CBD Infused Smoked Gouda Cheese Sauce

It’s grilling season baby! I don’t know what about summer makes me want to eat burgers almost daily (even if they’re just cooked in a pan on the stove), but I just crave them so fucking hard. I like to switch up the toppings so I don’t get bored, and what goes better with a burger than cheese? A creamy, luscious, smoked gouda cheese sauce is the PERFECT topping for any burger, and even a dipping sauce for fries. Plus, being able to infuse this with CBD?! Hell fucking yes. Get those beautiful benefits thrown in there & you’re set to have a great meal.

I partnered up with CBDfx to bring you this recipe. They’re an amazing CBD company that ships nationwide from their site, www.cbdfx.com, & create some of the most high quality CBD I’ve ever personally tried. Their products are so clean, taste great, and they have a large range of products to choose from. Their unflavored tinctures are what I like to use for cooking, but you can also find gummies, flavored tinctures, vape pens, skincare, etc. from them! And most of their products are vegan!

Let’s talk about what the heck CBD even is, shall we? 

It’s not a stretch to say that CBD (cannabidiol) is one of the most exciting and promising compounds currently undergoing rigorous medical and scientific research. CBD has made headlines in recent years for some pretty stunning results. Still, misinformation and confusion about CBD abounds due to the relatively recent emergence and widespread awareness of this incredible compound. Let’s take a deep dive into what cannabidiol (CBD) is, and exactly what it does — and doesn’t — do.

CBD is simply short for “cannabidiol”, the second-most abundant cannabinoid molecule produced by the cannabis or hemp plant. The most abundant molecule, of course, being THC: the psychoactive chemical famous for making users feel “high” (CBD does not have this effect). Keep in mind that your body already has an endocannabinoid system, an extremely important molecular system that your body uses to regulate and perform various critical functions. CBD binds to receptors in this system; our bodies were designed to interface with cannabinoids from the very beginning — we even naturally produce them!

But how does CBD work exactly? As we stated earlier, your body already has a wildly complex endocannabinoid system that affects several different areas and functions. That system is rife with “receptors,” sites that await cannabinoid molecules presence. When the cannabinoid nears, the receptor will bind it to itself, creating a sophisticated chemical interaction that modern science is only just beginning to scratch the surface of understanding.

Unlike its sister molecule THC, CBD does not make you feel high — but don’t think that a lack of psychoactive or intoxicating effect means that nothing is occurring. On the contrary, it’s very clear that there are many chemical responses that occur when CBD binds to those cannabinoid receptors. That being said, the endocannabinoid system is ubiquitous in the human body, affecting nearly all major functions in some way (especially homeostatic regulation). Because of this, it’s quite a task to discern everything that CBD does, exactly, when the binding occurs. That’s where the research is at right now: trying to solve that very mystery. There is plenty of information on the internet, especially CBDfx’s website if you have any further questions on it!

This Smoked Gouda Cheese Sauce is incredibly easy to make, and while I like to put it on burgers- it is SO versatile! It makes an awesome sauce for oven roasted potatoes, dip for fries, sauce for mac & cheese, and the list could go on forever. You can also leave the CBD out entirely if that’s not your thing, you won’t even notice a difference! Basically all you need to do is throw all your ingredients in a blender, and then heat it up in a sauce pan to thicken slightly and warm up.

The sauce is cashew based, which you can always use just cashews alone for sure… but I also like to blend in some actual vegan cheese. Why? It helps it become super creamy and gooey, helps it bind better, and just gives a far better texture when combined with the cashews. I personally like to use the “creamy original” Field Roast Chao Cheese slices for this (just cut the block of slices into small cubes before blending), but any ‘white’ vegan cheese, wether it’s shreds, slices, a block, etc. will work! Add your raw unsalted cashews, vegan cheese, liquid smoke, dijon mustard, crushed red pepper, salt, black pepper, regular unsweetened almond milk, lemon juice, garlic powder, and CBD oil from the CBDfx Hemp + MCT oil 30ml 500 series tincture into a high powered blender & blend until smooth.

