Happier Holidays – A Latte CBD Joy

Dashing through the snow,
In a 200 horsepower hybrid fuel vehicle,
Over the hills we go,
Screaming all the way.
Oh Ho, No!

Wait, that’s not how the song goes? Then why is my head throbbing with Christmas carols and an endless to-do list of shopping, cooking, cleaning, and decorating to accomplish before the holidays hit? Pressure is mounting to make this short window of time as magical as a fairy tale, which inevitably turns it into quite the opposite experience. I know I’m not alone here based on the crazed, deranged looks staring back at me during many errand runs. Plans for a low-key celebration can quickly snowball out of control into a grand fete and before you know it, a dizzying array of demands await. Coordinating parties and managing difficult house guests, leave little space for anything but dread.

Let’s all take a moment to breathe, shall we? Peace and harmony aren’t just platitudes to espouse on seasonal greeting cards, and they certainly won’t manifest in such a state of extreme anxiety. While you can’t wrap it up with a shiny bow or have it shipped straight to your door in two days or less, taking care of your emotional well-being is really the greatest gift you can give this season. It may not seem like the most effective approach would start with a shot of espresso, but when you add a dose of CBD into the brew, the restorative results are unmistakable.

CBD oil has made a world of difference for me personally, especially at times of utmost stress. Extracted from the leaves, stem, and flowers of the hemp plant, it has no psychoactive properties, is legal in all 50 states, and readily found online. Consistently relieving anxiety, depression, inflammation, and nausea in early studies, it’s not just a Christmas miracle, but an everyday life preserver. Getting a therapeutic dose is easier than ever now, since you can find it bundled up in supplements, edibles, topical creams, and CBD vape oil, beyond just a straight tincture. That said, plain, unflavored oil is the most versatile for incorporating into recipes if pills simply don’t hold any appeal.

When it comes to culinary applications, a good rule of thumb is to substitute 3/4 to 1 teaspoon CBD oil for every serving of whatever oil is called for. That means if you were making a vinaigrette that yields four servings, remove 3 – 4 teaspoons of olive oil and replace it with CBD infusion. Take into consideration the strength of the oil when calibrating your formula as well, since quality can vary wildly between brands. In recipes meant for one, it’s much simpler; just give yourself one dose, as in the case for this balancing, calming, and simultaneously invigorating peppermint mocha latte.

Velvety frothed dairy-free milk meets the bracing bitterness of bold espresso, all tempered by a subtle undertone of chocolate indulgence. A light touch of peppermint evokes nostalgic memories of candy canes pulled off tinsel-topped presents, cool and refreshing, soothing and sweet. This unbeatable flavor sensation would be every bit as delicious without the added medicinal benefits, but not quite as effective for balancing out unreasonable mood instability.

It’s not hard to make the holidays a bit more merry and a little less scary.

Yield: 1 Serving

CBD Peppermint Mocha Latte

Name: CBD Peppermint Mocha Latte
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 1
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 Cup Unsweetened Non-Dairy Milk*; 1 Shot (1.5 Ounces) Hot Espresso or 3 Tablespoons Strong Brewed Coffee; 2 Tablespoons Vegan Chocolate Syrup; 1/4 Teaspoon Peppermint Extract; 1 Dropper-Full CBD Oil; Cocoa Powder (Optional, for Garnish)

Prep Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

1 Cup Unsweetened Non-Dairy Milk*
1 Shot (1.5 Ounces) Hot Espresso or 3 Tablespoons Strong Brewed Coffee
2 Tablespoons Vegan Chocolate Syrup
1/4 Teaspoon Peppermint Extract
1 Dropper-Full CBD Oil
Cocoa Powder (Optional, for Garnish)

Instructions

Place the non-dairy milk in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Gently bring up to about 100 degrees, or until just hot enough that you can only comfortably hold a finger in it for a few seconds. You don't want it to boil. Alternately, you can warm it in the microwave for about two minutes.
Whisk vigorously until frothy or use an aerator or blender to help speed up the process. Add in the espresso, chocolate syrup, peppermint extract, and CBD oil, mixing to combine.
This recipe can be doubled, tripled, or quadrupled effortlessly to treat a crowd, but in that case, make sure the final mixture is whisked very thoroughly to ensure that the oil is equally distributed throughout. It's important that the dose isn't too strong or too weak when divided into individual mugs. On the other hand, you can skip the CBD oil if you merely want an uplifting coffee break to help power through a busy winter day.
Top with a light sprinkle of cocoa powder if desired, to garnish. Serve right away and take in a moment of holiday harmony.

Notes

*For best results, seek out a "barista blend" that's formulated specifically to make a richer micro-foam. Otherwise, soy generally works best due to the protein content, but nut milks are a good choice for a lighter option. Avoid rice milk unless there's no other option, as it tends to be watery and bland.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 254Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 149mgCarbohydrates: 40gFiber: 2gSugar: 31gProtein: 10g

November 30, 2018January 26, 2026

Hannah (BitterSweet)10 Comments

Bundle Up, Butternut

For many years, my family would threaten to skip the traditional spread for Thanksgiving in favor of plain pasta, sauce on the side. Gathering a dozen or more picky eaters around one table led to inevitable conflict and strife, because most people wouldn’t touch cranberry sauce with a three-foot spatula, green vegetables are akin to the devil for some, and even the omnivores generally turned up their noses at turkey. The only thing we could all agree on was the universal charm of good old fashioned noodles. We’re not talking about fancy herb-infused, handmade coils or twirls; no elaborate gluten-free blends. Just basic, white flour, dried pasta was always the first dish to empty at my grandma’s dinner table, no matter the intended accompaniment. In hindsight, I wish someone actually called that bluff and skipped the annual feast of discontent.

