The recipe originates from Brett McDermott, who as a young boy was put to work in the kitchen by his mother to stay out of trouble. As a private chef, he traveled to places like Maui, Belize, and Nicaragua to cook at yoga retreats and surf hotels. Before opening the doors of his namesake boutique market and catering company, Our Daily Brett, he also had a meal delivery program and worked on an organic farm in upcountry Maui.
In collaboration with Studio A-OK, a lifestyle brand whose mission is to provide playful, premium products that refine one's smoking experience, Brett creates an infused basil flower oil with the assist of our very own LEVO. Check out all the delicious veggies in the mix and follow the recipe below.
MEDITERRANEAN SALAD
This is a super tasty, seasonal salad with beets, pickled fuyu persimmon, Persian cucumbers, labneh and za’atar.
Ingredients:
4 Tbsp Labneh
1 lb Beets
1 lb Pickled Persimmons
1 lb Persian Cucumbers
4 tsp. Za'Atar
4 tsp. Maldon Salt
4 tbsp. LEVO-infused flower basil oil
4oz. Petite greens or edible flowers
Preparation: Follow the prep below for each veggie + LEVO-infusion
Baby Beets
Boil your beets in salt water until fork tender. Remove from heat, strain and place beets in a heat-proof container. Cover with an air tight lid or saran wrap to steam. Allow beets to cool enough to handle and
Za’Atar
1 part Sumac (try to find Fresh BC sumac)
1 part Toasted White Sesame Seeds
1 part Dried Thyme (dry fresh time yourself for best flavour)
Mix all three parts together and store in an air-tight container for maximum freshness.
Pickled Persimmon
1 lb. Fuyu persimmons, cut into 1/8 wedges (try to use slightly underripe persimmons for best results)
2 Tbsp. honey
2 C white wine vinegar
1C water
1 Tbsp. whole black peppercorns
1 tsp. whole coriander seeds
1 tsp. yellow mustard seeds
1⁄2 tsp. ground cinnamon
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1- 1” piece ginger, smashed
Add all of your ingredients except for the persimmons to a small pot over high heat. While that is heating up, prepare your persimmons and place in a small bowl. Once your brine has come to a boil, pour over top of persimmons and cover with a plate to weigh them down and keep them submerged. Leave at room temperature until cool. Pickles will be good for two weeks in the fridge.
Persian Cucumbers
Persian cucumbers are the baby cucumbers you see in little 6-packs at the grocery store. They are thin-skinned and have a nice crunch. Cut them on a bias in 1” pieces using a roll-cut. Slice on a bias, roll 90 degrees and then cut on a bias again.
Labneh
You can make this yourself or head down to your nearest Mediterranean market and pick some up. If you cant find any, substitute greek yogurt or use regular yogurt and strain through cheesecloth for 24 hours.
LEVO-infused basil flower oil
2 cups neutral flavor cooking oil (Canola, Grapeseed, Light Olive Oil, Avocado)
2 Tbsp of basil
2-3 grams of flower
Fill LEVO pod with 2 Tbsp basil and approximately 2-3 grams of flower (depending on desired strength). Add 2 cups of cooking oil to the reservoir. Set time to 2.5 hours and 200F to infuse.
Procedure:
1. Lay down a base of labneh in the middle of each plate.
2. Arrange beets on top of the labneh so the pointy edges are pointing up.
3. Follow suit with the pickled persimmons and Persian cucumbers.
4. Season the dish with a tsp of za’atar on each plate and an equal amount of Maldon salt.
5. Drizzle one Tbsp of basil flower oil on each plate.
6. Finish each plate with 3-5 leaves of petite basil, mint or edible flowers.
Share what you make with @LEVO_Oil and be sure to tag it with #LEVOmade.
All images by Studio A-OK / Recipe by Brett McDermott of Our Daily Brett
]]>Still KYRIOUS about superfoods? In the second part of our superfood series, Kyra is back to provide us with her rendition of a plant-based smoothie bowl, rich in nutrients and combined with homemade granola.
It's no question smoothie bowls have gained significant popularity recently in the health scene ever since the good ole’ acai bowl took reign. The idea of scooping up a thick creamy smoothie topped with granola, fresh fruit, nuts, and seeds makes this treat more like a well-rounded meal. This smoothie bowl is the perfect blend of all the elements that make you feel full, energized and happy. It’s like diving into a big bowl of sunshine with all of the superfoods your body could dream of. The smoothie itself is infused with the king of medicinal mushrooms, Chaga, and golden mulberries: two of the most powerful superfoods available on earth.
