Salmon Sweet Potato Snaps (grain-free)

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Salmon Sweet Potato SnapsHere fishy, fishy, fishy…The Boys are fish freaks! And nothing helps their coat get a full lustre going on like some omega rich salmon.

This recipe is super easy, and only 4, count ‘em 4, ingredients! I know my mom would say, geez salmon is expensive for dogs, don’t you think, but hey ma, to buy small packets of these types of treats is super high, you should see how many you get for about 7 bucks! Happy mother’s day by the way to all you awesome moms out there.

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup of cooked salmon (I used two small filets)
1 cup cooked & cooled sweet potato
2 cups of fresh spinach, chopped
1 2/3 cup of buckwheat flour (if you care about grain-free, otherwise use whole wheat or rye flour)
P.S. those are blueberry eyes, not raisins – raisins are a no for dogs.
Salmon Sweet Potato Dog TreatsSimply cook your salmon filets plain (350 for 12 minutes or so) or if you are using canned salmon, you are ahead of the game. You can pre-cook 2 small sweet potatoes in the oven (400 degrees for about 45 minutes) or microwave them for about 10 minutes. Let them cool before using.

In a large mixing bowl, flake in your salmon, then squeeze in the insides of your sweet potatoes. Add the chopped spinach and give her a good mix & mash. Add your flour until you are happy with your dough. It’s a wetter dough, so you will need lots of flour to roll out. I don’t like adding a ton of flour to my treats to make them drier unless I’m really looking for a hard treat. Less is more for our furry friends. Cut into desired shapes or squares.

Bake long and low at 250 for 40 minutes or give ‘er at 350 for 25 minutes.

May the fish be with you.

xo/J

I’m neither a vet nor an animal nutritionist. This recipe is not meant to replace a proper and balanced diet for your dog. You should speak to your own vet before trying new recipes or feeding any home cooked foods to your dog.

 

Leftovers à la mode

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Leftovers Dog Treat RecipeThere’s always a fridge purge when I get back from the grocery store – any wilting vegetables etc. that I just have to admit aren’t going to get eaten, must go to make room for the fresh stuff! As hard as I try each week to buy what will get eaten – it’s not that easy to predict as I’ll have rough menu planned but I’m prone to going off course if we get a hankering for a certain meal. I don’t feel guilty about it because I can make dog treats out of just about anything! This is what happens when you toss a bunch of things together and try to make some good treats. The dough ended up being too wet and I didn’t want to keep adding tapioca flour, so I put it into a pie mold et voilà! It worked. Add a dollop of greek yogurt and a dehydrated pear chip and you have Leftover Pie à la mode.
Pie made of Leftovers for Dogs Continue reading →

Pumpkin Apple Jerky

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Pumpkin Apple Jerky I’ve been getting crazy with the dehydrator lately…looking for some healthy snack replacements for our (human) vice – CHIPS. Crunchy, salty kettle chips, thank you for the addiction, Miss Vickie.  So far I’m pretty happy with apple chips, not so much on the banana chips (chewy not crunchy, boo).  Although I must say that The Boys didn’t bulk up too much this winter, as I try to keep Hank slim and trim to avoid extra weight on his arthritic hips. However, they do need their veggies, and this leather’s a sweet treat that’s super healthy.  This is about as basic as it gets, guys, two ingredients at a 1:1 ratio. Pumpkin puree and applesauce. If you don’t already know it – pumpkin is amazing for a dog’s digestion health. I add cinnamon as it’s a great anti-inflammatory for the senior citizen’s arthritis.

