I have tradition each holiday. I make homemade dog treats for my four pooches and for the pets of my friends. In previous years, I used recipes found in books or on the internet. This year, I created my own recipe for these Winter Yum Yums. These treats are very healthy and your dogs will love them. Carrot and pumpkin are recommended by vets for many ailments. Turmeric has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Garlic, oats, and wheat germ are good for dogs too.
Yield: Makes about 150 cookies, 1 1/2 inches square and 1/4 inch deep
Ingredients:
- 3 cup carrots - peeled, boiled, and mashed (this is about a 2 lb. bag of carrots)
- 15 ounce can of pumpkin (pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie mix)
- 4 eggs (plus one more egg white if you want to brush the tops of the cookies to make them shine)
- 2 1/2 tablespoons of turmeric powder (the yellow spice you likely have and don't often use)
- 4 tablespoons of minced garlic (use a garlic press if you have one)
- 3/4 cup of wheat germ
- 2 1/2 cups of rolled oats
- 5 to 5 1/2 cups of flour
Cookies keep fresh for 2-3 days depending on the humidity. You can freeze extra cookies for later. Want to make a smaller batch?
Here's a smaller recipe that should yield about 50 cookies:
- 1 cup carrots - peeled, boiled, and mashed
- 5 ounces of pumpkin (pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie mix)
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon of turmeric powder
- 1 1/2 tablespoons of minced garlic
- 1/4 cup of wheat germ
- 3/4 cups of rolled oats
- 1 3/4 cups of flour
Here´s how I make them:
Peel and boil the carrots. Strain the carrots and let them cool and dry (you don´t want excess moisture). Mash the carrots. Combine the carrots, pumpkin, garlic, turmeric, and eggs. Mix well. Add the wheat germ and rolled oats and mix well. Begin adding the flour a bit at a time. You may find it easier to use your hands, but be ready to wear the batter because it is very sticky. The exact amount of flour depends on the moisture in your carrots and pumpkin and in the air. Roll out the dough to 1/4 inch in thickness and use a pizza cutter to cut into 1 1/2 inch squares. Bake on parchment paper at 300 degrees for 45 minutes. Let cool completely before giving your dog the first delicious bite!