What makes a super food so super you might ask? These two natural substances pack a powerful health punch in such a small serving. The chaga mushroom grows on birch trees in the northern hemisphere and has been studied widely by scientists for their medicinal uses. This mushroom is packed with B-vitamins, vitamin D, potassium, amino acids, fiber, calcium, selenium, zinc, and iron, just to name a few. Chaga has also been studied to help slow signs of aging due to high exposure to sun and pollution. The high amount of antioxidants found in this mushroom may even reduce cholesterol, prevent cancer, lower blood pressure, reduces inflammation and lower blood sugar! You can see why these mushrooms are referred to as the king of the mushrooms; they’re never short of nutrients and antioxidants!
Mulberries, on the other hand, are another all-time potent superfood in this recipe. These berries are one of the top cancer-fighting foods due to its high potency of antioxidants. An antioxidant acts as a fighter in the body trying to neutralize all of the free radicals that the body intakes on daily basis from things like pollution, sunlight and hazardous food chemicals. These berries are also a great aid in digestion, lowing cholesterol, increasing circulation, slowing the aging process, and boosting the immune system. Together, chaga and mulberries make one superfood power couple! Am I right?
Blood Orange and Chaga Smoothie Bowl
(Yields 1 smoothie bowl)
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp LEVO infused coconut oil
2 Tbsp raw cashews
2 soft medjool dates, remove pits
½ tsp lacuma powder
1 Tbsp dried golden mulberries
1 peeled blood orange
¼ cup frozen mango
½ cup steamed then frozen cauliflower
½ tsp chaga mushroom powder
½ cup coconut water ice cubes
1 cup water
Method:
1. Peel the rind from the blood orange.
2. Add cashews, dates, mulberries, cauliflower, mango, and ice to a blender first.
3. Follow up by adding the water, blood orange, dates and coconut oil.
4. Add the final dry ingredients.
5. Blend on high for 45 seconds until mixed well.
6. Pour the smoothie into a bowl and top with superfood granola, fruits, nuts, and seeds.
Superfood Granola
(Yields 3 cups granola)
Ingredients:
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup chopped raw nuts of choice (walnuts, pecans and/or cashews)
½ cup pitted dates
½ cup coconut chips
½ cup dried mulberries or another berry of choice
¼ cup chia seeds
¼ cup LEVO infused coconut oil
1 Tbsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp maca powder
½ tsp salt
1/4 cup water
1 tsp vanilla
Method:
1. Preheat over to 325F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl, add pitted dates. Cover with boiling water for 5 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, add oats, nuts, coconut chips, dried mulberries, chia seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Stir to combine.
4. Drain hot water from dates. Add to blender along with coconut oil, water, vanilla, and maca. Blend on high for 30 seconds.
5. Pour blended mixture into dry ingredients. Mix well.
6. Pour granola onto lined baking try and flatten onto the sheet.
7. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove and stir on baking sheet. Bake for additional 10-15 minutes until golden brown.
8. Remove from oven and let cool 15 minutes before serving.
Tune in for future superfoods recipes next month with Kyra.
Share what you make with @LEVO_Oil and be sure to tag it with #LEVOmade.
All images by Kyrious.co / Recipe by Kyra Mueller-Yamamoto
]]>Brianna Gallo's journey with food started at a young age. With the help of her Italian grandmother, she learned recipes that had been maintained and passed down to her as a child. Upon moving to California, she explored gluten-free cooking and veganism. Fast forward to today, Chef Brianna Gallo founded PLVNT as a result of her love of art and food. With healthy, artistically driven creations, Brianna specializes in plant-based cuisine.
So get your kitchen (and stomach) ready, it's Brianna's pleasure to help you eat right! In true celebration of health and wellness, she kicks off springtime with a handful of savory recipes to make at home with your LEVO. First up, how about a little greenery with her "green" curry and smoothie recipes below.
Al fresco dining, anyone?