INGREDIENTS:
Pumpkin Puree (PLAIN)
Applesauce (UNSWEETENED)

Simply mix together a cup or two of the pumpkin and the same amount of applesauce. You can deyhydrate in the oven at it’s lowest temperature (usually 170) for about 8 hours. Most bloggers say to put it on plastic wrap as it won’t melt, I chose parchment paper because I just wasn’t sure about heating plastic – the parchment “cooks” a bit and you have to peel the leather off of it somewhat, but I’m still happy with the results. I cut out pieces of parchment to fit in my dehydrator (I have a cheapie round one) and then spread them with the mixture, thick enough that you don’t see the parchment. (1/8th – 1/4 inch thick) Then I set it to 130 degrees.  Place the trays in the dehydrator and start checking it after 6 hours. I left mine in until it’s really, really dry (at least 10 hours) as I don’t think it’s a good idea to give sticky jerky to a dog.  You don’t want a product that’s going to be sticking to the roof of their mouth or propose any kind of choking hazard.   This leather is a lot like chicken or beef jerky in terms of the hardness/dryness. I ripped mine into the size of pieces I wanted, a more patient person would cut them neatly with clean scissors :)

BOL!
xo/J
Pumpkin Apple Jerky

I’m neither a vet nor an animal nutritionist. This recipe is not meant to replace a proper and balanced diet for your dog. You should speak to your own vet before trying new recipes or feeding any home cooked foods to your dog.

Peanut Butter & Honey Bones

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Peanut Butter Honey Bones

Old lady winter, I’m thinking you’ve finally packed your wrinkly butt up.   We’re all trying to slim down for bikini season in this house, and for The Boys that means they’re pretty much grain free these days.  However, I did develop this recipe and I want to share it for those of you who are still enjoying some carb action!    What I love about these bones is that you can make tons  for very little $$$ and with very little effort. Near the end of the winter, I felt so tired and blah, I just wanted to have freezer bags full of treats so I could take a break from the kitchen until I got my mojo back. I’m happy to report that it’s finally looking like spring and I feel lighter all ready!

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup wheat germ
1 1/2 cup plain rolled oats
tbs baking powder
tsp salt
1 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup canola oil
1/2 cup water

Mix together all of the dry ingredients in one big old bowl. I plopped the peanut butter, canola oil, honey and water right into the stand mixer bowl and blended them together. Then I added the dry stuff and mixed until the dough formed.  You could do this without a mixer, by the way.) Add water a bit a tablespoon at a time if you find the dough too dry. Roll out on floured surface to desired thickness. Use a bone cutter or any other shape – or just be lazy, and cut into squares with a butter knife. The dogs aren’t going to judge you. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. I like these to be hard so I turn off the oven and leave them in there for hours or even overnight to get a bit crunchier.

xo/Jen

I’m neither a vet nor an animal nutritionist. This recipe is not meant to replace a proper and balanced diet for your dog. You should speak to your own vet before trying new recipes or feeding any home cooked foods to your dog.

Doggy Easter Eggs

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Yogurt Easter Eggs for Dogs I saw an Easter Egg silicone mold and thought it would make perfectly pretty frozen treats for The Boys. They love yogurt, and I love how easy these silicone molds are to use.  The ingredients are simple, you start with a base of Yogurt, and add natural ingredients to make pretty colours.  You can’t mess this up!

Making Yogurt Eggs for Dogs Blue/Purple: Wild blueberry juice (or juice from frozen blueberries).
Orange: Carrot juice
Brown: Peanut Butter
Pink: Juice from frozen raspberries
Yellow: Turmeric
White: Leave it plain of course!

Mix until you are happy with the colour, then spoon into the mold. You can put more than one colour into the slot for a tie-dye effect. Freeze for a couple of hours and Bob’s your uncle.

My Easter celebration is happening this afternoon, can’t wait to eat lots and lots….Happy Easter to y’all!
xo/J

I’m neither a vet nor an animal nutritionist. This recipe is not meant to replace a proper and balanced diet for your dog. You should speak to your own vet before trying new recipes or feeding any home cooked foods to your dog.

