Northern Colorado’s premiere chefs Juli y Juan’s Kitchen whip up a special Nutiva® Cold-Pressed Organic Hemp Oil recipe just in time for the NoCo Hemp Expo, March 31st-April 1st in Loveland, CO.[fvplayer src=”https://youtu.be/c6CVjW41BzA” width=”1280″ height=”720″]

 Serves 4

20 minutes to prepare

Ingredients

• Basil 1 1/2 cups
• Parmesan 1 cup
• Roasted garlic 4 cloves
• Parsley 1/2 cup
• Nutiva Organic Hemp Oil 1/4 or 1/2 cup
• Pine nuts 1/4 cup
• Sea salt and pepper to taste
• Zucchini 4 pcs
• Cherry tomatoes 2 cups (halved)

Instructions

1. Add pine nuts and parmesan cheese to food processor; grind just enough for a coarse texture. Add basil, parsley, garlic and Nutiva Organic Hemp Oil and process again. The amount of oil will depend on how you like your pesto. If you like it thicker, like a spread, add just a 1/4 cup.
2. Once you have achieved desired consistency add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Using a spiralizer, turn zucchini into long strands. You can also substitute zucchini for regular pasta.
4. Toss zucchini strands with halved cherry tomatoes and pesto. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes or until zucchini softens. Divide among 4 dishes; sprinkle with additional Parmesan if desired.

Hemp hearts (also known as “shelled hemp seeds”) are a rich source of nutrition, putting them in the “superfoods” category. Hemp hearts typically contain 33 percent protein, 9 percent omega-3 essential fatty acids, and are an excellent source of iron, vitamin E, and Omega fatty acids.

Omega fatty acids are essential because human bodies cannot make them on their own, which means we need to get these good fats from our diet. Omega-3 fatty acids are particularly beneficial to the brain, skin, joints and heart, and Omega-6, such as GLA (gamma-linolenic acid), is important to hair, skin and bone health.

The protein profile in hemp hearts makes them one of the densest sources of plant protein, which can be of significant benefit to vegetarians, athletes and anyone looking to add a healthy source of protein to their diet.

The hemp heart is a tasty and versatile food with a light and nutty flavor. Try adding to:

• hot or cold cereals like oatmeal or granola
• blend into your favorite smoothies
• sprinkle on top of salads, soups, and even ice cream
• add hemp hearts to baked goods for a nutritious and nutty boost.

Hemp oil is commonly cold-processed (under 104°F) from raw, live hemp seeds, using a mechanical process to remove the hard shells, yielding delicious shelled hemp seeds. Hemp oil is expeller-pressed from the seeds without the use of hexane or other toxic solvents.

Use hemp oil in smoothies, salads, vegetables and pasta dishes. To conserve the essential fatty acids, use it raw or gently heated. Delicious recipes and tips can be found online at kitchen.nutiva.com/recipes.

Hemp foods are legal to import, buy, and consume in the United States, and can be found in natural grocers, and health food stores. While hemp and marijuana both come from the same species of plant, Cannabis sativa L., they are different varieties, just as Chihuahuas and St. Bernards are different breeds of dogs.

If the only source of the psychoactive THC in your body is from hemp foods, produced from Canadian grown hemp seeds and eaten in reasonable quantities, it is virtually impossible to fail a drug test by ingesting hemp foods due to the fact that THC levels are barely measurable.

NoCo Hemp Expo is March 31- April 1, 2017 at The Ranch Events Complex in Loveland Colorado. Hemp-centric companies from regional, national, and international markets will be on hand to promote and expand the awareness surrounding the extensive benefits of industrial and nutritional hemp. Tickets, schedules, and more information can be foundonline at nocohempexpo.com.