Turmeric, ginger and beetroot jellies

These jellies are a convenient treat, easy to make and the basis contains just three ingredients. You can always add optional ingredients if you have leftovers in the fridge to experiment with.

Jellies

Jellies can be kept in the refrigerator for several days or, if you make a whole batch, they can be frozen. Give them at home as a healthy treat or take them with you (in a cooler) as a means of hydrating; they’re refreshing and tempting, especially in hot weather. They should be made with unflavoured and unsweetened gelatine and served in appropriately small amounts.

The liquid here was saved from cooking sprouted yellow split peas for a Care and Share topping recipe and will have extra nutrition from cooking, over and above a simple water/turmeric/ginger mix. As an alternative, turmeric and ginger could be added to any cooking water (from pasta or vegetables, for example).

Turmeric, ginger and beetroot jellies

Ingredients:

5 sheets gelatine
180ml turmeric ginger water
One heaped tsp beetroot powder
Finely shredded chicken (optional)

See below for the benefits of the individual ingredients at a glance.

A jug containing ginger and turmeric water next to a jar with beetroot powder

 

Method:

Place five sheets of gelatine in a bowl of water and leave to stand for five minutes.

In the meantime, heat turmeric ginger water in a pan. Squeeze sheets of gelatine and add to the simmering liquid.

Add one heaped teaspoon of beetroot powder.

                          Turmeric and ginger water heating in a pan        Adding gelatine and beetroot powder to turmeric and ginger water heating in a pan

Bring to the boil, stir and then remove from heat source. Allow to cool slightly, decant into moulds.

Here I used repurposed chocolate moulds and slightly larger stackable jelly moulds.
The larger jelly moulds allow for the addition of a tiny morsel of leftover shredded chicken.

Decanting gel mix into bite-sized moulds

Place in the refrigerator to set for at least two hours.

Turmeric and beetroot jellies unfolded

Ingredients: the benefits at a glance

 

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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 canine nutritionist but supporting research is cited.
  • The recipes shared were created by me and tested in my kitchen – and tasted and approved by our doggy friends!