Freya has been struggling with recurring tummy issues for almost a year now, maybe longer depending on how you look at it. Trying to isolate and identify possible causes has been like nailing the proverbial Jell-O to the metaphorical wall. So, after seeing a specialist, we’re working on a restricted diet.

For the couple of months, she’s going to be living on tilapia and sweet potatoes. For her regular meals, this is actually less work for Dagmar, who’s been cooking chicken breast, chicken innards, mixed vegetables, and rice. But, Freya likes to have her breakfast out of Orbee food toys, and her evening snack out of her snuffle mat. The snuffle mat lets her “search” for kibble inside a deep plush carpet. It’s like hunting–if you’re Dick Cheney.

We need tilapia and sweet potato treats. Time for the dehydrator!

First, I made sweet potato treats. The photo up top shows the results. We have to peel the potatoes before giving them to Freya because the fiber in the skin could cause the very tummy issues we’re trying to eliminate. That’s where the two stones comes in – the skins are treats for me now! I sprinkled some cinnamon on them made myself a crispy treat. I put peeled slices of sweet potato on a few other layers and made the yummy-looking chips on the left for Freya. I tried one just to be sure, and they taste great.

Next, some fish jerky.

The fish shrinks down to less than half its size, and the house smells a bit fishy after trying this stuff overnight. But, we have some great treats now. Dried tilapia runs $41 a pound online. It’s $5 a pound frozen at Costco. I’m not sure how much less it weighs dried, but I’m guessing it’s not 8-to-1.

I’m not testing these for her. I’m not up to it at 5AM. She’ll have to trust me.

Bis morgen!

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