Realizing this concept in much grander fashion, a supposedly “rustic” starter of crispy butternut squash ravioli knocked me off my feet this Thanksgiving. Indeed, the ingredients are as ordinary as they come, but the time, effort, and love that goes into each individual pasta pillow is not. Longtime friend and erstwhile food blogger Jenn pulled out all the stops this year, balancing tradition with innovation, lavishly accommodating all guests with more food than a small mob could possibly consume in a week. It was that first dish that struck me as the very best though, if I had to choose, for finally hitting that satisfying promise made so many years ago.

Butternut is mashed into creamy submission and bundled up in homemade sheets of delicate dough, extraordinary for their apparent austerity yet rich depth of flavor. Owing to the skill of the cook, only some inconceivably magical process could possibly explain it otherwise. That, and a whole lot of vegan butter. Infused with a handful of bright, aromatic holy basil, sage might be more expected here but any tender herbs are welcome to this party.

In the spirit of giving, Jenn had the patience to not only swaddle those tender morsels of homemade butternut delight in handmade pasta to feed a crowd, but to endure the added chore of writing out every single step in painstaking detail on my behalf. At this point, I must acknowledge that I’m a terribly demanding guest.

Plain pasta, it is not; it’s something to be much more thankful for.

Yield: Makes 40 - 50 Ravioli

Butternut Squash Ravioli

Here’s a quick “no measure” recipe for a rustic ravioli dish that will make any occasion seem super special. You don’t need any special equipment — just a rolling pin though I prefer to use my Kitchen Aid pasta roller attachment to save time.

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 15 minutes

Additional Time 1 hour 9 minutes

Total Time 2 hours 24 minutes

Ingredients

Pasta:

1 - 2 Cups Fine Semolina Flour
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Teaspoon Salt
Water, as Needed

Filling:

1 Butternut or Kabocha Squash, Roasted and Seeded
Chopped Fresh Herbs (Such as Rosemary, Sage, Thyme, Oregano, etc), to Taste
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/8 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg

Instructions

To make the ravioli filling, mash the roasted butternut (or kabocha or pumpkin) and blend with the finely chopped herbs and spices. You don’t want this to be too fine a puree, you want to be able to drop it by the spoonful onto the pasta.
To make the pasta, mix the dry ingredients and start adding the olive oil and mix well. Add cold or ice water in a thin stream, in small amounts, until the semolina starts getting a sandy texture. Check it periodically to see if you can clump it by smashing some inside the palm of your hand with your fist. If it is too tacky and wet, add more semolina. I prefer to use my stand mixer but you can do this by hand.
Use a flexible spatula to scrape out of the bowl onto a work surface. Work it with your hands to press, squeeze and smush it together into a ball that starts to really stick together. You want to develop the gluten. Get out the rolling pin and work it flat, fold it and repeat.
You can continue to work it with the rolling pin or you can get it thin enough (about 1/4″ for the widest setting on your pasta roller) to start putting through the pasta roller. I start out at “0” on my KA attachment and after a couple passes, narrow it a few more times until I get to 4 or 5.
Get the pasta sheets as thin as you can without them being transparent, developing holes or tears when you try to stretch a bit (since you’ll be doing that to make the ravioli) but not so thick that you just have a super squishy dumpling.
To shape the ravioli – you can do this with a water glass or biscuit cutter, a fancy ravioli cutter (I have individual cutters as well as a metal mold that is about as wide as the sheet of pasta.
Get a small bowl of water and maybe a brush to keep at hand. Once you roll out your sheet of pasta — put it on the form or lightly mark it with your cutter, then use a measuring spoon to scoop a small ball of your cool filling onto the center of that mark.
Dab a bit of water all around where the edge of the ravioli will be using the brush or your finger tips. Lay another sheet over top (or just fold a very long sheet) and then use your cutter (or rolling pin) to score the raviolis. Check to make sure the edges are sealed the first few times and then lay them out in a single layer on cutting board or cookie sheet to rest.
Freezing the ravioli before you cook them yields better results. You can drop them into boiling water and then scoop them out and cover them with sauce, but for this thanksgiving treat — we browned some in vegan butter and crisped up the ravioli on both sides with some holy basil out of the garden, and then sprinkled with vegan parm.

Notes

If you have more pasta than energy to make ravioli — you can slice the sheets up into linguine or fettuccine, or make farfalle (butterfly or bowtie pasta) just by cutting squares and pinch in the middle. In all cases — leave pasta on a cookie sheet to rest and freeze or dry. You can also tightly wrap leftover pasta ball with plastic wrap and refrigerate to roll out later.

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