The Barkin’ Berry Bowl

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Barkin' Berry Bowl

This bowl of yum is from our latest episode of Fido & Wine – Healthy Hounds. We filmed the episode with a wonderful team who takes a holistic approach to vet care, so we wanted to share a meal that will warm you from the inside out. To be honest it was hard to tell who loved it more, the crew or the dogs! I have never liked mushy oatmeal, but I tell ya, I’m seriously hooked on this bowl – so that says a lot! I love the texture of steel cut oats, and I think the big draw for me is the contrast between the savory from the stock and the sweet from the fresh berries and honey. Try this meal on Sunday morning for a family brunch or for an easy and healthy week night meal.  A bowl of goodness!

INGREDIENTS:
1 large chicken breast  (or more, dogs are all about the meat!)
1 cup steel cut oats
2 1/4 cups chicken or veg stock.
1 cup of fresh mixed berries – chopped. (black berries, raspberries, strawberries)
1/3 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 TBS olive oil
1 TBS flax seeds
1/2 TSP cinnamon
1/4 TSP salt
Raw honey to drizzle.

First, Bring 2 1/4 cups of chicken or veg stock to a boil over high heat. Add cup of steel cut oats. Now reduce heat, cover and simmer 20-25 minutes until most of the liquid is absorbed.

Grill/cook your chicken breast as the oats are cooking.

IMG_7526When oats and chicken are cooked, remove from heat; let oats stand covered 5 minutes and let the chicken “rest”. In a large serving bowl, add a TBS of flax seed, 1/3 cup of raw pumpkin seeds, and a TSP of cinnamon. Now (VERY GENTLY!) stir in the berries. Serve it to yourself hot, and let your dog’s meal cool down. Just be sure to drizzle about a TBS of raw honey over each serving

xo/J

St. Patrick’s Day Shamrock Dog Treats

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St. Patrick's day dog treats
I just realized that St.Patrick’s Day is right around the corner…I will be in Boston for this one – can’t think of a better city to be in for the occasion! I’m heading off with the crew to film with some amazing experts there and in California. I’m producing & directing a one hour documentary that explores the links between canine nutrition and aggressive behaviour.

Thought I’d share this recipe from last St. Patty’s day because most of you probably haven’t seen it  as I was just getting started on this blog.
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Puppermints (gluten free)

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Puppermint Dog Treat Recipe

A healthy diet of whole foods keeps The Boys’ breath fresher than kibble would, but who among us doesn’t get some dog breath now and then? Greens are the key to getting some fresh breath happening from the inside out. I bought a NutriBullet (loves it!) and I’ve been experimenting with smoothies, so I’ve always got lots of greens in my fridge. Peppermint and Parsley by the Pound, the Perfect P’s for Puppy breath.

I developed a recipe for both a gluten-free version, and a wheat variety. The GF ones are greener, but both are great treats.

INGREDIENTS – GLUTEN FREE PUPPERMINTS
2 1/2 cups All Purpose Gluten Free Flour
1 cup parsley
1 cup kale
1/2 cup mint
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup canola oil
1 TBS honey
1TSP salt

INGREDIENTS – WHEAT PUPPERMINTS
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup wheat germ
1 cup parsley
1/2 cup kale
1/2 cup mint
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup canola oil
1 TBS honey
1 tsp salt

Whiz your parsley, mint, kale and water in your blender or whatever you have that will do the trick. Add to large mixing bowl. Add the canola oil, honey, salt and stir. Then slowly add the dry ingredients and mix together, then knead a little bit until dough ball forms. Some flour mixtures make this a bit more crumbly, just add small amounts of water until you’re happy with the texture. This should be a moist dough so you will need to sprinkle a good amount of gf flour to roll out. Roll out dough to about 1/4″ to 1/2″ thickness. I used a (proper measuring) teaspoon to make them round. After you make the cut out, you can just smoosh them into the teaspoon if you want make them rounder on the top (like you see in the picture).

Bake at 250 degrees for 30-40 minutes. I like to cook them at a low temp because I find that natural colours stay stronger this way.