"Green" Curry
Ingredients:
3 tbs. green curry paste
2 tbs. LEVO-infused coconut oil
1" knob of ginger, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbs. tamari (or soy sauce)
1 tbs. almond butter
3 cans of coconut milk
1 green bell pepper
2 tsp pink Himalayan salt
Snap peas
Green kale
Juice of 1 lime
Cilantro
Rice noodles
Method:
1. Add green curry paste & LEVO-infused coconut oil into a pot over medium heat. Allow to cook until the curry paste is fragrant. Then add in your minced ginger & garlic, and sautéed for about 30 seconds.
2. Add in coconut milk, almond butter, Tamari, salt, and lime juice, and stir to combine.
3. In a separate pot, bring some lightly salted water to a boil & add rice noodles and vegetables. Once cooked, drain thoroughly.
4. Add rice noodles, vegetables, and curry broth into a bowl, and then garnish with cilantro & a lime wedge.
"Green" Smoothie
Ingredients
1 cup frozen mango
2 tbs. LEVO-infused coconut oil
1 large handful of green kale
2-3 dates, pitted
1 1/2 cups vanilla almond milk
Method:
1. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
2. Enjoy!
Tune in for more savory recipes with PLVNT.
Share what you make with @LEVO_Oil and be sure to tag it with #LEVOmade.
All images by PLVNT / Recipe by Chef Brianna Gallo.
]]>
For the topping:
• 1/2 cup organic almond butter (or organic cashew butter)
• 1/2 cup organic LEVO-infused coconut oil
• 1/2 cup organic date nectar (maple or agave works too: whichever is your preferred sweetener!)
• 1/2 teaspoon organic vanilla bean powder
• 1/8 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
Instructions:
Prepare the crust:
1. Add all the ingredients for the crust to a medium-sized bowl and stir until it's well combined.
2. Transfer the mixture to an 8 x 8 baking dish lined with parchment paper, spread it evenly on the bottom of the baking dish, then press it down firmly. Set aside. (You can use your silicone molds here if you have any on hand. Follow step 1. above, then fill each of the mold cavities with equal amounts of the mixture).
Prepare the filling:
1. Add all the ingredients for the filling to a food processor and process/pulse until the apples and dates are broken down into tiny pieces, taking care not to over process.
2. Transfer the mixture to the baking dish, spread it evenly on top of the crust, then press it down firmly. Set aside.
Prepare the topping:
1. Add all the ingredients for the topping to a small bowl and whisk together until it is creamy and smooth.
2. Transfer the mixture to the baking dish and spread it evenly on top of the filling.
Assembly:
1. Place the baking dish in the refrigerator for 15-30 minutes for it to firm.
2. Store in the refrigerator in an air-tight container until ready to serve (careful, as they will get soft if left out at room temperature!).
3. Enjoy!
Share what you make with @LEVO_Oil and be sure to tag it with #LEVOmade.
All images by mindthevision / Recipe by Sinful Edibles
We collaborated with Lauren & Leslie of Rooted with Love to bring you a special selection of information & recipes to help you unlock your magic, with or without a partner.
Inside, you'll find rituals on grounding, starting with a Lavender Basil Bath Salt. There's also delicious, energy-boosting Cocoa Ginger Nutmeg Balls, ideal for warming the body. For endless smooches (no one likes chapped lips), try our Honey Lip Scrub to exfoliate and soften for a more kissable pout. Last but not least, check out our official Sex Magic Love Balm that serves triple duty as a massage oil, pain salve, and personal lubricant.
This Valentine's Day, we focus on all the love--self-love and love for our partners. So try something new for yourself or that special someone and download our Sex Magic guide, now (Mobile or Desktop versions available!).
Happy Valentine's Day to you and yours!
Share what you make with @LEVO_Oil and be sure to tag it #LEVOmade.
]]>Jeff the 420 Chef might call these his "canna baby love cakes," but LEVO knows an infused chocolate cake is the perfect dessert for all days. Check out the delicious recipe below.
Chocolate "Baby Love" Cake
Ingredients:
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 340ºF. Lightly grease the bundt molds with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl mix together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a separate bowl mix egg, vanilla, both oils, buttermilk, and orange zest. Add 7-10 drops of red food coloring, and mix until blended and smooth.
4. Add the chocolate chips and pecans or almonds. Pour batter into bundt molds until ¾ full.
5. Bake for 18-20 mins until a toothpick inserted into bundt cake comes out clean.
6. In medium Pyrex bowls, melt the chocolate for 20 seconds in the microwave. You’ll need separate bowls for the dark and white chocolate. Stir well. Microwave again for 10 seconds. Stir briskly until smooth and creamy.
