It’s easy to include cannabis as an ingredient in a healthy lifestyle, since you can simply infuse the herb into your chosen fat and add it to your regular meals. But what about when you’re too sick to cook?
Designed for patients who might be too ill, stressed or busy to plan, shop and cook homemade meals, marijuana-infused, nutritionally-balanced microwavable food is coming to a dispensary near you, courtesy of cook Chris Sayegh. Working with a team of nutritionists, Sayegh developed four frozen options—including vegetarian lasagna, stir fry, pot pie and a quinoa-stuffed chicken breast, all dosed with either THC or CBD.
Recipes for the microwavable meals were formulated to consider the taste and texture of food upon reheating, as well as the retention of THC. The group even invented a patented method to raise the boiling point of everyone’s favorite psychoactive cannabinoid to preserve as much activated THC as possible. Meals can be reheated in a microwave for 4 to 6 minutes or in the oven, and are packaged using safe, BPA-free plastic materials.
Formerly a student at UCSC, Sayegh left college to work in the kitchens of Los Angeles, driven by his vision of creating delicious, eco-friendly food from the highest quality ingredients. After several years training under chefs in restaurants, Chris re-branded himself as The Herbal Chef and catered several high-end private cannabis dinners, showcasing his fine cuisine for discriminating clientele.
Sayegh then expanded operations to include microwavable meals, custom-designed menus and a delivery service for those who can’t afford a personal pot chef.
“I was motivated to help people in need, providing for patients going through treatment and looking for a healthier lifestyle,” Sayegh explained, describing his new service. “A patient could work with our nutritionist team, and based on your ailment, we’ll figure out what vitamins or nutrients you might be deficient in,” before designing a specific meal plan based on individual needs and then delivered to the patient’s door.
Working with Cannavest, Sayegh is also developing a CBD-infused meal plan intended as a general nutritional supplement to support weight loss.
“CBD helps the endocannabinoid system run smoothly,” Sayegh said, “which helps metabolism and digestion, culminating in the results of a healthy heart and healthy colon, which then helps you lose weight.”
If you’d like to meet The Herbal Chef team and try Chris’ high-end cuisine, he is organizing a charity event in Los Angeles on October 30 to benefit the American Cancer Society. While the eight-course dinner won’t be infused with marijuana, it will be delicious and will help raise awareness of how cannabis fights cancer. Hosted at the Lab Art gallery, the event includes an open bar, DJ and string quartet.