This recipe is for the green ones, but if you want to go that extra crazy dog lady mile and make ones that look like peppermints, just line up strips of a light colored dog treat with the green ones, cut out with the measuring teaspoon, and then kinda schmear them together in the tablespoon.

Cheers to better breath!
xo/J

I’m neither a vet nor an animal nutritionist. This recipe is not meant to replace a proper and balanced diet for your dog. You should speak to your own vet before trying new recipes or feeding any home cooked foods to your dog.

A Day of Raw

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deconstructed raw mealSorry my friends, but there’s just no way to make a raw meal look pretty.  I tried, though, I really did!   I want to share this “recipe” today because we are putting our RAW episode of Fido & Wine online as I write this – this is a great show for people who are interested in learning more about the raw diet for dogs.  My slogan is “Think Outside of The Bag”, the goal being to get more people to consider feeding their dogs food that isn’t processed.  I am obviously a fan of home cooking for dogs, but I also stand behind a raw diet.  As I’ve mentioned in some previous posts, I incorporate raw elements into both of The Boys diets.  I will NOT cook any offal in my house – gag me with a giant spoon.  I shudder just thinking of the smell of kidney or liver cooking.  So, the boys get their fix (dogs require about 10% of their weekly diet to be offal, 5% of which should be liver) in the form of a frozen cube or frozen/dehydrated liver.  I also feed one of The Boys primarily raw meals. I have been doing this for a couple of years so that I can become extremely knowledgeable in both types of feeding.

The picture of my dog’s bowl represents an entire day of food for one large lab. The beef chunk, beef meatballs, ground chicken with bone, and variety of gently cooked veggies would be divided into a breakfast and dinner feeding, then a cube each (I switch them up between offal and tripe, generally) gets fed to both dogs (in the backyard) at 7pm, I call this their “sub” as in substantial snack.  I change up the meats often, and of course, there are lots of my healthy home made treats given out during the day, which aren’t raw but are often grain-free.

Myths and naysayers abound when it comes to feeding raw, but I don’t believe the negative press for one minute.  Lori of Heronview Raw & Natural does a much better job of explaining to our host, Laura than I ever could. Lori is my own supplier, she really knows her stuff – and dare I say “she knows more than the internet” – for reals!

CLICK ON THIS LINK TO WATCH THIS EPISODE!

my dogs breakfast raw food

xo/J

P.S. Guess what Lori is so proudly holding in this picture :) I love your sense of humor, Lori!!

I’m neither a vet nor an animal nutritionist. This recipe is not meant to replace a proper and balanced diet for your dog. You should speak to your own vet before trying new recipes or feeding any home cooked foods to your dog.

My Dog’s Valentine

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I baked my little sweethearts some Valentine’s Day Cookies. The minute I turned my back they decided to help decorate them! Message understood, boys, loud & clear.
squirrel dog cookie valentine

Dog wants meat cookie

These are my grain-free BuckBites, cut by hand into shapes with a butter knife.  I used my last package of Fido’s Frosting to ice them.  Frosting Fran, I love your Royal Yogurt Frosting – I would like to try out your flavoured frostings next! There’s simply  no other product out there like this.  And the CK food colouring, also from K9 Cakery, rocks.  Laura Ducharme – your tip re: Q-Tips and Toothpicks were spot on. 

Happy Valentine’s my friends!
xo/J

Be sure to check out these amazing shoe & crown cookies Laura did in Fido & Wine’s “Who’s The Boss” - she will show you how to usel Fido’s Frosting to make beautiful treats.Boss Cookies Fido & Wine

My Dog’s Birthday Cake

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OH MY DOG, I CAN’T BELIEVE IT’S BEEN A YEAR ALREADY!! I began working on My Dog’s Breakfast last January, and announced it to friends and family on Feb 4th.


I made this dog friendly cake to celebrate, and what makes it special to me are the treats that I used to decorate it. I used some of my favourite recipes from the past year to dress this baby up! She kinda looks like something Fred Flintstone’s dog would eat!