7. Place the melted chocolates in a pastry bag fitted with a small hole tip or in zip-lock baggie. If you’re using a zip-lock baggie, gently cut a small piece of the bag tip off.
8. Creatively swizzle the colored chocolate over the cakes and voilà!
Share what you make with @LEVO_Oil and be sure to tag it #LEVOmade.
Happy Valentine's Day!
]]>LĒVO teamed up with Van der Pop for their infused dining series, The Edible Leaf! Each episode features a flower-infused recipe using the LĒVO machine. Check out the recipes below for an easy mustard vinaigrette, decadent risotto, and vegan no-bake granola bars.
Directions:
Fill LĒVO pod with 1-2 chopped clove garlic + 4 grams of decarboxylated flower. Fill reservoir with 8 oz EVOO (this will be at half capacity, so make sure your pod is submerged before infusing!). Set LEVO for 185°F / 85°C for 2 hours to infuse. Dispense into mason jar or another airtight container like LĒVO’s Herb Blocks.
In a clean jar or small bowl, add the vinegar, mustard and mix well. Slowly add the infused olive oil while either whisking or stirring rapidly with your fork. Add the parsley and thyme, salt and pepper, taste and adjust seasonings.
Directions:
Fill LĒVO pod with 3.5 grams of decarboxylated flower. Fill reservoir with 8 oz Ghee (this will be at half capacity, so make sure your pod is submerged before infusing!). Set LĒVO for 200°F / 93.3°C for 2.5 hours to infuse. Dispense into mason jar or another airtight container like LĒVO’s Herb Blocks.
Heat the stock to a simmer in a medium saucepan, then lower the heat so that the stock just stays hot.
In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat 2 Tbsp of the butter over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the chopped shallot or onion. Sauté for 2–3 minutes or until slightly translucent.
Add the rice to the pot and stir it briskly with a wooden spoon so that the grains are coated with melted butter. Sauté for another minute or so, until there is a slightly nutty aroma. But don't let the rice turn brown. Add the wine and cook while stirring, until the liquid is fully absorbed.
Add a ladle of hot vegetable stock to the rice and stir until the liquid is fully absorbed. When the rice appears almost dry, add another ladle of stock and repeat the process. It's important to stir constantly, especially while the hot stock gets absorbed, to prevent scorching, and add the next ladle as soon as the rice is almost dry.
Continue adding ladles of hot stock and stirring the rice while the liquid is absorbed. As it cooks, you'll see that the rice will take on a creamy consistency as it begins to release its natural starches. After 20–30 minutes or until the grains are tender but still firm to the bite, without being crunchy. If you run out of stock and the risotto still isn't done, you can finish the cooking using hot water. Just add the water as you did with the stock, a ladle at a time, stirring while it's absorbed.
Stir in the remaining 2 Tbsp butter, the Parmesan cheese, and the parsley, and season to taste with Kosher salt.
Feel free to add chopped mushrooms, peas, asparagus if you’d like to add a veggie component!
Ingredients
Instructions:
Fill LĒVO pod with 3.5 grams of decarboxylated flower. Fill reservoir with 8 oz Coconut Oil (this will be at half capacity, so make sure your pod is submerged before infusing!). Set LĒVO for 200°F / 93.3°C for 2.5 hours to infuse. Dispense into mason jar or another airtight container like LĒVO’s Herb Blocks.
In a medium pot set over medium-low heat, melt together nut butter, honey, and coconut oil, stirring until smooth. Remove from stove and stir in oats and coconut. Pour mixture into a 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Spread into an even layer, sprinkle with carob chips, and firmly press down with the back of a spatula or clean hands.
Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm. Slice into squares or bars (I like to cut 3 rows of 4 bars each) and remove from pan. Store granola bars in the refrigerator, either in an airtight container with wax paper separating the layers, or individually wrapped in plastic wrap.
We hope you enjoyed The Edible Leaf! Show us your creations using #LEVOmade
]]>
See it open and close? This easily keeps your infusion inside your machine until you choose to dispense, but it requires you hold down the dispense button when removing and replacing your reservoir after cleaning, or you could mistakenly detach the silicone reservoir nozzle.
