THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS A COMPILATION OF INFORMATION FROM 3 BLOG POSTS ON MY COOKING BLOG.

You can read about the ecological benefits of hemp here. Hemp can play a role in an anti-inflammatory diet, since it is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Hemp is a good source of fiber and protein, and it is a very sustainable, versatile crop that can grow in North America without pesticides! It is grown in many countries, including Canada, and is considered a good crop to replace tobacco.

Here are some Hemp Facts from The Hempsters, a Canadian website:

"* The Declaration of Independence and US Constitution were drafted on hemp paper.
* The first American Flag was made out of hemp.
* George Washington and Thomas Jefferson both grew hemp.
* The finest bible paper remains hemp-based even today.
* The first Levi Jeans were made from hemp.
* The canvas on the covered wagons of American pioneers heading west was made of hemp.
* The rigging sails of every ship that sailed the high seas during the 18th and 19th centuries was made of hemp.
* Hemp was money and was used to pay taxes for over 200 years."

"WHY HEMP YOU ASK?

Hemp can provide a valuable ecological solution to help our civilization transform its economy from relying on non-renewable disappearing resource bases such as petroleum and fossil fuels to a more natural, sustainable economic one, such as plants.

Our reliance on non-renewable fossil fuels releases large amounts of carbon dioxide and other pollutants into the environment, which affects our health, our future and our economy and ultimately the sustainability of our species and others on Earth as seen by the dramatic climatic events seen around the globe.

Switching our reliance to a renewable resource such as plants for energy and other materials will help us come back into balance with nature and reduce pollution.

Hemp offers an opportunity to develop agricultural and processing methods that do not harm the environment as it is biodegradable, natural and it will not end up in our landfills."

"WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HEMP AND MARIJUANA?

The big difference between hemp and marijuana is the seeds from which it is grown.
Hemp cannot get you “high” as industrial hemp seeds have very minimal THC levels (the psychoactive ingredient), typically less than 0.3%. Canada’s hemp production is regulated by Health Canada through a licensing program where farms that grow hemp are inspected and the crop is tested to ensure the THC levels are below 0.3%." 

The Manitoba Harvest Hemp booth at the 2008 Seattle Vegfest:





The USA needs to get with the program! In the US, hemp cannot be grown, but edible hemp products and hemp clothing, etc., can be imported from other countries. Go figure! (Here's an article about this.) 

Shelled hemp seeds

The first recipe is for a very rich, creamy milk that could also be used like cream. It's fairly high in calories. The second recipe is a variation of that recipe, with half the calories and fat, but a nice light beverage.  The third recipe is for soymilk made in a soymilk machine. I hope you'll give it a try (maybe in one of the extra recipes that follow)-- it's easy and delicious.

UPDATE: see this blog post for my new, fast and easy way of straining vegan milks!
Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S RICH HOMEMADE HEMP MILK OR CREME 
Yield: 3 cups 
This recipe produces a creamy, pleasant-tasting, rich white milk (or a light creme) with very little effort. When you strain it, there is very little residue-- just the green covering on the seeds that was left behind. I add some sweetener and salt so that it tastes more like dairy milk, which naturally contains sugar (milk sugars) and sodium. 

This is a raw milk, so it must be used within a few days, and it needs to be shaken before use. You can double the recipe if you can use it up in that time. For a longer-lasting milk, you can make it in a soymilk maker that can be used with grains and seeds, such as theSoyQuick Premier Milk Maker 930P. See the recipe for using the SoyQuick below. 

3 cups cold boiled or purified water 
1/2 cup shelled hemp seeds (sometimes called "hemp nuts") 
1 tablespoon agave nectar 
1/4 teaspoon salt

Equipment: (scald everything with boiling water to sanitize before using) 
1 blender 
1 sieve or strainer 
1/ 1 qt. pot or bowl that the strainer will fit into 
1 square of white sheeting to line the strainer, with some overhang 
1 whisk 
1/ 3-4 cup mason jar with a tight lid 

Place the strainer or sieve inside of a pot or bowl, so that it rests on the edge and there is enough room underneath it to hold 3 cups liquid with some room to spare. 



Place the water and shelled hemp seeds in the blender and blender on high speed for about 2 minutes.

Pour the blended mixture into your strainer set-up. Let it drip for a few minutes, then bring the cloth up and twist it, squeezing and twisting and "milking" the cloth gently until all of the liquid is released. 



You should be left with a thin coating of greenish pulp on the inside of the cloth, which you can rinse off. 



To the rich hemp milk in the bowl or pot, add the agave nectar and salt and whisk until dissolved. 



