HEMP PACKS NUTRITIONAL PUNCH

Ruth Shamai calls it the vegetarian egg. For something so small, it
sure packs a nutritional punch.

Shamai, an Annex resident and the president of Ruth's Hemp Foods
Inc., said the hemp seed offers a number of good-for-your-health qualities.

"I call it a vegetarian egg because it has what eggs have, both the
fat and the protein, but no cholesterol because it's vegan."

In fact the hemp seed has five grams of protein per tablespoon and
contains Omega 3, 6 and 9, the essential fatty acids. It also has
GLA, which is a rare fatty acid.

While the entire hemp seed, shell and all, can be eaten, the
nutritional value is found in the seed itself.

"The interior, that's the very nutritious part."

Hemp for food (seed and oil) and textiles (clothing and rope) was
legalized again in 1998 (it was legal earlier in Canadian history,
but the government made it illegal in the 1930s), thanks to the work
of Shamai who saw the health benefits of the plant as well as the
environmental aspects (producing and buying locally) and the economic
benefits (creating a textile market so money stays in Canada).

When Shamai incorporated her company in 1999, launching the first of
her products (tortilla chips) a year later, she was at the forefront
of a new food trend and spent time informing the public of the
difference between marijuana, the drug, and hemp, the food source.

While consumers are more knowledgeable about hemp now, and its
differences from marijuana, some myths still remain. One of which is
no, you can't get high from eating the seeds.

"It's the same species, different variety," Shamai explained about
the differences between the two plants. "It's like a chihuahua and a
great dane. No matter what you feed a chihuahua, it won't turn into a
great dane."

The biggest difference between the two plants is the amount of THC,
the chemical that causes a high, found in each. In marijuana, THC is
up to 25 per cent, while the THC allowable in food is 10 parts per million.

"In other words, there is no high."

The hemp food industry is monitored, with government officials coming
right to the fields to ensure the plants have the right percentage of THC.

Hemp and marijuana plants look similar, but are grown differently.
Marijuana plants can get about 10 to 15 feet tall, but then all the
plant's energy is used to increase its size. Hemp plants are grown
low and bushy and spend their energy creating seeds, which are
harvested and processed for various purposes.

Shamai said an organic farmer can get about 1,000 pounds of hemp
seeds per acre, with those using pesticides and other chemicals
getting more. In Canada, farmers can only get one harvest a season.

Hemp seeds can be purchased in packages and eaten straight up; Shamai
said the taste is similar to a pine nut. They can also be tossed on
salads, put in smoothies or added to other meals. Shamai produces
burgers using hemp seeds.

Oil is also produced from hemp and is a little more complicated to
use. Considered a cold-pressed oil, it loses its nutritional value
when heated. Instead it should be used on salad or even drizzled on
soup after it has been served (warmed is OK, hot is not).

Shamai said she is always surprised when people question why they
should eat hemp, but not why, for example, they should eat a
doughnut, which has no nutritional value.

"I do think it's important that people think a lot more about what
they eat," she said, pointing out the fossil fuels that are burned
shipping or importing foods. "I believe buying locally is important."
If people thought more about the food they ate and where it came from
the "world would be in much better shape," she said.

Ruth's hemp burger

Makes: 12 medium-size patties.

1/2 cup ground flax (buy it ground, or put it in the coffee grinder)

1/2 cup water (room temperature is best)

2 1/2 cups cooked rice

1 cup Ruth's SoftHemp seeds

2 cups frozen mixed veggies

1/2 small onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup flour (I like buckwheat, but have also successfully used chick pea)

1/4 cup oil (I use sunflower, but any GMO-free oil that can withstand
heat is good. Do not use hemp or flax oil in this recipe)

3 tbsp chopped garlic

1 tbsp tomato paste (ketchup will work in a pinch)

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tbsp salt

1 tsp pepper

Cook rice in advance so it has time to cool.

Mix flax and water in small bowl. Set aside while mixing everything
else. Do this first as it needs a few minutes.

Mix all other ingredients. Mix in flax, which should be quite gooey by now.

Blend well.

Chill for at least 15 minutes. This is really important.

Form into patties. Cook in skillet.

These burgers will freeze well and hold together on a barbecue.
Experiment with spicing and different types of flour. I often
substitute two tablespoons of the flour with nutritional yeast, but
many people don't have that in their kitchens. The burgers are vegan,
soya-free and can be gluten-free depending on the flour used.

Ruth's hemp and lemon loaf

Makes: 2 loaves

1 cup butter

1 1/2 cups demerara sugar

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup buttermilk

grated rind of one lemon

1 cup SoftHemp

Glaze

1/2 cup honey

juice from 3 lemons

Heat oven to 350 C.

Cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs, beating after each one.

In separate bowl blend all dry ingredients.

Add these to butter-sugar blend, alternating with buttermilk.

Add lemon rind and SoftHemp.

Pour into two greased and floured loaf pans.

Bake one hour.

Just before they're ready, heat honey gently and blend in lemon juice
as soon it's warm enough. Don't let the honey get too hot.

Drizzle over loaves after removing from oven.

These keep well for several days in an airtight container. They also
freeze well, but need about two hours to thaw at room temperature.

Hemp pesto

Makes: about 1 1/2 cups.

2 cups fresh basil, tough stems removed

1/2 cup SoftHemp

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

3 cloves garlic

3 tbsp hemp oil

2 tbsp fruity olive oil

salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Clean and dry basil. Chop basil in food processor. Add SoftHemp,
cheese, garlic, hemp oil and 1 tbsp olive oil. Process in short
bursts until you like the consistency.

Add rest of olive oil optionally, depending on preferred taste.

Add salt and pepper.

~ Recipes courtesy of www.ruthsfoods.ca