If you try to remove your reservoir without turning the unit on and holding down "dispense" you'll notice that it will be harder to remove without force. The silicone nozzle attached to the stainless reservoir can become detached and stuck inside your machine.
If you accidentally removed your reservoir improperly, not to worry! You can retrieve it with a pair of tweezers. Make sure your machine is on and that you're pressing "dispense" for an easy removal.
We hope this guide will get you ready to infuse the moment your LEVO arrives!
Want to get fully educated? You can download our full Instruction Manual here.
]]>Typically, we think that oil and water do not mix well. Those experienced infusers amongst us know that potent edibles come from using a fat for infusions because the psychoactive and medicated molecules from flower are fat-soluble, which means they bind with fats or that fats can carry these molecules. Enter alcohol.
Alcohol might be liquid and clear like water, but we know the two are not the same. Their chemistry is not the same either. Alcohol has the power of extraction, which is why herbalists use spirits to make tinctures. This fat-washed gin works similarly:
Fat-washing is similar to traditional infusions and involves flavoring alcohol with liquid fat; in this case, we’re using gin with a flower-infused olive oil. Regardless of whether you use herbs, spices, fruits, or fats as the main flavor-adding ingredient, alcohol extracts the flavors and terpenes. Both fat-soluble and water-soluble molecules get extracted and infused into the spirits.
Essentially, you use the fat to pull out the flavors and terpenes from the flower and then use the alcohol to extract those molecules and incorporate them into your spirits, and voila! Medicated cocktails are possible.
Makes 1 16-ounce Jar
Ingredients:
Equipment
Instructions:
Cheffing it up in the kitchen truly relaxes me and is one of my favorite ways to unwind after a long or stressful day.
Now that the hustle and bustle of the holidays is in full swing, I thought I’d carve out some personal self-care time and decompress with a little baking (something I rarely do because I loathe precisely measuring and weighing my ingredients).
I’m the type of home-chef that enjoys savory cooking over pastry as I’d much prefer to taste and adjust according to whim as I go along. But alas, with baking you usually need to pay close attention to recipes.
Not to worry, though. My 10 step flower-infused olive oil cake is as foolproof as it is delicious, and requires only a few basic ingredients that you probably already have at home. Best of all, you can fudge the measurements a little and still wind up with solid results.
Microdosed Flower-Infused Olive Oil Cake Recipe:
This super easy and shareable microdosed edible recipe harks back to my Mediterranean roots and is sure to add a bit of panache to your next festive gathering. It’s great with champagne and perfect for the canna-curious. Enjoy!
What's cookin' in your kitchen? Share your creations with @LEVO_Oil and be sure to tag them #LEVOmade.
Pro Tip: Can't get your hands on a gorgeous leaf to garnish with like the one in the title image? Print the image, then gently cut the leaf out of the image to make a stencil. Lay the stencil over the pie and sprinkle with powdered sugar or cocoa powder. Remove the stencil gently and admire your artwork!
Show us what you're serving! Share your pics with @LEVO_Oil and let everyone know it's #LEVOmade.
Pro Tip: Make your hummus fancy so it stands out: use a spatula to gently trace a well into the top of the hummus. Pour the rosemary garlic olive oil into the well. Sprinkle paprika to add some color or place a fresh spring of rosemary on top as garnish. You could also sautee up some whole chickpeas in the rosemary garlic olive oil and add them on top. Enjoy!
Show us what you're serving! Share your pics with @LEVO_Oil and let everyone know it's #LEVOmade.
ICYMI, we've had some scrumptious Fall Treats on the blog the last few weeks to help you get cookin' and stay spicy as the temps drop and the days get shorter. Here's a recap:
This Thanksgiving we were super grateful to all our friends who have been contributing recipes. We picked out few of our favorites from their blogs so you don't miss a treat:
If you aren't ready to say bye just yet, you can keep the fall vibes going with these treats. Get cookin' and share your pics with @LEVO_Oil and let everyone know it's #LEVOmade.
]]>Our friends at Hempsley are a great resource for learning all about the health benefits of herbal infusions. Inspired by a family holiday recipe, this Cinna Honey Butter is sure to be a staple for your holiday meals too.
