Pumpkin Training Treats For You & Your Beast

How it started: “Would you like to foster a four month old puppy?”

How it’s going: We adopted a four month old puppy!

Technically, our foster period ended about five minutes into our ride home when we named this adorable, floppy, pile of silky brown fur, Mabel. We formally adopted Mabel from the Animal Adoption Center in Jackson Hole, Wyoming and she joined our pack, now numbering four. Mabel still has that new puppy smell and our home still has that Nature’s Miracle smell. 

Inspired by Mabel’s training, and in keeping with the season, we created a Pumpkin Training Treat. Training treats are generally smaller, low calorie and easy for a dog to eat quickly so their attention returns to you. Our Mabel inspired pumpkin training treats are a plant based, protein packed, nutrient-dense little reward made with only four ingredients. They are even safe for humans to eat and one of my new favorite snacks! 

INGREDIENTS

Almond Flour………..1 Cup (3 ½ oz)

Flaxseed Meal…..…..2 TBSP (1/2 oz)

Pumpkin Puree….…..1/4 Cup (2 oz) *Canned pumpkin is perfect, do NOT use pumpkin pie mix as it has sugar and added spices!*

Maple Syrup……………1 TBSP (1/2 oz) 

STEPS

1. Preheat oven to 330ºF, convection.
2. Combine almond flour and flaxseed meal in a bowl and mix thoroughly.
3. Add pumpkin puree and maple syrup to the bowl and mix thoroughly until the dough forms a soft, sticky ball.
4. Place the dough on a Silpat baking mat (or piece of parchment paper), then cover the dough with a sheet of plastic wrap.
5. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough - beneath the plastic wrap to keep it from sticking to the rolling pin - to 1/8 inch thickness. Turn the Silpat mat as you roll to form a rectangle with the dough. 
6. Using an offset spatula or butter knife (careful not to press hard and cut the Silpat), cut lines across the length and width of the dough. We cut across every inch for larger dogs or every ½ inch for small dogs. Dough should resemble a delicious grid.
7. Slide the Silpat mat (or parchment paper) onto a baking sheet and place in oven.
8. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, depending on size of treats. Remove from oven. Wait until treats are cool enough to touch, then flip and separate the treats. 
9. Return for a final bake of 3 to 5 minutes, again, depending on size and thickness. Keep an eye on the treats as they are thin and can turn quickly. 
10. Remove treats from the oven and let cool before giving to your best friend.

 
Yields approximately 56, 1/8 inch thick, one inch treats.

INGREDIENT BENEFITS 

Almonds: With one ounce of almond flour containing a whopping 6 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber, almonds also contain the powerful antioxidant, Vitamin E.

Flax seeds: An excellent source of fiber, flax seeds are loaded with omega-3 fatty acids which aid with your pup’s coat and skin health.

Pumpkin: Low in calories, high in soluble fiber and beta carotene, carotenoids, potassium and vitamin C, pumpkin is excellent for your pup’s digestive health.