Pour the rich hemp milk into the jar, cover and refrigerate. The milk will separate in the refrigerator-- just shake the jar well before using.

Nutrition Facts 
Nutrition (per cup): 221.3 calories; 53% calories from fat; 13.1g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 174.7mg sodium; 0.0mg potassium; 11.8g carbohydrates; 1.3g fiber; 3.8g sugar; 10.5g net carbs; 14.7g protein; 5.2 points. 


Lighter Hemp Milk on the Left, and Rich Hemp milk on the Right

Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S HOMEMADE LIGHTER HEMP MILK 
Yield: 6 cups 
This is a pleasant-tasting, light, white milk for drinking and cooking. 

For a longer-lasting milk, make the recipe in a soymilk maker that can be used with grains and seeds, such as the SoyQuick Premier Milk Maker 930P. See the recipe for using the SoyQuick below.

3 cups cold boiled or purified water 
1/2 cup shelled hemp seeds (sometimes called "hemp nuts") 
3 more cups cold boiled or purified water 
2 tablespoons agave nectar 
1/2 teaspoon salt 

Equipment: (scald everything with boiling water to sanitize before using) 
1 blender 
1 sieve or strainer 
1/ 2 qt. pot or bowl that the strainer will fit into 
1 square of clean white sheeting to line the strainer, with some overhang 
1 whisk 
2/ 3-4 cup mason jars with a tight lid, or a 6-cup glass jug with a lid 

Place the strainer or sieve inside of a pot or bowl, so that it rests on the edge and there is enough room underneath it to hold 6 cups liquid with some room to spare. 

Place the first 3 cups water and shelled hemp seeds in the blender and blend on high speed for about 2 minutes. 

Pour the blended mixture into your strainer set-up. Let it drip for a few minutes, then bring the cloth up and twist it, squeezing and twisting and "milking" the cloth gently until all of the liquid is released. You should be left with a thin coating of greenish pulp on the inside of the cloth, which you can rinse off. 

To the hemp milk in the bowl or pot, add the second 3 cups of water, the agave nectar and salt,and whisk well. Pour the hemp milk into the jar, cover and refrigerate. The milk will separate in the refrigerator-- just shake the jar well before using. 

Nutrition Facts 
Nutrition (per cup): 114.7 calories; 51% calories from fat; 6.5g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 168.1mg sodium; 0.0mg potassium; 7.2g carbohydrates; 0.7g fiber; 3.2g sugar; 6.5g net carbs; 7.3g protein; 2.7 points.

HEMP-OAT MILK IN THE SOYQUICK PREMIER 930P (AND A TASTY ACCIDENT--HEMP CURD "CHEESE"!)

In my recipe for making raw hemp milk, I mentioned using the SoyQuick soymilk maker to make a hemp milk that wouldn't separate so easily. I tried several batches before I got it to my satisfaction-- the results are below-- and it, indeed, does not separate as easily as the raw version. But it does eventually separate after standing in the refrigerator for a day or so. However, you can shake it up and it's just fine.

I had a little accident with one batch that I made, but, never one to waste food, I salvaged something out it! You can see that tale below the milk recipe!

Printable Recipe 

BRYANNA'S SOYQUICK HEMP AND OAT MILK 
Yield: 5 1/2 cups 
This is a nice mild nondairy milk. You need the filterless SoyQuick Premier Milk Maker 930P to make this milk. 

5 1/2 cups water (up to the "minimum" mark in the SoyQuick container) 
3/4 cup shelled hemp seeds (also called "hemp nuts") 
3 tablespoons rolled oats (oatmeal) 
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons organic sugar or agave nectar 
IMPORTANT: IF YOU USE AGAVE NECTAR, DO NOT ADD UNTIL THE MILK COOLS OR IT WILL CURDLE! (see what happens below!) 
1/2 teaspoon salt 

Add water , hemp seeds, and oats to the Soy Quick container. Attach the rest of the machine, plug in and press the "Multigrain" setting. 

When it beeps, remove the grinding mechanism, etc:


You'll see a residue or hemp seed and oats on the blade protector, etc.

and pour the milk through a cloth inside of a colander placed over a pot (sterilize all equipment with boiling water). 





Let it drain and then pull up the sides of the cloth, twist and squeeze until all the milk is in the pot and you are left with a small residue on the inside of the cloth (discard that).

Stir in the sugar and salt, pour the milk into a scalded glass jug or canning jars, cap tightly, and refrigerate. 

IF YOU USE AGAVE NECTAR FOR THE SWEETENER, DO NOT ADD IT TO THE HOT MILK, OR THE ACID IN THE AGAVE WILL CURDLE THE MILK! WAIT UNTIL THE MILK COOLS OFF. (See what happens below!)

