Squash & Apple for Pups & People

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They say, “It’s a dog’s life.”

I don’t know who “they” are, but ’round Casa de Kolchak, that couldn’t be further from the truth. These dogs are spoiled as woof, yo. While many pet people are making the decision to limit or eliminate “people food” from their dog’s diet, I’m kind of doing the exact opposite.

I’m committed to feeding my dogs MORE  fresh foods.

More lean meats. More veggies. I try to keep their diets as unprocessed as possible, partially due to Felix’s allergies and partially due to Koly’s waistline. We save “dog treats” for when they’ll really count: when I can use them to help with training or to keep the dogs occupied or mentally stimulated. For every day? We use fruit and veggies.

Life is busy though and I don’t always have time to cook for myself, forget finding time to cook for my dogs. That’s why I love it when I can make something that I will enjoy and when I can share food with my dogs.

Our squash and apple bake is a perfect example of how you can cook once and satisfy two species.

Here’s what you need:

• 1 butternut squash
• 3 apples
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. real maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• For humans: a dash of sea salt & cayenne pepper
• Optional: liver or freeze dried treat dust

Preheat oven to 425F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Peel and deseed the squash and apples. Make sure you peel off all the green spots of the squash, as these can be a bit tough.  Chop in large-ish (1″) cubes.  Toss cubes with olive oil, maple syrup and cinnamon. Lay out on baking sheets. (Be careful not to crowd the pans or the squash will cook unevenly.)

Roast for 40 – 45 minutes, turning once, until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from oven and split into two portions:

Portion A: The Dog’s Portion

Toss cooked squash with a generous sprinkling of liver dust or freeze dried treat dust. Serve as a sack or over your dog’s regular kibble. My dogs will work HARD for pieces of squash and apple, so we usually work on training while they eat this snack.

Portion B: For Humans Only

Toss cooked squash with sea salt and cayenne pepper, to taste. Serve over a bed of rice. I love this dish with chicken sausages and black beans!

Do you make any meals that you can share with your dog?