Bring the spicy and the sweet to your fall treats with this super simple recipe, which comes our way from Kristen at Hempsley. She developed the recipe to jazz up her family's classic dinner rolls, which are a staple at holiday dinners.
Pro Tip: Enjoy your Cinna Honey Butter on some Orange Spiced Muffins!
Show us what you're buttering up! Share your pics with @LEVO_Oil and let everyone know it's #LEVOmade.
Photography and recipes by Hempsley. Visit their site for more info on the health benefits of cannabinoids, plus helpful tips for using your LEVO!
These muffins are dairy-free and gluten-free bite-sized deliciousness. Eat more than one and actually feel good about it. They are made with Golden Root turmeric latte mix, which packs all the health benefits of turmeric and a powerhouse of flavor. Try the sugar-free version, which is a bit spicier, or go for the sweetened version if that suits your fancy. Or, put one in the muffins, make a latte with the other, and enjoy them altogether!
Pro Tip: This recipe was made in Denver and needs no altitude adjustments for baking around a mile high.
Share your pics of muffin merriment with @LEVO_Oil and let everyone know it's #LEVOmade.
Photography and recipes by Golden Root. Visit their site for more info on the health benefits of turmeric.
Pour hot sticky liquid over popcorn? Seems odd, but it works. Caramel popcorn is delightful to enjoy and delightfully easier to make than you might think. Use your LEVO infused butter for this recipe and check out our LEVO + Jeff the Chef guidebook on making infusions for a butterier, less flower-forward taste that's sure to please everyone.
Preheat your oven to 250°F
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray it with the cooking spray.
Place the popcorn on the baking sheet and sprinkle the pecans over top evenly.
Put the baking sheet of popcorn and pecans in the oven to warm and crisp. Keep an eye and a nose on it! Pecans can burn easily.
In a LARGE non-stick saucepan, mix together the born sugar, corn syrup, infused butter, and salt. Over medium heat, stir the mixture constantly until it begins to boil.
Put the spoon down, let the mixture boil for 5 minutes. Don't stir it!
Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the cinnamon and vanilla.
Add the baking soda and watch the syrup foam.
Remove the popcorn and pecans from the oven if you haven't already and pour them into a large mixing bowl. Raise the oven temperature to 340°F.
Pour the syrup over the popcorn and pecans and stir to coat evenly.
Pour the popcorn mixture back onto the baking sheet and spread it out evenly.
Bake for 35-40 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
Pro tip: Keep your caramel corn stored in an air-tight container to make it last longer.
Be sure to share your popcorn pics with @LEVO_Oil and let everyone know it's #LEVOmade.
]]>You can make baked donuts easily with a donut pan- no deep frying required. This recipe is also vegan, and can be made gluten free with flour substitution. Share a batch of cinnamon sugar goodness with a mug of hot apple cider and voila! Cozy fall snack complete.
Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease your donut pan
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder and salt. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, almond milk pumpkin puree, coconut oil, and vanilla.
Pro tip: These donuts are best enjoyed fresh. If you want to save more for later, place any leftover donuts in a ziplock bag lined with paper towels. Spread the donuts out in one layer and store in the fridge.
Photography and recipes by GOOD-SAINT. Visit their site for more info on plant-based living, including how your LEVO can be a part of a vegan diet.
Be sure to share your donuts pics with @LEVO_Oil and let everyone know it's #LEVOmade.
]]>
This sauce can last up to a month in your fridge, if you're able to resist eating it more quickly. Before you jump into making this 5-ingredient wonder, make sure you know a little bit about making caramel sauce. Here's the rundown:
Melt the LEVO butter infusion over medium heat in a large saucepan.
Once butter has melted, add brown sugar and stir for 2 minutes. Adjust heat if sauce beings to boil too much or is not hot enough. You don't want to burn the sugar, but you do want everything to be warm and incorporated.
The possibilities here are endless...brownies, ice cream, coffee, pumpkin pie, cheesecake, pumpkin cheesecake, apples, apple pie...straight from the spoon...whatever you make, be sure to share with @LEVO_Oil and let everyone know it's #LEVOmade.
]]>Contributed by John Darius Soltes, CHMM
In this post, I will expound upon my humble understanding of these ubiquitous hydrocarbons that are in our everyday lives...
