Cannabis Recipe: Raspberry Chocolate Salad
A Cannabis-Infused First Course
A great appetizer to a summer meal is a fresh salad. Add a little cannabis chocolate and you have a unique and delicious first course that’ll keep you in good spirits for the whole meal. We’ve elevated this raspberry chocolate salad recipe to a whole new level by including our Raspberry Bramble Chocolate to create a sweet and potent balsamic dressing.
Ingredients for Raspberry Chocolate Salad
Serving size: 4-6
Balsamic Dressing:
- 3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 3 tbsp. canola oil
- 1 tsp. honey
- 1 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
- Salt and pepper
- 1 square of the Nové Raspberry Bramble Chocolate (10mg THC per piece)
Salad:
- Baby romaine, arugula, and baby spinach
- 1 pint of raspberries
- ¼ cup of grated parmesan cheese
- ½ cup of silver almonds
- 1-2 squares of the Nové Raspberry Bramble Chocolate (10mg THC per piece)
Inspiration source: Raspberry Salad with Cocoa Balsamic Dressing by The Fig Tree
How to Make the Chocolate Balsamic Dressing
- Dose out two squares of the Raspberry Bramble bar.
- Put all the ingredients into a blender to mix together. Set the dressing aside in a mason jar for at least 10 minutes so you get the most flavor.
Making the Rasberry Chocolate Salad
- Get a large bowl and throw in the greens, almonds, raspberries, and cheese. (Make sure the salad greens are washed first.)
- Top off the salad with chocolate garnishes using the Raspberry Bramble Chocolate bar. You can either chop the square(s) up into bits or use a potato peeler to make chocolate curls.
Infuse More of Your Favorite Summer Recipes with Nové Luxury Chocolates
There are all kinds of summer dishes that can be improved upon with cannabis. Luckily, we have plenty of other flavors you can try out. Our store locator will show you which dispensaries closest to you what flavors currently in stock. Being in the kitchen all day just got a lot more fun!
Cannabis Recipe: Chocolate Barbecue Sauce
Your Go-To Cannabis Recipe for Backyard Barbecues
Nothing makes meat or veggies tastier than slathering them with barbeque sauce. It’s a staple for every outdoor cookout. But did you know it’s even better when you add chocolate?
The blend of spicy and smoky flavors with the rich, espresso center of our Café Cappuccino Chocolate creates a sauce that’s full of body and flavor. Our infused chocolate barbecue sauce recipe definitely brings an extra layer to a cook-out classic.
Ingredients for Chocolate Barbecue Sauce
Serving size: about 2 cups
- 3 squares of the Nové Café Cappuccino Chocolate, chopped (10mg THC per piece)
- ¼ tsp. cayenne
- 2 tsp. chili powder
- 2 tbsp. cider vinegar
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- ¼ cup brewed coffee
- ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 ½ cups of ketchup
- 2 tsp. dry mustard
- 1 tsp. ground black pepper
- ½ tsp. ground coriander
- 2 tsp. kosher salt
- 2 tsp. salt
- 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
Note: When refrigerated in an air-sealed container, this sauce will last up to one week.
Inspiration source: Chocolate Barbecue Sauce by Saveur
Cooking Instructions for Infused Chocolate Barbecue Sauce
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Throw in the garlic and onion and cook them until they’re soft. Usually, this takes about 4-6 minutes.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the saucepan and reduce the heat to a simmer. Stir occasionally for 5-8 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
Find Out What Dispensaries Carry Our Café Cappuccino Chocolate Using Our Store Locator
We supply multiple dispensaries across Colorado so our consumers have easy access to our Nové luxury chocolates. Our website includes a store locator to help narrow down your search. The Café Cappuccino is only one of our six chocolate flavors, so feel free to treat yourself to more than one chocolate bar!
Cannabis Recipe: Frozen Mint Hot Chocolate
A Summertime Cannabis Recipe For You
The words ‘hot chocolate’ and ‘summer’ don’t normally go together, but this recipe with a twist says otherwise! Our take on frozen mint hot chocolate infused with our Nové Glacier Mint Chocolate makes for a fabulous sweet treat after barbequing in the sun all day. The best part is it takes less than 10 minutes to make. An easy, quick, and luxurious summer dessert to wind down with on a warm evening!
Ingredients for Frozen Mint Hot Chocolate
Serving size: 1
- Chocolate syrup
- 1 packet of hot chocolate mix
- 1-2 cups of ice
- ½-1 cups of milk (you can also use chocolate milk if you want it extra, extra chocolatey!)
- 1-2 ice cream scoops
- 1 square of the Nové Glacier Mint Chocolate (10mg THC per piece)
Optional ingredients:
- Whipped cream
- Chocolate sprinkles
Here’s a quick tip: Put whatever glass you’re using in the freezer ahead of time so your drink stays cold longer!
Inspiration source: Frozen Hot Chocolate Drink by Veena Azmanov
How to Make A Cannabis-Infused Frozen Mint Hot Chocolate
- Add all the ingredients and one square of the Nové Glacier Mint Chocolate into a blender. You can cut up the chocolate square so it blends easier.
