The relationship between cannabis and food has always been tricky. For years, people have been aware that smoking marijuana can leave you feeling ravenously hungry. Recent studies on the plant proved a correlation between the psychoactive “high” of THC and cravings for processed foods.
When people think of the “Munchies,” greasy and fatty snacks like pizza, ice cream, and potato chips usually come to mind. Still, there are plenty of ways to satisfy those urges without having to overindulge.
We’ve put together some clean smoking snack recipes to try with your favorite Oasis products, so you can replace the junk food and have a more happy and healthy high!
The Science Behind the Munchies
One of the biggest stereotypes surrounding cannabis is its reputation for inducing cravings for salty snacks. For years, the answer as to why we get so hungry after smoking the plant remained unanswered.
Cannabis researchers, however, have recently uncovered the science behind the munchies, revealing that the same endocannabinoids in our brain that interact with THC are also responsible for regulating our taste, smell, and even feeding behavior. Essentially cannabis plays a trick on your mind – fooling the central feeding system and making you feel like you’re starving even when you’re full.
The hormone ghrelin is another essential byproduct of THC that has been known to stimulate hunger, along with dopamine, which is released by THC and heightens the overall pleasure of eating. These two interact with the brain to lower your inhibitions and concerns of overeating while boosting the sensations surrounding flavor, smell, and taste. This explains why that bag of Funyuns tastes 10x better after taking a couple of puffs from your vape!
7 Clean Snack Recipes for Smokers
1. Quick and Easy Hummus
Ingredients (serves 4):
- 1 (15 ounces) can garbanzo beans, drained, liquid reserved
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 drops sesame oil, or to taste (Optional)
Blend garbanzo beans, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, cumin, salt, and sesame oil in a food processor; stream about half of the reserved bean liquid into the mixture as it blends until desired consistency is achieved. Serve in a dipping bowl alongside cucumber, carrots, and pita slices.
2. Cheesy Kale Chips
Ingredients (serves 4):
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 bunch curly kale, torn
- ½ cup nutritional yeast
- ⅓ teaspoon salt
Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Drizzle olive oil over the kale in a large bowl and sprinkle in nutritional yeast and salt. Stir with your hands to coat the kale in the yeast and salt mixture. Place the kale on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven until the leaves begin to get slightly crispy. Then, rotate racks and flip the chips to continue baking until completely crisp, 45 to 60 minutes total.
3. Homestyle Sweet Potato Chips
Ingredients (serves 6):
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices
- Salt and pepper to taste
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Stir together maple syrup, olive oil, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl. Brush the sweet potato slices with the maple mixture and place them onto the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Bake in the oven for 8 minutes, then flip the potato slices and brush with any remaining maple mixture. Continue baking until tender in the middle and crispy on the edges, about 7 minutes more.
4. Banana Hemp Seed Smoothie
Ingredients (serves 2)
- 2 bananas
- 1 cup frozen peach slices
- 2 tablespoons almond butter
- 1 tablespoon hemp seeds
- 2 cups water
For a hearty, healthy, and paleo way to start your wake and bake, layer bananas, peach slices, almond butter, and hemp seeds in a blender, and pour in water. Cover and blend until the mixture becomes a smooth liquid.
5. Peanut Crunch Cookies
Ingredients (yields 12-20 cookies):
- ½ cup organic peanut butter
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup granola or homemade granola
Mix all ingredients and roll into small balls, depending on how large you want your cookies to be. Place cookies evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and stamp or press a fork into the dough to make a criss-cross pattern. You should press the dough to about 1/2 inch thick.
Bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
6. Low-Calorie Buffalo Chicken Dip
Ingredients (serves 20):
- 2 (10 oz ) cans natural chunk chicken, drained
- ¾ cup hot pepper sauce (such as Frank’s RedHot®)
- 2 (8 ounce) packages Neufchatel cheese, softened
- 1 cup light ranch dressing
- 1 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
- 1 bunch celery, cleaned and cut into 4-inch pieces
- 8 ounces multi-grain crackers
Heat chicken and hot sauce in a large skillet over medium heat, until cooked fully through, about 5 minutes. Stir in Neufchatel cheese and ranch dressing. Cook while stirring until well blended and warm, about 5 to 7 minutes. Mix in half of the shredded Cheddar cheese, and immediately transfer the mixture to a slow cooker or crock-pot.
Sprinkle remaining shredded cheese over top, cover, and cook on low heat until hot and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Serve to guests on a platter with celery sticks and crackers.
7. Everything Avocado Toast
Ingredients (serves 2):
- 1 ripe avocado
- Lemon, for squeezing
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 2 to 4 slices of toasted bread
- Carrot, peeled into ribbons (Instead of lox!)
- Everything seasoning
- Diced red onion
- Capers
- Chives
Halve the avocado lengthwise and take out the pit. Use a small knife to dice the avocado flesh while it’s still inside the skin; season with a squeeze of lemon juice and some sea salt. Scoop the diced avocado flesh out of the skin and place onto toasted whole-grain bread. Mash the avocado with the back of a fork and top with carrot, red onion, capers, chives, and everything seasoning.