As a chemist, I must start by defining the matter. Here is a little logic meme for you:
aqueous is to organic : crystalline is to amorphous
What am I trying to say there? It's very simple: water and oil are different...they are like...oil and water! Polar molecules, like water (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2), form an ordered crystalline structure when cooled, but non-polar molecules, like oils and lipids, will not form this neatly arranged structure. Consider how ice and butter would react if you hit them with a hammer: take a big block of ice and whack it with a hammer and it will shatter. Take a stick of refrigerated butter and whack it with a hammer and it will dent. But, if you cool a stick of butter to a low enough temperature (try -450oF, for example), and then whack it with a hammer, it will become brittle. The frozen oil (even at absolute zero) will start to behave like one of those pesky crystalline solids!
Eventually, if you heat oil enough, its structure will begin to break down. At temperatures between 225F-520oF (107C-271oC) the oil will start to smoke. The temperature at which breakdown begins and you see the oil turning to smoke is called...wait for it: smoke point. An oil's smoke point varies greatly based on its chemical structure and and the thermal stability of a particular oil. The worst part?
All of the fragrant terpenes and aromatic compounds that people painstakingly infuse into oils degrade when an oil reaches its smoke point temperature.
So sad. But avoidable. In order to retain those fragrant terpenes and aromatic compounds, do not overheat your oil. That's why LEVO has different temperature settings for different oils. Here's a list of some ballpark smoke points for a variety of common oils from Cooking for Engineers:
Type of Oil | Smoke Point in oF | Smoke Point in oC |
unrefined canola oil | 225 | 107 |
unrefined flaxseed oil | 225 | 107 |
unrefined sunflower oil | 225 | 107 |
unrefined corn oil | 320 | 160 |
extra virgin olive oil | 320 | 160 |
unrefined peanut oil | 320 | 160 |
unrefined soy oil | 320 | 160 |
hemp seed oil | 320 | 160 |
butter | 350 | 177 |
coconut oil | 350 | 177 |
unrefined sesame oil | 350 | 177 |
vegetable shortening | 360 | 182 |
lard | 370 | 182 |
refined canola oil | 400 | 204 |
low acidity extra virgin olive oil | 405 | 207 |
sesame oil | 410 | 210 |
grapeseed oil | 420 | 216 |
virgin olive oil | 420 | 216 |
almond oil | 420 | 216 |
peanut oil | 440 | 227 |
sunflower oil | 440 | 227 |
refined soy oil | 450 | 232 |
palm oil | 450 | 232 |
refined peanut oil | 450 | 232 |
soybean oil | 495 | 257 |
You may notice from this chart that all the unrefined "first press" or "virgin" oils have much lower smoke points than their refined counterparts. The reason for this has to do with the thermal breakdown of the lower molecular weight terpenes/aromatics/flavinoids (especially reactive acid groups). These molecules are the ones that will scorch and produce unpleasant by-products at elevated temperatures.
You can filter your oil to remove these naturally occurring flavor compounds so that the oil will be better suited for high temperature cooking. Ghee or clarified butter is a good example of filtered oil. Butter is "clarified" to remove its milk solids. After you strain away the milk solids, you have an oil with higher thermal stability that you can heat to higher temperatures.
Those "first press" or "virgin" oils are like the unfiltered butter with all its milk solids. They contain more flavor, which is what they are known for, but they also reach smoke point at a lower temperature. That is why virgin oils are not recommended for sautéing.
Even though the subtle flavors of an infusion are dissolved into the oil, they are still susceptible to the smoke point thermal activity. Protect your infused oils by heating and cooling them properly. You want to keep your oil away from high temperatures and away from Ultra-Violet (UV) light, which can oxidize oils and make them "go bad" by activating the reactive molecules. Store your oils in green or brown colored glass containers to block out harmful UV light.
And now for some diagrams of molecules (I would be remiss if I neglected to include a molecular ball diagram). Take a look at this one:
That picture depicts the chemical structure of a tri-glyceride molecule. See the three chains of fatty acids that look like legs coming of that red ring? Three chains, hence tri-glyceride. In my last blog post, I discussed vegetable glyceryn (VG). VG is the atomic backbone for this type of oil. Here's a reminder of VG structure:
And now take a look at these images:
Notice anything that these molecules have in common across these diagrams? The Olive Oil might stand out, but that's because where you see the "R" with a superscript number, that's actually where a number of different carbon chains are located, which are represented with kinky lines in the other diagrams, like this: "/\/\/\/". You'll also notice that some of the kinky lines are doubled. That's where there is a double "carbon=carbon" bond.
