Summer is here. That means time outdoors, exploring, travelling, and spending quality time with family and friends.
The change in the season also offers new opportunities to change up the way you enjoy your cannabis. Whether it is trying a new strain or a new way to ingest it, the possibilities are endless. We share four ways you can enjoy cannabis this summer—can you try them all?
1. Try a Summertime Cannabis Strain
You likely have your favourite cannabis strain, a few go-to strains that always leave you with an amazing experience. This summer, consider trying some new ones that offer summer-themed experiences in the form of tropical flavours and aromas.
Although there are thousands of cannabis strains out there for you to try, below are five suggestions to help you get started. Remember, you can always ask a friend or your budtender, or contact your online dispensary for more suggestions on strains to try this summer.
Runtz is a relatively new strain, but it already has made quite the name for itself. In fact, it was named Stran of the Year by Leafly in 2020. It is a hybrid that was created by crossing Gelato and Zkittlez. As its name suggests, it smells just like the candy many people enjoy. It also has resin-covered buds that come in different colours, ranging from purple to lime green. Runtz is known for providing euphoric and uplifting effects to users. Not only is it beautiful, but it’s also powerful, so enjoy it responsibly.
Super Lemon Haze is another award-winning strain perfect for summertime. A two-time Cannabis Cup winner, Super Lemon Haze was created by crossing Lemon Skunk and Super Silver Haze. It has a sweet, lemony taste and a citrusy smell. Many compare this strain’s taste to Lemonheads candy. You’ll feel energetic after using it, making it perfect for taking before tackling your day outside.
Orange Creamsicle is the child of Orange Crush and Juicy Fruit. Another hybrid, users will likely feel happy, relaxed, and energized, all at once. As you may have guessed, this particular strain has a citrus flavour and even has orange colouring on its buds. Some people find Orange Creamsicle to be a bit of a slow-creeper, so be sure to give it time to take effect before taking more.
Maui Wowie will transport you to the tropical islands of Hawaii. A sativa plant, Maui Wowie, was created from Hawaiian and another unknown strain. Maui Wowie has a tropical pineapple flavour complete with a citrus smell. It offers euphoric and energizing effects, making it the perfect choice to use before you head out for a day in the sun with friends.
Grape Ape is an indica-dominant breed, making it unique from our other summertime suggestions. A three-way cross between Afghani, Skunk, and Mendocino Purps, this strain is known for its relaxing effects and strong grape-like smell. This strain is perfect for relaxing at home after a long day, full of summertime activities.
As always, when trying a new strain, be sure to watch your dosage amount. Check the amount of THC each plant contains and start with a low dose. You can always increase your dose if the effects aren’t as strong as you would like.
2. Give Cannabis Cooking a Try
Cannabis edibles are not a new concept, and now, more and more people are starting to make their own at home. They are also starting to use cannabis as they cook or grill out, as is the case in the summer.
There are tons of cannabis recipes available on the internet, walking you through making everything from summertime snacks to main dishes. Whatever your favourite summertime recipe, there is likely a cannabis recipe you can try.
When cooking with cannabis, though, you’ll want to make sure the strain you use has a flavour that compliments your dish. For example, Grape Ape would be a good option when making cannabis popsicles; it likely would not go as well with a cannabis chicken recipe.
Below, you’ll find two cannabis recipes to try this summer: one is a sweet, summertime treat, and the other is a main dish you can bake or perhaps make on the grill.
Cannabis Popsicles
You can find recipes that allow you to make popsicles in the flavour of your choice. These treats are perfect for cooling down on a hot day while enjoying all your favourite cannabis has to offer.
Here’s what you’ll need to make Strawberry and Coconut Popsicles:
- 2½ cups of fresh strawberries
- 4 tablespoons of granulated sugar
- 1 lime, halved
- 14 ounces of coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
- 60 mg of cannabis oil or tincture (unflavoured or strawberry-flavoured)
- Popsicle moulds
- Popsicle sticks
- Food processor or blender
Here’s how you make them:
- Hull the strawberries and put them in a food processor or blender.
- Add in two tablespoons of sugar and juice from half the lime.
- Blend or puree until smooth and well combined.
- Grab another bowl and add the coconut milk, lime juice from the other half, the rest of the sugar, and vanilla.
- Stir all ingredients together until well combined.
- Add in your cannabis oil or tincture and stir thoroughly.
- Use a spoon to put half the strawberry mixture into popsicle moulds.
- Stir, and then spoon the coconut mixture over the strawberry layer in the popsicle moulds.
- Top your moulds with the remaining strawberry mixture to create the final layer.
- Place the top on your moulds and add the sticks.
- Place in the freezer for six hours (at minimum).
- Enjoy!
You can always adjust the amount of cannabis oil to make a more potent popsicle or a less potent one depending on your tolerance level.
Cannabis-infused Lemon Chicken
This baked chicken recipe offers refreshing flavours perfect for summertime dinner.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- 4 boneless chicken breasts
- 1/3 cup of chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons of melted cannabutter
- 4 tablespoons of lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- Fresh rosemary sprig (for garnish)
- Lemon slices (for garnish)
Here’s how you make it:
- Preheat your oven and grease a baking sheet or casserole dish.
