Freezing leftover hydrating drinks

There is usually something left over after decanting drinks and toppings into their various jars – and nothing gets thrown away in this house. Circular cooking all the way!

After making a cucumber and courgette hydrating drink , I decided to add some kefir and some leftover salmon to create ices to give as a hydrating treat throughout the day. The dog absolutely loves these, even though they are so simple to make. Strange how the effort to enjoyment ratio isn’t always what you expect.

Note: This was made from the drink before the hemp seeds were added. If your leftovers include the hemp seeds, omit them here.

 

Cucumber and courgette ices

Ingredients

Leftovers of cucumber and courgette hydrating drink (I had around 300 ml).
150 mL kefir
1 tablespoon hemp seeds
1 tablespoon baobab powder
85 g leftover salmon (optional)
2 teaspoons frozen quinoa (in this case red quinoa but any quinoa will do)
1 heaped teaspoon psyllium husks

 

Method:

Put cucumber and courgette leftovers in blender and add hemp seeds, baobab and salmon if using. Blitz.

     

Add kefir, blitz again.

Remove from blender, then add quinoa and psyllium husks (psyllium husks also create a mucilage when soaked and firm up the mixture – not to mention their benefits for gut health!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leave to stand for a couple of hours if possible.

Pour into bite-sized jelly moulds and freeze for around three hours. If you don’t have small moulds, an ice cube tray will do just as well.

 

THE TASTING

Three, two, one…. approved!

       

Important Considerations:

  • Always consult your veterinarian before making any significant dietary changes, particularly where there are pre-existing health conditions or dietary restrictions.
  • If you are feeding commercial food, check the label for ingredients before giving more. Excessive intake of any foods can have adverse effects.
  • Ensure (where possible) that you use high-quality, organic products specifically formulated for pets (or better still, human grade ingredients) to avoid any potential adverse effects.
  • Introduce new foods gradually to avoid adverse effects such as gastrointestinal upset or diarrhoea.
  • I provide nutritional information purely as a helpful guide. Nutritional information on ingredients is obtained from the US Department of Agriculture’s FoodData Central site (https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/index.html) and any nutritional information provided in recipes is based on an online calculator: calories and other information will vary based on brands, ingredients and other factors.
  • Check nutrient levels and recommendations for your dog’s weight, age and activity. For example this nutritional guideline produced by FEDIAF
  • I am not a professional nutritionist. I am sharing recipes that I have created and tested in my kitchen and that have been tasted and approved by our doggy friends.