From the Frogsong Farm Kitchen
Photos by Daisy Warren June has us inspired by all things strawberry. The farmers market booths are bursting with juicy red berries, and it’s a welcome task each week to decide how to best enjoy them. There’s one strawberry standby that never fails: the addition of chocolate. 
When it comes to feeling good, chocolate and CBD are a winning match. Dark chocolate is a nutrient rich treat, loaded with iron, antioxidants, bioflavonoids, and even some fiber. Its primary ingredient, cacao, is rich in three distinct sets of compounds that affect the brain:
1. Xanthine: This mild stimulant occurs naturally in the brain and, like caffeine, increases wakefulness.
2. Theobromine: This stimulant and vasodilator increases blood flow.
3. Phenylethylamine: This compound stimulates the brain to release dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with feelings of pleasure and motivation.
Full-Spectrum CBD (Like Frogsong Farm’s DropsPlus) adds more antioxidants to the mix, plus an array of brain and body healthy phytocannabinoids and terpenes, which offer a host of calming, balancing, and anti-inflammatory benefits. 
This Chocolate CBD pancake recipe is a healthy update on a comfort food classic. Those of us who use CBD for pain management and anxiety tend to consume it in the mornings upon waking. Why not start your day off right? Next lazy morning at home, mix up your routine by eating your CBD in the form of a chocolatey short stack.
This recipe comes with two optional toppings: macerated berries and hazelnut honey butter. Choose one, or better yet, both! (Ain’t it fun being a grown-up?).
Special thanks to Groundwork Organics for providing strawberries, and Sonic Bloom Garden in NE Portland for the raw honey! This is a friendly reminder to support your local food producers whenever possible. It’s important for your community and it tastes better, too.
Tips:
-Apple cider vinegar and baking soda are the rising agents in this recipe. As they neutralize each other, they create bubbles. These bubbles are necessary for tall, fluffy pancakes. Be sure not to omit either of these (the vinegar is undetectable once cooked).
-Traditional pancakes have a small amount of sugar which caramelizes and lends their signature golden color. These chocolate pancakes are much darker in color, but the sugar helps balance the deep rich flavor of the cocoa.
-For extra fun, pour batter into a squeeze bottle with a wide-tip opening. Squeeze batter into your favorite shapes, letters, animals, and more.
-Consuming CBD with other healthy fats helps aid in its absorption. Get the most out of your CBD- with good fats like those mentioned in this recipe.
-A note about consuming CBD in food: CBD is most readily used by the body when taken as a tincture. Consuming CBD in food can reduce its absorption (due to breakdown during the digestive process). For best results, we encourage those using CBD for therapeutic use and chronic conditions to maintain a consistent CBD tincture regimen. For those who are more flexible with their CBD consumption, adding CBD to recipes can be a fun way to mix up your CBD routine.
Chocolate CBD Pancakes
(Serves 4)
Ingredients:
1 cup milk of choice (coconut used here)
1 egg
2 tablespoons melted butter, ghee or avocado oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tb apple cider vinegar
50 mg Frogsong Farm CBD oil (5 mL Drops or 2 mL DropsPlus)
1 ¼ cup all-purpose or whole wheat flour (if using whole wheat, increase milk to 1 ¼ cups to account for absorption)
1/3 cup cocoa powder
¼ cup coconut sugar or turbinado sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp sea salt
1/2 cup chopped dark chocolate or cacao nibs
Instructions:
- In a large bowl, whisk together first six wet ingredients.
- In a separate bowl, measure remaining six dry ingredients.
- Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, and whisk together. Do not overmix. Batter will be bubbly.
- Stir in chocolate and cacao nibs.
- Preheat a nonstick or cast iron pan to medium heat. Prime cooking surface with a thin layer of high-heat oil such as ghee, avocado oil, or non-stick spray.
- Cook one test pancake. At the correct temperature, the pancake should sizzle when it hits the pan, and the cooked side will take about 60-90 seconds to become golden brown. When the pancake is covered with bubbles and dry around the edge, it’s ready to flip. Once flipped, cook for another 60 seconds and remove to plate.
*Note: If heat is too high, pancakes will burn before getting cooked through. If heat is too low, pancakes will dry out before reaching desired color. Medium heat is usually preferable, but ovens vary. Experimentation is key.
Serve pancakes immediately with macerated berries and/or hazelnut honey butter. (Recipes below).
Macerated Berries
Ingredients:
1 pint ripe strawberries, stemmed and cut in half
1 pint ripe raspberries
¼ cup unrefined sugar or honey 
Instructions:
In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients. Cook over low heat until thick and saucy, about 10-15 minutes. During cooking, gently smash about 1/3 of the berries with the back of a spoon This will release liquids to help create the sauce.
Allow to cool slightly and serve with warm pancakes. Spoon over pancakes, or flood plates with sauce before plating.
Hazelnut Honey Butter
Ingredients
1/4 cup softened butter (preferably grass-fed, such as Kerrygold)
2 TB raw honey (clover, wildflower, or meadowfoam if you can find it)
2 TB toasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
50 mg Frogsong Farm CBD Tincture (Optional)
Instructions:
With the back of a wooden spoon, mash together softened butter and honey (plus CBD, if using). Once combined, sprinkle with toasted hazelnuts. Serve at room temperature with pancakes (or biscuits, toast, poached fruit, roasted vegetables, or whatever inspires you)!
These fluffy chocolate pancakes are bursting with flavor and special enough for a weekend brunch with friends and loved ones. We made a big batch and invited several friends over for a sunny porch pancake party. They were thoroughly enjoyed by all.
Remember this recipe for your next gathering, and be sure to let us know what you think!
PS: Need more CBD? You can order now at our web store, and within a week you’ll have enough to share. As always, thank you for supporting Frogsong Farm by ordering, staying connected, and telling your loved ones about us.
Until Next Time,
All Of Us at Frogsong Farm