The double bond causes the tri-glyceride to be "unsaturated." When you see more than one double bond, that's now a poly-unsaturated oil. All of these oils have a tri-glyceride VG "backbone." Can you see it? Look for the legs!
Now take a look at this image, which is one of the reference oils for a LEVO flower infusion test:
Notice some really huge big differences? There's only one "leg"! That's because this molecule of grape seed oil is a mono-glyceride. Instead of having those three long chains of kinky bonds that we saw in the other oils, this oil only has one chain of bonds.
And just for kicks and giggles, here are some diagrams of entirely inedible oils (YUCK!):
Now if you weren't sure of those kinky, leggy chains...you certainly cannot find them in these diagrams. They don't have them! NO glycerin backbone in these oils, which are found in candle wax and wood resins.
Okay, that's not true at all. But while putting together this little assemblage of revealing oil facts, I did assemble a list of properties that distinguish oils from one another:
As if those weren't enough characteristics, oils can also be processed and refined, and their production can get quite complicated. I might explore this in a future blog post: Fat. You don't want to know where it comes from!
One last bit of food for thought: for nutritional considerations, you might be interested to know that in researching for this blog post, I found that across the board, ingested oils = 9 calories/gram. Chew on that when planning your next recipes!
About the Author:
John Darius Soltes is a professional chemist with over 15 years of experience in both environmental science and analytical laboratory chemistry. Over the past year he has focused his attention on flower extracts and terpene chemistry and currently works in the Denver metropolitan area.
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Seating arrangements prepared by Peculiar Ink, the flower calligrapher.
Guests enjoyed Ellipsis Wine, a custom Serra x Canna Curious table game to set the mood and Da Lata C-D joints.
A delicious meal prepared by The Herbal Chef offered both both medicated and unmedicated LEVO infused dishes, served family style.
A generous gift box was presented at the conclusion of the meal, including goodies from Serra, Au Box, Hempsley, Supplied by 1964, The Herbal Chef and more.
A set by O D D N E S S E helped set the mood before dessert.
Thank you to the supremely talented photographers who captured the event; Morgan English of This Flower Life and Bess Byers, AKA Cannabess.
Want in on the next one?
]]>Our friends at Hempsley are exploring all the opportunities for topicals with LEVO. Check out her blog for a full review along with recipes! This easy bath scrub only requires a few ingredients, and can be adjusted easily with your favorite herbal combinations.
Bath scrubs are one of those things we catch ourselves ogling over but never feel like we should spend money on, so we decided to figure out how to make our own — and it turned out to be so easy, it felt almost ridiculous that anyone would ever not make their own.
...Is it time to talk to your mom (or grandma) about flower?
With an abundance of options for health & wellness, flower has never been more accessible for a variety of uses and treatments. We sit down for a frank (and hilarious) conversation with some of our favorite folks in the industry to celebrate it's many benefits.
Featuring:
Michael & Maria Gobo
Lauren & Robin Unger (Founder & Healer, Hint of Greens)
Chris & Lila Sayegh + Amy Lentini (CEO & Chef, The Herbal Chef)
Olivia & Ellen Harris (Chief Creative Officer, LEVO)
Directed/Produced by Kevin Alexander Gallo and Matthew Chupack
Shot by Sadé Clacken Joseph and Jer Robert Paulin
Don't forget to catch some of our favorite outtakes:
Let's keep the conversation going!
Love, Team LEVO
]]>After this "lightbulb moment", Chrissy self funded the initial product design and engineering for several years while working in finance in New York City. In 2015, LEVO moved to a new HQ in Denver, Colorado where the startup and holistic wellness communities are thriving. Finally, we launched a successful pre-order campaign in late 2016 with the LEVO version you see today.
Many of us are misled about the quality of infused products and forced to deal with the current inconveniences of DIY. Not to mention, the shelf life of oils and butters is shorter than we'd like to believe. We wanted a better way, so we created LEVO. With our product, you can avoid the mess and arduous process of infusing oil at home. Now, you can infuse more effectively and more frequently and make craft, small batch infusions a staple in your home.
Grab the Desktop wallpaper here and the Phone background here!
Check out more from our collaboration:
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