I would like to thank everyone who takes the time to visit My Dog’s Breakfast. I don’t make money by putting ads on my page, this truly is a labour of love – the pay off for me is your ongoing interest & support. You know, I get a little stressed out each time I post something, and until someone comments or shares I wonder how well my recipe will be received. So when you take the time to comment or share or email – it makes a huge difference to me. There are some peeps that really go the extra mile to help this girl out, you know who you are, you beautiful people -thank you and I love you and appreciate your help & support!

Recipe:

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Blueberry Barkfest Bars (wheat free!)

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Well, yesterday was Blue Monday, “the most depressing day of the year” or so they say – I say why not brighten up your life with some beautiful blue breakfast bars for your furry pals? I baked another test batch last night and the smell did indeed give me a boost.  The smell of blueberries is uplifting – and, I do like pretty things, they always cheer me up. As does shopping for new clothes :)

These are hearty and healthy treats that I made for The Boys – and when I can sneak some fruit in there, all the better!

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup pureed blueberries (thawed from frozen)
2 cups rolled oats
2 cups brown rice flour
2 eggs
2 TBS flax (ground or whole seeds)

Thaw the blueberries, then puree them in a little whizzer first or whatever you have that works. They go into a mixing bowl, along with the eggs. Lightly beat the eggs as you mix all together. Smells DELISH! Like blueberry pie. Simply add flax seeds and oats, and mix again with a spoon or spatch. Finally add the flour and mix.

Roll into a ball, then press out onto a baking sheet. It won’t cover the baking sheet, but just go as far as they take you. Make them the thickness of well, a breakfast bar!

To keep the nice blue colour, bake slowly at 250 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

Stay warm, and stay well.

xo/J

I’m neither a vet nor an animal nutritionist. This recipe is not meant to replace a proper and balanced diet for your dog. You should speak to your own vet before trying new recipes or feeding any home cooked foods to your dog.

Man vs. Dog

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My dog, Miko, is a Champion Eater, folks!  If you’re on the fence when it comes to feeding fresh food vs. kibble – ask yourself – does your dog hammer back kibble like this?  FYI, the meat patty in this video is made for dogs, it’s Buddy’s Kitchen’s fresh food that’s been gently cooked and frozen for those who don’t have time to home cook for their dogs.

Enjoy – and a special shout out to my editor Wes, your creativity and humour truly shines in this video!!  Love the old school guitar lick and flames just rock my world.
xo/J

Round Up Dinner: Flank Steak with Lentil Stew

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I’m excited to share the first recipe of the second season of Fido & Wine! I love our season premiere – we went to an amazing Border Collie haven where there’s a flock of sheep used only for dog herding. After watching these amazing working dogs in action, Laura cooked us all (as in dogs and peeps) up a proper Round Up Dinner. Fido & Wine is the show that I created, and now have the pleasure of producing and directing, and of course, working on recipes for every member of the family. The half hour episodes air on The Pet Network, a channel dedicated to pets and the people that love them. The PN is available on Rogers and Shaw in Canada (wish it was on Bell!) and this year ANYBODY ANYWHERE can watch some great episodes of Fido & Wine online for free. I work with some awesome folks at the Pet Network, and may I give a special shout out to my Fido & Wine team, including but not limited to (!) Editor/Designer Wes Champion, Production Manager extraordinaire Angela Jager, DP Tom Bellisario – and last but most certainly not least, host Laura Ducharme who has pretty much been with me on this journey since it was a spark in my obviously vivid imagination. Isn’t she gorgeous?!

Here is the recipe for the Round Up Dinner. Yes, lentils are great for dogs as they are for us – as with any new foods start with small amounts to get your dog used to them. This stew is totally delish – and both Laura and Angela’s families went mental for lentils as they tested the recipe. It is now a favourite in all of our arsenals.