The hemp milk will probably separate after a day or so-- just shake it up before serving. 

Nutrition Facts 
Nutrition (per 1/2 cup): 70.1 calories; 46% calories from fat; 3.7g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 91.5mg sodium; 4.9mg potassium; 5.2g carbohydrates; 0.5g fiber; 2.1g sugar; 4.7g net carbs; 4.2g protein; 1.6 points. 

OKAY, SO WHAT ABOUT THAT "ACCIDENT"?

With one of my test batches, I unthinkingly added agave nectar to the fresh, hot hemp milk and poured it into jars. This is what happened:



I instantly knew that that "citrusy" flavor I detect in agave nectar is acidity! Not one to waste food, I gently poured the contents of both jars (a little at a time) into the cloth lined tofu press that comes with the SoyQuick. However, the curds were very fragile, so I didn't want to press them. I gathered up the cloth after it had drained for a time in the sink, tied it with a rubber band and drained it on the end of the sink tap:


After it drained for several hours, I scraped it out of the cloth into a small bowl and was left with about 1/2 a cup of "hemp curd cheese":



I seasoned the curds with a little salt, garlic, and herbs and used it as a tasty spread:

This would probably not be worth doing on purpose very often, as the yield is meager and it would be fairly expensive. But it was certainly good! 

IF YOU NEED ANY HELP IN USING UP YOUR HEMP MILK, HERE ARE SOME IDEAS:



Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S HEMP MILK LATTE OR MOCHA LATTE 
Servings: 1 

1/2 cup freshly-brewed, hot espresso (can be decaffeinated) 
1/2 cup Original or Vanilla commercial hemp milk, or homemade hemp milk (rich or light) , heated gently until almost boiling 
sweetener to taste, if desired 
Mocha variation: 
Use chocolate hemp milk 

Mix your sweetener in a coffee cup with the hot espresso. Pour in the hot hemp milk, stir and enjoy! 

Nutrition Facts 
Nutrition (per serving): 59.5 calories; 58% calories from fat; 3.9g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 79.3mg sodium; 260.8mg potassium; 3.5g carbohydrates; 0.5g fiber; 3.0g sugar; 3.0g net carbs; 2.8g protein; 1.4 points. 



Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S FRUIT SALAD HEMP SHAKE 
Servings: 2 

1 1/2 cups Original or Vanilla commercial hemp milk or homemade hemp milk 
1 cup frozen sliced mixed fruits and berries (some stores have bags of frozen 5-fruit mixes) 
1 medium frozen banana, cut into chunks 
2 teaspoons organic sugar or agave nectar (optional) 
1 tablespoon lemon juice 
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 

Blend everything in a Vita-Mix or blender until smooth. Serve immediately. 

Nutrition Facts 
Nutrition (per serving): 222.1 calories; 24% calories from fat; 5.7g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 90.9mg sodium; 385.3mg potassium; 38.0g carbohydrates; 3.6g fiber; 29.5g sugar; 34.4g net carbs; 5.2g protein; 4.2 points. 



Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S HEMP MILK MAYONNAISE (EGG-FREE) 
Yield: 2 cups 
This vegan mayonnaise is smooth, rich-tasting, and creamy, and a little tangy, but not too much. It is nice and white in color, too-- no green tinge from the hemp oil, surprisingly! 

 


Dark green hemp seed oil

Finishing the Mayonnaise:

Add the Cooked Mixture to the ingredients in the blender or food processor. Blend until the mixture is very smooth and you can't see any oil globules, which will take at least 2 minutes. 

(NOTE: This mayo doesn't get thick as you blend it, like regular mayonnaise or soy mayonnaise made with lots of oil, so don't blend it and blend it, thinking it will thicken as it blends-it won't!! It will thicken after a few hours in the refrigerator.)

Scrape the mixture into a clean pint jar, cover and refrigerate until it is set. 
Keeps several weeks. 

Nutrition Facts 
Nutrition (per tablespoon): 18.7 calories; 62% calories from fat; 1.3g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 94.1mg sodium; 2.3mg potassium; 1.3g carbohydrates; 0.1g fiber; 0.1g sugar; 1.2g net carbs; 0.5g protein; 0.5 points. 

Cooking Tips 
VARIATION: Do you prefer Miracle Whip to mayonnaise? Try this: 
Use 1 teaspoon mustard powder, and add 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 tablespoon organic sugar or agave nectar to the recipe (sugar levels in this type of recipe vary, so start with this and then let your taste dictate).