For most people, the word “hemp” is synonymous with marijuana. However, there is much more to this plant than just getting high. It can also be great for eating and very nutritious at that. The hemp seed is one of the most nutritious foods you will find out there.
To start with, hemp seeds are complete protein sources because they have all nine essential amino acids. They also have omega-3 fatty acids, which are important for the proper functioning of many organs and systems in our bodies. They also taste better than salmon or cod liver oil, so if you’re not into those, you can get your omega-3 fatty acids from hemp seeds.
There are plenty of recipes that incorporate hemp seeds to make for a delicious meal. We got some of the best recipes from hempflowerprerolls.tumblr.com and are featuring them here.
1. Strawberry Smoothie With Hemp Hearts
While the hemp hearts are not the main feature in this smoothie, they certainly add to the flavor and nutrition of the whole thing. Besides, it’s a terrific way to get rid of all the extra strawberries you might have lying around in the refrigerator.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup chopped fresh strawberries
- 1 cup canned light coconut milk
- 1 frozen banana, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours, then rinsed and dried
- 4 Medjool dates, pitted and roughly chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon lime zest
- 1 teaspoon hemp hearts
DIRECTIONS
Put everything in a blender and blend until it’s smooth. You might need to stop the blender from time to time to scrape the sides. Pour the smoothie into a glass and add half a teaspoon of hemp hearts.
2. Vegan Lentil Quinoa Hemp Seed Meatballs
These vegan meatballs are packed with just as much protein as the real thing, along with plenty of iron and dietary fiber. You can either pan-fry them or bake them if you want to go oil-free.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup cooked lentils, drained
- 1/2 cup cooked quinoa
- 3 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
- 2 to 3 tablespoons shelled hemp seeds
- 1 tablespoon oat flour
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup gluten-free breadcrumbs
DIRECTIONS
Combine all the ingredients with the exception of bread crumbs in a food processor and pulse at least six times for optimal combination. Don’t mix too much. Get a shallow bowl and add the breadcrumbs to it. Scoop out some bean mixture with a tablespoon and mold it into a ball with your hands. When you’re done, coat the balls with the crumbs by pressing them gently onto the crumbs and rolling them around.
3. Raw Power Zucchini Pasta With Hemp Seed Alfredo Sauce
This meal incorporates zucchini noodles, some lemon-marinated veggies and plenty of hemp seeds in an Alfredo sauce with some vegan parmesan to top it all off. It is nourishing, satisfying and fun to eat.
INGREDIENTS
- 4 medium zucchini, ends trimmed
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and julienned
- 2 cups baby spinach, thinly sliced
- 1 lemon, juiced
- Hemp seed Alfredo sauce (recipe can be found here)
- Handful fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
- Sea salt, to taste
- Ground black pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS
Spiralize the zucchini into noodles using a spiralizer. Add the zucchini noodles along with the spinach and red bell pepper into a mixing bowl and add the lemon juice. Toss the mixture around to allow the lemon juice to coat. Let the mixture marinate for about 10 minutes as you prepare the Hemp seed Alfredo sauce. Add the basil leaves and pour as much Alfredo sauce as you need over the zucchini pasta. Make sure to toss the mixture to create an even coat. Season with sea salt and black pepper to taste. You can add some vegan Parmesan cheese if desired and serve immediately.