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grain free PuppyPoppers

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Hello 2013! Now that we’ve established that the world isn’t ending – it’s time to celebrate life and enjoy even the smallest of pleasures. I hope you all had a great holiday season and baked at least one batch of goodies for you know who. To bring the new year in on a fun note, I chose to make a candy treat that’s actually pretty good for your dog.  The colourful ones above are coated in Royal Yogurt Icing – Fido’s Frosting from K9 Cakery. These colours just POP, don’t they? And, as you can see, they also look good NAKED!

These are super easy to make. I chose buckwheat flour again (the “wheat” part has nothing to do with wheat) and I decided to try out tapioca flour. Tapioca is made from the cassava plant, and it’s a great gluten free flour that’s readily available at the grocery store. Once again I used blackstrap molasses as I’ve been grooving on it’s nutritional benefits and stick-to-it-ness!

INGREDIENTS:

NAKED PUPPY POPPERS:
2 cups buckwheat flour
1 1/2 cups tapioca flour
1/3 cup blackstrap molasses
1/3 cup olive or canola oil
1/2 cup water
2 eggs
tsp salt

PUPPY POPPERS
Fido’s Frosting
Dog friendly food colouring

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

Simply mix together the flours and salt. Then add the molasses and get your stand or hand mixer going. Next, crack in your eggs and oil. Mix again. I add the half cup of water last and then give it a final mix until it looks like cookie dough. Sprinkle some flour on your non-stick baking sheet or parchment lined tray. Use a spatula to scoop this brown goop out. Sprinkle more flour on top so you can flatten it out. Press it down to your desired thickness, cut into long strips, then chop bite sized pieces from the strips. Roll into balls and place on tray. Bake at 250 degrees F. for 20 minutes to half an hour. Roll halfway through.


To frost, follow directions on frosting package, add dog safe food colouring (also from K9 CAKERY) and dip/drizzle away. Let them dry on the rack for 24 hours. I can’t wait to share pics of the Diva cookies Laura decorates with this frosting in “Who’s The Boss”, one of our upcoming episodes of Fido & Wine. She puts my icing skills to shame!

MORE GRAIN FREE TREAT RECIPES:
Grain Free BUCKBites
Grain Free GOODBites (featured in Modern Dog Magazine)
D’Eggies
Icy Bones
Berry Good Pupsicles

xo/J

I’m neither a vet nor an animal nutritionist. This recipe is not meant to replace a proper and balanced diet for your dog. You should speak to your own vet before trying new recipes or feeding any home cooked foods to your dog.

The Giant Gingerbread Dog House

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Olive loved the Gingerbread dog house! (using the word “house” very loosely) As did The Boys and their blond bombshell buddy, Phoenix. Everything was dog friendly, from the royal yogurt icing to the gingerbread, to the trees, snowman and the rest of the decorations.

I have to admit, I was super disappointed with the dog house. We had pictured a beautiful life-sized dog house with a bone covered roof, with frosting drizzling down from the peak. We had built an interlocking “yellow bone road” as the path, we had dozens of trees, bones for a fence, as well as other items that were overshadowed by the dog house that refused to stay together. Walls were caving in and my husband had to get out clamps and milk crates to try and help us stabilize the darned thing. Around 1 am Angela and I had to get some shut eye, we went to bed praying for a Christmas miracle. Alas, twas not to be…

Angela and I learned some valuable lessons in our attempt to build a life-sized version, such as: account for icing drying time, test a wall first to make sure it will hold, and most importantly – make sure you have a lot of wine on hand.

If you want to see the “Giant Gingerbread Dog House”, here is a little slideshow we put together. Castle Gingerbread photo courtesy of jamieicecream http://www.instructables.com/id/Gingerbread-Castle-1/

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYBODY!!

My Christmas Angels, Miko and Hank (handsome and fluffy after a visit to Jen at Nail to Tail in Whitby) wish you a Christmas filled with home baked meals and treats. Lots and lots and lots of treats.

xo/J

Christmas Has Gone to the Dogs!: Gingerbread

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HOLY GINGERBREAD, BATMAN!  Only crazy dog ladies would undertake such a crazy project – A GINORMOUS GINGERBREAD DOG HOUSE! All completely edible for Fido.

