As featured in The New York Times

If you’ve been out for Mexican food in San Francisco’s Mission District, you’ve no doubt seen a large drink dispenser full of milky-white horchata. Traditionally made from rice, it’s lightly sweetened and always spiked with a dash of cinnamon. Served chilled it is a creamy, cooling accompaniment to spicy food, making it a perfect pairing with Mexican cuisine.

At home, I like to make my horchata using a nontraditional main ingredient: hulled hemp seeds. Much more nutritious than white rice, they boast a balanced ratio of Omega fatty acids and sixteen grams of complete protein per quarter cup. They’re also a good source of magnesium, iron, zinc, and potassium.

This recipe takes no time to whip up — combine all the ingredients in the measuring cup that came with your immersion blender (or use any large plastic cup, for that matter), let ‘er rip for a minute or two, and you’re done. Unlike with rice-based recipes, no straining is required. Chill before serving, or if you’re feeling impatient, pour your horchata over some ice and enjoy it right away.

Hemp Horchata

serves 1

1/4 C. hemp seeds

1 C. water

1 Tbsp. agave syrup

1/8 tsp. vanilla extract

1 dash cinnamon

1. Combine ingredients in the blending cup that came with your immersion blender.

2. Blend for two minutes, until creamy and smooth.

3. Chill for at least two hours or serve over ice.

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And now, for a fun giveaway! The folks at Navitas Naturals have generously offered an 8-ounce bag of raw shelled hemp seeds to one lucky reader. If you’d like to participate, simply leave a comment on this post telling me about your cooking plans for the weekend. I’ll accept entries until Sunday 8/14 at midnight PST, then announce a winner on Monday morning. Good luck, and have a great weekend!

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