Took Snowie for our usual Sunday walk - a long walk in the forest with various climbs (side of a mountain) and dips in the river. Extremely popular dog walking area. My mom came with. We were there about 3.5 hours, which also included a lot of patient waiting about for Snowie while we collected chestnuts. And he was so GOOD!!!!!! He ran on ahead several times when he saw other dogs but came racing back when I whistled. Yes, I did have treats, but I don't think they were competition for other dogs really. I didn't recall immediately - he was allowed to say hallo and sniff. There was a lovely Lab fest where you couldn't tell one yellow from the other, lots of Lab excitement, and yet he came with us when called! Even my mother - who has commented previously that Snowie is disobedient - was impressed. The only slight tarnish on this record walk was right at the end when I was busy trying not to get my hands pricked by chestnut skins when a lovely chocolate Lab came by and Snowie and him trotted around together. And then Snowie tried to mount him. What's with his thing for chocolates?! The chocolate wasn't perturbed in the least and I quickly leashed up Snowie. But such a tiny blot on our walk didn't detract from it being a walk-of-such-good-behavior to remember! My mother adores Snowie even tho she has much to say about his recall and leash walking at heel. I needed to run into a shop on our way home. She and Snowie stayed in the car. When I got back they were happily sharing a homemade spinach, feta and sundried tomatoe muffin she'd forgotten she'd brought for the walk. He is definitely her favorite granddog.
Sounds like good day with Mum. My Sis and I liked it when our dogs chose to go with our Mum instead of us. She didn't even have treats. Speaking of treats, think I will go look up a recipe for spinach, feta and sundried tomato muffins. Sounds good.
He has definitely endeared himself to my mother. Whenever she comes to visit she gets such a fabulous welcome. He waits at the top of the garden steps and wags madly, and then bounds down to greet her, never jumping up (not that he jumps on anyone, thankfully! But she's almost 80 and that would be disastrous if he did). And when she leaves, he always accompanies her to her car and kisses her goodbye. She agrees he's more engaging in this regard than her human grandchildren!
My mother ALWAYS has treats! Of the fruit and nut variety (for herself!). Snowie sits almost between her legs waiting for his share!! Once, when she'd misplaced the cherries and coconut pieces (oh my word, Snowie's FAVOURITE!!), we had to leave the bench on which we were sitting to go find where she'd put the Tupperware container (she thought she'd left it in the bathroom at the beach where she'd changed out of her bathing suit), and the GROANS that came from Snowie -- if only I'd been videoing, it was too hilarious for words, his DISAPPOINTMENT! My mom's recipe included whey and quinoa flour, and various other non-gluten flours she'd made up in her coffee grinder. With some wheat flour, too. I had a taste when I got into the car (a tiny piece was left!) and it wasn't to my liking -- but I'm not a muffin fan at all since I stopped eating wheat two months ago. I've always thought the muffin craze of the 90s was one big "pulling the wool over your eyes" -- healthy? Muffins? They're just like cake. But since they're called muffins, you're allowed to eat them for breakfast! Snowie, on the other hand, thought the muffin was outstanding!
Whey and quinoa? I have both of those on hand. I'm making kefir for Oban every day and I hate to be always throwing the whey, by-product, out. Would your Mum mind sharing her recipe? Or maybe there is a link to it? I found this recipe last night and the only thing that kept me from jumping up and making it right away was the onions, only have two small ones. Plus I did have his kangaroo jerky in the oven. http://www.healthyfoodguide.com.au/recipes/2008/august/sun-dried-tomato-spinach-and-feta-muffins I agree with you on the muffin craze (treat them as huge cookies) and I think it applies to yogurt as well. It's amazing how many people don't read labels and don't see how much sugar is in a lot of it.
I'll try get the recipe from my mom - although knowing her, it's a little bit of this, some of that, etc - no clear measurements! Agree re yoghurt. And frozen yoghurt - another wool pulled over your eyes! And fat-free sugar-free yoghurt - my husband consumes so much of it cos he thinks it's not fattening and I keep telling him he's taking in so much sugar in the form of lactose.
In case anyone is interested, I made the muffins in my link last night. I think I put too much of the onion and spinach in as I had to add an egg and some milk (I used a cup of kefir though, which was thick) and they were still pretty, um, what's the word, heavy? The sun dried tomatoes were not nice. I've used them in other things but this brand was not tasty. I might try again but I got 18 muffins and the OH won't even try them so unless they freeze well I can't eat 18 muffins before they go bad all by mself, not even with Oban's help.
Back to say, the recipe in my link called for self rising flour and I didn't have any. I just added some baking soda and baking powder when the recipe didn't call for any. But I should have consulted Dr. Google, or Chef Google in this case, cause when I finally did, too late, I found I had not added nearly enough. So I might try them again with more baking soda in. And OH did finally give them a try and liked them, though they did not agree with his post Whipple innards as well as they did with his taste buds. http://www.epicurious.com/ingredients/substitute-flour-all-purpose-cake-self-rising-article
If you're still struggling to get through them, you could slice them thin and put them in the oven and make crunchy biscuits or melba toast. Probably will taste delicious with lashings of butter!
