I'm not going to pretend I know how to cook with Cannabis...I'm learning how to. I've done some research, am playing some of it by ear and am using the internet a whole lot. The most important lesson I've learned so far?
There IS a proper way to prepare cannabis for consumption.
It needs to be decarboxylated.
If you want your edibles to have the same effects as edibles with THC, the main psychoactive compound in cannabis, then you need to decarboxylate. THCA, tetrahydrocannabinolic acid, is a cannabis compound found in raw flower. It becomes THC when you add heat (decarboxylate) to the flower.
You can still use raw flower, it adds an herby taste that I kind of like (in limited quantities). Like cannabis research in general, there isn't enough (longitudinal studies, peer-reviewed and all that) to definitively state the medicinal benefits of THCA. According to Leafly.com the potential benefits include:
Anti-inflammatory properties for treatment of arthritis and lupus
Neuroprotective properties for treatment of neurodegenerative diseases
Anti-emetic properties for treatment of nausea and appetite loss
Anti-proliferative properties noted in studies of prostate cancer
Now you know. Decarboxylate first.
There are many different ways to decarboxylate flower. Instead of recreating the wheel, check out these recipes from Leafly.com: