I am always on the lookout for new recipes and food ideas for Oscar, both healthy and ‘cheat day’ treats. I am very fortunate to be able to provide Oscar with the very best food (in my opinion) that is currently available. I believe that his special dog food keeps him in tip top condition and allows him to be a spring chicken at the age of 12. But who is counting? Age is just a number!

Along with his food, I like to give Oscar some veggie dishes and treats to help him get extra vitamins and minerals to keep him healthy. This hasn’t always been an easy task… Just like a toddler, I have had to come up with creative ways to disguise veggies so my boy will eat them. Of course he has his favourites, but there are some veggies that I believe he should eat that he doesn’t necessarily love but with his hounds nose, he can sniff out anything! So I have to make his veggies tasty or he will turn his nose at them.

Here are some of Oscar’s favourite veggie sides and treats…

 Gem squash, pumpkin and butternut:

Oscar loves these three veggies and he will eat them without hesitation. When I cook either of these vegetables for us, I will always add some extra so Oscar can enjoy too. I will usually steam the gem squash halves and scrape the flesh out for Oscar. The pumpkin and butternut I like to roast, lightly tossed in olive oil or coconut oil. Oscar loves roasted butternut on its own but I do like to add this yummy veggie to homemade treats too.

Ingredients

1/2 cup butternut/pumpkin or gem squash puree

1 egg

1 cup wholewheat flour

Handful of chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees. Mix together the butternut/pumpkin or gem squash puree, egg and parsley. Then add the flour and mix until a dough forms. If it is too sticky, add flour. If it is too dry, add a little water. Roll your dough out onto a floured surface and using cookie cutter, cut out cute biscuit treats. Place them on a greased baking tray and bake for 30-45 minutes or until cooked and slightly golden. Let them air dry and cool for a couple of hours. Store them in an air tight container. Your pooch will loves these!

 Beetroot:

Oscar will eat roasted beetroot too, but because of their awesome colour, I love making treats with them! I can also add leafy green vegetables like spinach and kale-which Oscar will not eat unless disguised in a treat…

Ingredients

1/2 cup roasted beetroot, mashed up

1 egg

1 cup flour

1/2 cup spinach or kale, wilted and blitzed up

Directions

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees. Mix together the mashed up beetroot and blitzed up spinach or kale then add the egg then add the flour until a dough forms. Roll your dough out on a floured surface. Using cookie cutters, cut out the treats and place them on a greased baking tray. Bake them for 30-45 minutes or until cooked through. Remove them and let them cool on a cooling rack. Store them in an airtight container.

 Sweet potato:

Besides dehydrating sweet potato as an alternative to a raw hide treat, Oscar loves sweet potato mash as well as sweet potato treats! Making sweet potato mash allows me to hide other veggies like carrots, broccoli, spinach and other healthy leafy greens that Oscar is not keen on eating just as they are.

Ingredients

1/2 cup sweet potato mash

1 cup wholewheat flour

1 egg

1/4 cup cooked broccoli, mashed

1/4 cup cooked spinach, blitzed

Handful of fresh parsley, chopped

Handful of fresh basil, chopped

Directions

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees. Mix together the sweet potato, broccoli, spinach, fresh herbs and egg. Add the flour and mix until a dough forms. Instead of using cookie cutters, I like to make little potato gnocchi. Break a small piece of the dough and roll it into a ball then using a fork gently push on the dough ball to make it slightly flatter. Place the gnocchi onto a greased baking tray and bake for 30-45 minutes or until cooked through and slightly golden. Once cooked allow them to cool on a cooling rack before your pup enjoys. Store in an air tight container.

 Be creative:

The options are endless when it comes to including your pooch at dinner time! Be creative and explore what he likes and what he doesn’t like. So the next time you make zoodles, broccoli mash or eggplant pizza make a little extra for your furry love…

Not an option:

Please be mindful and stay away from food items that are not healthy for your pooch.

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Thank you for reading

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