You’ll want to start with less of all the spices, liquid smoke, and almond milk at first… then add more gradually until you’ve reached your acquired taste & consistency. When blended before being heated, you want like a thin pancake batter, it’ll thicken up as it heats up. Liquid Smoke is a very intense flavor, if you haven’t used it before, so make sure to especially go easy on that at first & add more until you reach the smokiness you are looking for. Once everything is blended, add it to a saucepan & whisk frequently over medium-low heat until thickened to a thicker pancake batter consistency & is warm and melty. If you make your sauce too thick on accident, just whisk in some more almond milk.

Personally I love this served up on top of a juicy burger. For me, that’s a beyond meat patty with red leaf lettuce, fresh tomato slices, dill pickles, and a fresh white roll. You can add some dijon mustard to the buns and grill them slightly as well, for some more smoky flavor. Serve with chips or fries, and you’re good to go! If you want to use this as a mac & cheese sauce though (because trust me you’ll want too), you just have to do a couple of things different. Blend everything the same, to a thin pancake batter consistency, but then instead of putting into a pot to thicken up, add it right to your freshly drained, hot & cooked pasta. Mix well, then place in a baking dish. Top with a little extra sauce, some breadcrumbs if you wish (that you can also mix with some CBD oil to make them crisp up real nice), and bake at 350F for 15-20 minutes until thick, melty, bubbly, and browned.

You can also adjust the amount of CBD to your liking, making it less strong, or even stronger if you prefer… or even leaving it out all together. The back of the package has all dosage instructions so follow those accordingly. 

But that’s it! Super easy, super simple, great to make in bulk and keep in the fridge, and SO FUCKING TASTY. Plus a cheese sauce that chills you the fuck out? Sign me right the fuck up. Big thanks to CBDfx for collaborating with me on this recipe, and make sure to check out their site for any of their amazing products! www.cbdfx.com

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CBD Infused Smoked Gouda Sauce

This CBD Infused Smoked Gouda Sauce is the perfect topping for burgers, sauce for roasted potatoes, sauce for mac & cheese, the list goes on… and it's TOTALLY VEGAN! Trust me, you'll be licking the pot (literally).

Author PLVNTFOOD by Chef Brianna Gallo

Ingredients

• 2 cups raw unsalted cashews
• 1 package Field Roast Chao Cheese creamy original flavor
• 2 tsp-1 tbsp liquid smoke
• 3 tbsp smooth Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp crushed red pepper flakes
• Salt / black pepper to taste
• 2-4 cups regular unsweetened almond milk
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp garlic powder
• 4 droppers worth of CBDfx Hemp+ MCT oil 30ml 500 series tincture

Instructions

1. Add all of your ingredients to a high-powered blender (chopping up the chao cheese into rough cubes first), and blend until smooth.

2. Start with less almond milk & seasonings than necessary and keep adding more until everything is blended well together without any grittiness. You want this to be the consistency of a thin pancake batter.

3. Once blended, add to a pot over low heat, and stir frequently (uncoverefor about 5- 10 minutes. You can add more almond milk or seasonings as needed.

Recipe Notes

1. You can adjust the amount of CBD to your liking, making it less strong, or even stronger if you prefer. The back of the package has all dosage instructions so follow those accordingly.

2. Adjust the liquid smoke to your liking. It is a strong flavor; some people like it very mild & some like it stronger. Start out with less and add as you go.

3. This was served on a burger consisting of a beyond meat patty, whole wheat bun (toasted), red leaf lettuce, dill pickle slices, tomato slices, and the cheese sauce. You can alternatively use this as a fondue and serve it with different breads / crackers / chips / veggies to dip, can use this as a mac & cheese sauce, etc.

4. You can use any vegan cheese of your choosing as long as it’s a “white” cheese.