- Blend for about 20 to 30 seconds until it’s smooth.
- Pour the drink out into a cold glass and finish it off with an extra scoop or two of ice cream with a drizzle of chocolate syrup. Feel free to add whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles because why not!
More Nové Chocolate Flavors to Try Out This Summer
Give your taste buds a workout this summer by trying the rest of our Nové Chocolate flavors! All of our sweet and salty choices are made using single-origin, South American chocolate, elevating your edible experience to another level. Use our store locator to find our affiliate dispensaries and start making your summer days a little more uplifting.
Nové Sustainable Chocolate: Sourcing Sustainable Cacao and Protecting The Rainforests
Our planet holds hundreds of natural wonders. Some of the most impressive are the rainforests. Sadly, we have witnessed these forest monstrosities be annihilated through illegal deforestation, logging, and a jump in the number of cattle farms. According to The Nature Conservancy, the 6 million square miles of tropical rainforest that once existed has dropped to only 2.4 million square miles.
In an effort to raise awareness and encourage action, the Rainforest Partnership officially launched the first World Rainforest Day on June 22nd, 2017.
What is World Rainforest Day?
World Rainforest Day is about celebrating the beauty of the rainforests and encouraging staunch action to preserve them.
Besides being home to over half of the world’s animals and plants, we can also thank rainforests for producing close to 20% of the oxygen we breathe. They’ve even been deemed the “world’s largest pharmacy." This is because nearly 25% of Western medicine includes ingredients from tropical rainforests.
The decline in tropical rainforests should be alarming to everyone
Seeing how rainforests are Earth’s oldest living ecosystem (some surviving 70 million years and counting), it’s hard to imagine a world without them. However, the situation has taken a dramatic step back.
The World Rainforest Day’s website explains how 40 years of deforestation has shrunk the rainforests' landmass to the size of Europe. To put it into perspective, researchers estimate we lose about 40 football fields worth of rainforest every minute. In other words, this equates to almost 3300 miles lost a day. Very recently, Brazil’s national space research institute INPE recorded the rate of deforestation in the Amazon had soared to 60%.
In addition, it’s important to remember that rainforests provide for indigenous communities and their tribes. Many live off the land. Some have been persecuted for speaking out against the industries harming their ecosystem and way of life.
What is the importance of sustainable sourcing?
The definition of sustainable sourcing is the integration of social, ethical, and environmental performance factors into the process of selecting suppliers.
Expanding supply chains into developing countries is a common practice for industries wanting to produce at a higher capacity with lower costs. However, this comes with plenty of risks, such as failing to comply with local laws and regulations and supply disruption.
The increased awareness of the negative impacts on the environment and indigenous communities has pushed companies to take responsibility. Therefore, many buyers now expect companies to work towards improving the sustainability of their supply chains. Initiatives like World Rainforest Day provide companies and consumers with the knowledge and resources for protecting the rainforests through impactful action.
How do we sustainably source our Nové Luxury Chocolate products?
Our efforts to be an eco-conscious business are never a last-minute thought. Above all, we believe luxury doesn’t need to have a high price tag or be provided through unethical means.
Nové luxury cannabis chocolates are made with single-sourced, sustainable cacao from South America. This ensures workers receive fair wages and minimizes our carbon footprint with less transportation. In addition, all of our packaging contains no plastic. Everything is biodegradable, recyclable, and made from 33% post-consumer materials.
Easy ways you can help protect the rainforest
Tackling global issues takes a strong community of people. Even one small action can make a huge impact. Times that by a few million and true change is inevitable.
Donations aren’t the only way you can contribute to protecting the rainforest. There are several things you can start doing right now!
- For instance, try reducing the amount of wood and paper you use. Hemp-made products are making a strong comeback. The Hemp Business Journal estimates that it can be used for over 50,000 different products across a wide range of industries. Hemp can even be used as a building material!
- Buy products reasonably sourced or made from recyclable material. It not only encourages innovation for companies, but sustainable sourcing reduces operating costs, energy use, and waste production.
- Find companies that give back. Some businesses work in tangent with organizations where they’ll donate a portion of their proceeds to a cause they believe in.
- Support indigenous communities. By purchasing artisanal items and fair trade products from these communities, you’re helping sustain the rainforests and their livelihood.
Eating sustainable chocolate is good for the environment!
Who knew eating chocolate could help preserve the rainforests? Sounds like a pretty good deal to us!
Our promise to make sustainable chocolate products comes from our appreciation of rainforests. We thank them for everything they provide to the world. Be a part of the change by using our store locator to find where you can purchase Nové luxury cannabis chocolates.
Nine Great Places to Eat Chocolate in Denver
Chocolate: Exquisite With and Without Cannabis
Now that life is opening back up… restaurants! If you’re anything like me, dessert is an important factor when deciding where to go for a delicious meal. I silently give bonus points to places that include a dessert menu filled with rich chocolate confections of the finest. Thankfully, there are lots of great places to eat chocolate in Denver!
