A beginners guide to hemp

We all know too well that the benefits of a plant-based diet are far-reaching and innumerable. From regulating blood sugar, lowering high cholesterol, lowering inflammation and enabling weight loss, eating plant-based is also kinder towards the environment.

Its been awhile since I last pottered around the kitchen because most of my days are spent in front of my laptop, as I try to meet my writing deadlines. After making a delicious sweet potato roast the other day, I remembered, just how therapeutic cooking is when you make the time to whip up something that is both healthy and delicious.

I made the switch to a mostly plant-based diet early this year and have seen incredible results. I am not very strict and I still eat fish occasionally but my otherwise paleo diet has seen a 90% overhaul where all meats are replaced with tempeh and tofu. As most of you know, I lead a very active lifestyle and travel very often. With this kind of go-go-lifestyle, it’s become increasingly difficult to meet my nutritional requirements. When my favourite blogger, The Balanced Blonde, started raving and ranting about the innumerable benefits of hemp- I was determined to incorporate it into my diet and see how my body adapts to it.

While the hemp plant comes from the family of the cannabis plant, hemp seeds don’t cause any psychotropic reactions and are in fact, used for medicinal purposes. So, to answer your question, consuming hemp seeds will not get you high. In fact, research suggests that regular consumption of hemp can help lower inflammation, alleviate autoimmune symptoms, improve heart health by lowering cholesterol and even help slow tumour growth.

A post shared by Health Horizons (@healthhorizonsindia) on Jul 1, 2018 at 12:02am PDT

Taste Test: while most people warned me of its grassy taste, I think hemp has a pleasant, nutty taste. You can make it more palatable by whipping it into a smoothie or adding it into a cereal.

I’m going to show you how to use hemp seeds and powder in this blog post. Here is a fool-proof recipe that I have grown to love at breakfast-

No-oats hemp cereal
Ingredients:
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
½ cup shelled hemp seeds
2 tbsp flax seeds (ground into a fine powder)
Maple syrup to taste
A pinch of cinnamon and sea salt
About ½ cup of fresh berries of your choice

Method:
Combine the hemp, flax, maple syrup and cinnamon, in a pot.
Start to add the almond milk gradually.
Stir along with a wooden spoon on a low flame.
Let the mixture thicken slowly. Remember to keep stirring to avoid anything burning at the bottom of the pot.
Allow the mixture to cool a tad before you transfer them into a bowl and top it with berries, cacao nibs and almond slivers.

TRUTH: this smoothie bowl took me 20 minutes to prepare and we ended up eating it in 3 minutes flat.

I had my first smoothie bowl back in 2013 and while I devoured it in less than an hour, I’ve always wanted to make a healthier version. Yesterday, I whipped up a super easy recipe with the goodness of hemp seeds, ashwagandha and absolutely no added sugar besides naturally occurring sugars in the fruit.

Tropicale Smoothie Bowl
– 1/4 cup almond milk (unsweetened)
– a dash of sea salt
– a dash of ashwagandha powder
– 2 tbsp of chia seeds
– 2 tbsp of hemp seeds from @healthhorizonsindia
– 1 banana (frozen)
– 1/2 mango (frozen)

Method-
Toss all the frozen fruit into a blender. Start adding the milk slowly, until you get a smooth, luscious consistency. Add in the ashwagandha and the hemp seeds. Blend just a little bit more.

Put the mixture into a pretty bowl and decorate with shaved coconut, chia seeds, bananas and edible flowers.

P.S- my dog loves fruit and I tried very hard to prevent her from eating my share.

I have always been very wary of store-bought whey protein powders because they are often laden with chemical additives, colours and preserves. Hemp is an excellent source of proteins and is a lot easier to digest than whey for the lactose sensitive/ intolerant. When I feel like I have a few really hectic weeks coming on, I try and whip up a protein-rich smoothie with this delicious powder. I have to admit I have grown to like its nutty aftertaste.

Green warrior hemp smoothie
Ingredients:
A handful of spinach leaves
1 tsp of MCT oil (substitute with cold pressed coconut oil if you prefer)
½ tsp of ashwagandha powder
2 tbsp of hemp seed powder
1 frozen banana
½ cup unsweetened almond milk
A few cubes of ice
A drizzle of maple syrup (optional)

Method-
Toss all the ingredients into a mixer.
Blend until smooth.
Pour into a large glass and enjoy it for breakfast or a mid-meal snack.

So you see, incorporating this wonderful plant in your life can be easy and extremely delicious if you are willing to experiment in the kitchen. I have been consuming hemp in these recipes up to five times a week and I see a noticeable improvement in my fatigue, muscle cramping and I even think I am sleeping better. I have been talking to everyone I meet of late of the benefits of hemp and I hope you’ll try these recipes and let me know what you think.

A post shared by Health Horizons (@healthhorizonsindia) on Apr 30, 2018 at 7:13am PDT

Disclosure- although Health Horizons sent over a batch of the hemp seeds and vegan protein powder (pictures below) for me to try, all opinions on this review are my own.