Tag: Fall Harvest

It’s the Season for Special Dog Treats

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It’s the Season for Special Dog Treats

With the fall harvest among us, it’s the season for special dog treats. Some dogs are finicky eaters, while others will eat just about anything you call a “treat.” Bucky was the latter, while Shadow the former. Both of my dogs loved these treats so I thought I would share (my neighbors’ dogs loved them as well!).

 

Some dogs, like people are sensitive to certain foods. If this is the case with your dog, please use an alternate treat or make an ingredient substitution if necessary.

Cinnamon-Apple Dog Treats
Ingredients:
  • Natural Applesauce (or chopped apple) – 1 cup

    dog treats, fall harvest, dogs, treats, healthy
    Bentley — Time for a Special Treat
  • Cinnamon – 1 teaspoon
  • Parsley – 1 tablespoon
  • Cold water – 1 cup
  • Vegetable Oil – 1/2 cup
  • Flour – 5 cups
  • Powdered milk – 1/2 cup
  • Eggs – 2 large
Directions:
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
Combine all of the ingredients — add oil or water to the dough if needed.
  • Roll out the dough to the desired thickness and cut into fun shapes using cookie cutters.
  • Bake 20 -25 minutes until browned.
PUMPKIN DOG TREAT RECIPE
Ingredients:

 

Pumpkins for a Delicious Special Dog Treat
Pumpkins for a Delicious Special Dog Treat
  • Mashed pure pumpkin (NOT the spiced pie filling) – one 15 oz. can
  • Cream of wheat (or rice cereal if wheat-sensitive), dry, uncooked –         3/4 cup
  • Dry powdered milk – 1/2 cup
Directions:
  • Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

    dog treats, healthy, organic, pumpkin
    It’s the Season for a Special Dog Treat
  • Mix all the ingredients together.
  • Drop small spoonfuls (about half of a tablespoon) onto a lightly greased cookie sheet.
  • Bake at 300 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
  • If you’d like to make training rewards, bite-sized cookies for small dogs, or just little treats, you may want to use a pastry bag and squeeze out rosettes or a freezer bag with the tip cup out to squeeze out tasty bite-sized treats about the size of a dime.
  • These treats are also a great gift idea for the holidays, just make sure you include an ingredient list so the recipient can check for sensitivities.

ENJOY!
Do you have a special dog treat recipe to share?

Mr. Bugs Had It Right — Carrot and Cashew Soup

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Fall Harvest — Carrots

Mr. Bugs had it right! It’s the end of harvest season — at least in Colorado, and this Carrot and Cashew Soup recipe is delicious!

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Mr. Bugs Had It Right — Carrots — A Healthy Choice

Before we get to the recipe, check out the skinny on carrots, a very versatile vegetable. It’s commonly eaten steamed, roasted, boiled, raw, and as an ingredient in many stews and soups. They are easy to grow and can be bought canned, frozen, fresh, and pickled.

Carrots – A Healthy choice

The carrot is a crunchy, sweet, aromatic vegetable that is a very healthy, popular vegetable high in Vitamin A (it provides 210% of an adult’s daily needs). Carrots also contain vitamin E, folate, potassium, manganese, magnesium, phosphorous, zinc and fiber. Evidence exists that vegetables and fruits high in antioxidants (carrots included) reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer. Vision will also be restored by correcting Vitamin A deficiencies.

If you have an over abundance of carrots, you may ask, “What should I do?” A neighbor who has a garden of carrots shared a delicious soup recipe — Carrot and Cashew Soup (this is a favorite even of those who are not crazy about carrot soup).

Ingredients
colorful carrots, carrots, Carrot and Cashew Soup, recipe
Colorful Carrots
  • Carrots — 3 pounds chopped.
  • Chopped onions — 1 1/4 cup.
  • Cashews — 3/4 cup unsalted, unroasted.
  • Olive Oil – 2 TBS.
  • 3 crushed garlic cloves.
  • Vegetable stock or water (you may substitute with 3 cups of low sodium chicken broth and 3 cups of water) — 6 cups.
  • Soy milk (or what you prefer) — 2 1/2 cups.
  • Ginger root — 1 Tablespoon grated.
  • Black pepper to taste (optional).
Directions
  • Add the water or stock with the carrots to a sauce pan and bring to a boil.
    onions, carrot and cashew soup, recipe
    Onions for Carrot and Cashew Soup

    Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

  • Sautee the onions, garlic, and cashews in another pan in the 2 tablespoons of olive oil until the onions are soft and translucent.
  • Place the contents of both pans in a blender and puree until very smooth.
  • Return the puree to the saucepan and add the ginger, soy milk, and black pepper.
  • Garnish with toasted cashews, parsley, and yogurt.
Colorado, fall, Karen Van Den Heuvel
Karen Van Den Heuvel — Fall in Colorado

You may salt and pepper to taste (although I avoid the extra salt since Americans consume too much).

Let me know your thoughts after you try this delicious recipe!