sauces, grilled cheese, or even on top of a baked potato or corn on the cob.
Milk & Cream
Infused milk and cream are surprisingly easy to make. You can enjoy canna-milk with cereal for a wake and bake, or drink it alone. Your infusion can be substituted for dairy in most recipes, so you can use it to make mac and cheese, ice cream, mashed potatoes, or more.
Cream has a 70% infusion rate, while milk has about 50%, which is lower than butter or oil. That doesn’t mean it’s not worth making, but you might have to use a little more for a potent edible experience.
Coconut Oil
The Ardent MINI transforms coconut oil into a magical delight!
One of the most popular types of edibles are cannabis gummies. Infused coconut oil works perfectly to make these classic treats. You can choose the flavor, shape, and texture of the herbal gummies to customize your experience.
Coconut oil can be used as an ingredient in just about EVERYTHING – including skincare and hair care products, and of course, in cooking and baking. It’s full of healthy fats, an especially great source for infusion, and a dairy-free and vegan substitute for butter that works just as well.
Coconut oil is also great for making hand salves and whipped body creams, or simply apply the infusion directly on your scalp, cuticles, hands, and body as an instant moisturizer. Toss some into your morning smoothie or your coffee to make a filling bulletproof brew.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Extra virgin olive oil is regularly used for cooking, especially frying and greasing. You can get a little cannabis boost whenever you cook by using your cannabis-infused olive oil during regular cooking. Infused EVOO is ideal for:
It’s possible to infuse other types of cooking oil, too. Try using your Ardent MINI to make peanut, canola, or sesame oil, depending on your dietary preferences.
Ghee (Clarified Butter)
Ghee is clarified butter, which means that all of the water and milk solids have been removed, leaving only fat. It’s similar to oil, just in butter form, has a higher smoke point than other oils and butters, and boasts a naturally nutty, sweet flavor.
Ghee is commonly used in east Asian and Indian cooking, and has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic practices. In India, they’ve combined cannabis or bhang with ghee to increase bioavailability for just as long. Ghee has about a 90% infusion rate and can bring some extra spice to these dishes. It’s used to fry pakora, temper curries, make samosas, and bake naan. Infused ghee doesn’t need to be used in cooking or baking – it actually can be eaten and enjoyed by the spoonful!
New Ardent MINI Available NOW! Small and powerful for all of your favorite infusions.
Blast Off Bundle$145.00