When creating Nové Luxury Chocolates, we take pride in amplifying that luxury part of our name by filling decadent chocolate with velvety-soft fillings infused with premium cannabis oil. If you weren’t already aware, chocolate and cannabis pair perfectly together. The chemical composition, the flavor profiles, the way the body assimilates both…they truly are a match made in heaven. Don’t just believe me; check out Craft Chocolate and Cannabis to understand why this is.
Whether combining chocolate with cannabis, fruit, nuts, or enjoying it as its own treat, it’s a sumptuous flavor deserving of celebration. This is precisely why we decided to highlight nine fabulous places to eat chocolate in Denver. You may want to bookmark this page!
Must-Visit Places To Eat Chocolate in Denver
Chocolate Lab
It just made sense to kick off this list with the Chocolate Lab, Denver’s only chocolate-centric restaurant, craft cocktail bar, and chocolate shop. Whether you want your chocolate with breakfast, lunch, dinner, or dessert, chocolate plays a starring role in nearly every dish! Try the pan-seared scallops over dark chocolate candied rutabaga, drizzled with dark chocolate soy glaze and white chocolate lemon ginger sake foam. Then, pair it with a Chocolate Manhattan! If your chocolate threshold hasn’t been met by the time you finish, top it all off with the Cast-Iron Brownie for dessert.
Bistro Vendome
Ah, Bistro Vendome. Transport yourself to a Parisian street corner right in the heart of historic Larimer Square. Enjoy exquisite French cuisine with your love and don’t forget to order dessert! Their Gaufre au Nutella is to die for - a fluffy, crispy waffle served with bruléed banana, salted hazelnuts, Nutella ice cream, and Chantilly cream. Finish your meal with a cup of espresso in the courtyard and (pro tip) drop in a piece of our Café Cappuccino bar before you sip!
D Bar
“The vibe is cool. Super cool, actually. Denver Central Market is smack in the middle of RiNo (River North), Denver’s artsy-industrial neighborhood. You’ll be Instagramming from the dark wood tables next to young chefs, punk rockers, brewers, and start-up geniuses that run nearby businesses.”
Bon Appetit said it best. If you're looking to eat chocolate in Denver, D Bar is the place. Once you take in the scene, go ahead and admire the gorgeous French-style bonbons of Temper Chocolate, handcrafted by Chocolatier Anna Martinez. Try the drinking chocolate, salted caramels, and house-made marshmallows. Toss a piece of Nové Sea Salt Caramel into the mix while you’re indulging!
Little Man Ice Cream
What makes Little Man Ice Cream a destination ice cream shop? Is it their vintage Coney Island hot dog-shaped stand situated within a 28 foot tall, 14,000 lb. cream can? Or maybe because for every scoop purchased, they match it with a donated scoop of rice, beans, or other essentials to a community in need anywhere around the world? Perhaps it’s their dreamy homemade ice cream? Whichever it is, it’s something to be experienced! Enjoy a piece of Nové Honey Peanut Butter then head over to have your very own elevated experience paired with a cone of their chunky chocolate peanut butter ice cream!
Nest Cafe at Nurture Wellness Marketplace
Nest Café is just a year old and is already making waves. Located inside Nurture Wellness Marketplace, it’s a clean, conscious, and wholesome café with the most delicious and powerful cup of cacao. Order a Legacy Cacao Ritual and sip your intentions deep into your cells. You’ll be sure to leave at a higher frequency than you started when visiting this chocolate destination in Denver!
Jovanina's Broken Italian
Jovanina’s award-winning Italian food has all the rich flavors that prep the palate perfectly for a sumptuous chocolate dessert. Take in their incandescent-lit, romantic ambiance while you enjoy a fresh pasta dish, a pint of Colorado’s finest draft, and slide into home base with their sea salt buttercream-filled Bittersweet Chocolate Whoopie Pie.
Vital Root
Vital Root, one of the Edible Beats restaurant group’s masterpiece restaurants situated in a reformed candy-factory. Fast SLO food is their shtick, known for their responsibly grown and innovatively simple sourced, veggie-forward fare. Sit in their outdoor garden, melt a piece of our Glacier Mint in your mouth and enjoy the vibe as they prepare your meal. Grab a super-moist Hemp Cacao cookie for dessert…or have a few desserts and add in their Tiramisu and Beet Brownie while you’re at it!
City O’ City / Make, Believe Bakery
Denver’s top vegan, 100% allergy-free bakery…and it’s pure magic! Either head straight through the magical front entrance to the bakery or dine next door at City O’ City where you can order their confections from your server. Their cream-filled Ho-Ho Cupcakes are a Denver fave and by good right! They transport you right back to childhood. But since you’re an adult, go ahead and break off a piece of Nové Island Coconut to enhance the nostalgic vibe.
Elevate The Everyday with Nové
So, is your mouth watering yet? One thing is for sure, our city doesn’t disappoint. Head over to your local dispensary to order your favorite flavor of Nové…or get all six! With these and more stellar places to eat chocolate in Denver, you never know when that perfect pairing will beckon.