- Using a skillet, melt your cannabutter and add the chicken.
- Cook the chicken for about two to three minutes on each side, browning it.
- Remove the chicken and place it on your baking sheet.
- In a bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, lemon juice, honey, garlic, seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Pour this mixture over the chicken, coating it.
- Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until well-cooked. Be sure to spoon more sauce over the chicken from the pan every 5-10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let sit for five minutes before serving.
- Garnish with your rosemary sprigs and a lemon slice.
3. Drink Your Cannabis
Cannabis-infused beverages are one of the newest players in the cannabis industry, and their popularity is only growing. As national beverage chains look into jumping into the cannabis beverage industry, you can make your own at home.
Cannabis beverages allow you to cool down after a hot day and relax after working hard or get an additional boost of energy, depending on the strain you use in your drink.
And, what drinks say “summer” more than lemonade and iced tea? We’ll show you how to make them both.
Cannabis-infused Iced Tea
Making this refreshing summertime beverage is pretty easy, and you can adjust the quantities of ingredients to fit your tolerance level and taste preferences. Here’s what you will need:
- ¼ ounce of dried and decarboxylated cannabis
- 1 pitcher of your favourite tea
- Ice
- 3 to 4 tablespoons of water
- 4 to 6 ounces of honey
- Strainer
- Saucepan
Here’s how to make it:
- Combine the water and honey in your pan and bring it to a simmer. Stir the mixture until the honey is liquefied.
- Once liquefied, add your cannabis.
- Let everything simmer on medium-low for about 15 minutes and stir it constantly.
- Use a fine strainer to strain the honey mixture. Put a bowl underneath your strain to catch the liquid.
- Pour the honey back into the pan and let it thicken up.
- Place 1 to 2 tablespoons into each of your tea glasses and add your pre-made iced tea and some ice.
Of course, you can add any garnish that you want, such as a lemon slice.
Cannabis Pink Lemonade
Lemonade is a classic summer beverage; let’s spice it up by adding in some cannabis. Here’s what you will need:
- 2/3 cup of sugar
- 3¼ cups of water
- ½ cup of lemon juice (freshly squeezed is best)
- ¼ cup of cranberry juice cocktail
- 4 tablespoons cannabis tincture (unflavoured a complementary flavour)
- Small saucepan
Here’s how to make it:
- In a small saucepan, combine your sugar and 1 cup of water and bring to a boil.
- Stir to dissolve the sugar.
- Once dissolved, remove from heat and let everything cool at room temperature. Then, cover the pan and put it into the refrigerator until it is cold.
- In a large pitcher, stir together your cold mixture, lemon juice, cranberry juice, tincture, and the remaining water.
- Serve over ice and enjoy!
As with any recipe, keep track of how many servings you make so you know how much cannabis is in your creation.
4. Use CBD Skin Care
Summer can be hard on our skin. All that time outdoors and in the heat can cause sunburns, skin damage, and even acne breakouts. But CBD skincare has arrived on the scene and may be the solution to many of our summer skin woes.
CBD skincare includes many different products such as infused lotions and creams, oil topicals, infused sunscreen, and even CBD sugar scrubs. Here’s how these products can help keep your skin in good condition this year:
- CBD is an anti-inflammatory, so it may help alleviate redness and pain caused by sunburns. Apply directly to the sunburnt area for quick relief. It might even help speed up the healing process.
- CBD’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties make it popular in sugar scrubs. As the sugar exfoliates your skin, removing dead skin cells and debris that has become trapped thanks to sweat, CBD might help soothe any redness. Try exfoliating a few times a week to keep your skin looking its best.
- CBD also helps the body lock in moisture. So, as the skin dries out this summer, using a CBD lotion or cream can help restore moisture and prevent the skin from drying out again.
There are many ways CBD can help keep your skin looking its best. The CBD and cannabis skincare market are relatively new but quickly growing as we continue to learn all that CBD has to offer. Just be sure you purchase your products from a reputable retailer to ensure it contains the CBD it claims to.
In Conclusion
So, there you have it; four ways you can enjoy cannabis this summer. Hopefully, there are at least a few that would be new to you.
Cannabis can help make your summer even better by giving you the energy you need to keep up with the day’s activities or by helping you relax after a long day. This summer, try something new and consider these four ways to enjoy cannabis and all it has to offer:
- Try a new, summertime cannabis strain.
- Try a CBD recipe.
- Try a cannabis-infused beverage.
- Try out CBD skincare.
While we’ve shared a few recipes and strains to try out on here, there are tons more out there. You can ask your retailer, budtender, even a friend for more recommendations.
When trying new strains and recipes, keep an eye on your dosage so you don’t overdo it. It is always better to start with a lower amount in your recipe and increase it next time. And be sure any cannabis-infused meal or drink you provide others only goes to those of age and those who know what is in it.