Do not, under any circumstances, attempt this at home :)   Seriously, just wait until next week until I post our epic failure of a dog house!  Ok I am calling it a failure, but my fellow crazy dog lady doesn’t think it’s THAT bad.  You decide when we post it this weekend!  Some of the comments we’ve had from friends are that it looks like a “Legion”, “Shanty”, “Beach Shack” “Ghetto Dog House” although in my personal opinion, it looks like a Biker’s club house (no windows, a garage, yes Sons of Anarchy is my favourite show, so it’s probably having an effect).

However, I do recommend that you bake these fantabulous gingerbread cookies from the dough recipe I created.  HUGE YIELD = tons in the freezer, and lots to give as gifts!!

xo/J and Angela

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Christmas has Gone To the Dogs! 500 Chewy Chicken Bones

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GUEST POST BY ANGELA JAGER

 Before I started working with Jen and the gang on “Fido & Wine”, I had never baked before. Like, ever. Then, Jen introduced me to some easy as can be dog treat recipes. I dusted off my kitchenaid stand mixer – a wedding gift that had formerly served as a pretty statue in my kitchen – and whipped up a few batches of treats for my beagle Olive. Baking was easier than I thought!

In October, I got a *BIG* baking idea – something I knew I couldn’t pull off on my own. So I turned to Jen (my colleague, friend and creative kitchen genius) for guidance, and we commenced planning. You’ve seen part one, Mr. Snowman (how cute is he?!). Part two of the project was a labour of love from my own kitchen: 500 chewy chicken doggie bones. The recipe is quick, simple and great for beginners to baking. Here’s how you do it:

-       3 cups rye or whole wheat flower

-       ¼ cup powdered milk

-       Liquid chicken stock: add until dough is ready to roll. Note: The dough shouldn’t be too sticky. Add flour as you go if the dough sticks to the roller or counter – but don’t over mix the dough.

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Add ingredients together, and use a roller to roll out dough onto a lightly powdered countertop. Dough should be about ¼ inch thick. Use small bone shaped cookie cutters to cut out shapes, until all dough is used. Bake for one hour, then let cool. This amount will yield approx. 35 bones… And if you want to make as many as I did… repeat the process approximately 15 times!

Thanks to Jen for working on this with me. I learned lots about baking and perseverance, with lots of laughs along the way. Stay tuned for part 3 My Dog’s Breakfast fans… I’m sure your curiosity is piqued!

-Angela

Christmas Has Gone to the Dogs! Mr. Snowman

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My colleague and friend, Angela Jager, had a GREAT BIG IDEA over a month ago, and yours truly agreed to help design and build it! It’s a pretty big Xmas baking project – and every part of it has to be dog friendly. As we get closer to Xmas, we are going to feature different elements of the piece, and then show you the final result closer to the holidays. A special note to Miss. Angela: Thank you for your ongoing excitement and for continually challenging our technical and creative skills. (if I have sprouted gray hairs, IT’S SO YOUR FAULT!) We laughed and were merry, at times we were frustrated and disappointed, we almost gave up on a few occasions, but thankfully we foraged on like true Mothers of Dog.

Here is the first piece in this series. I love Mr. Snowman, in fact I love this cutie so much that I could not bear it if our dogs were to eat him.

Here’s how you make one:
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Grain Free BUCKBites

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I haven’t been this excited about a treat recipe in a dog’s age. Thank goodness Xmas is around the corner – methinks I need to get out more. This recipe is timely as I’m super excited that Modern Dog Magazine has included one of my recipes in their Winter 2012 issue - Check it out. They chose the Grain Free GoodBites, so I thought this would be a great time for another GF treat!

I recently learned about Buckwheat Flour from a Red Seal chef who works at Buddy’s Kitchen, near Toronto – makers of fresh food and treats for dogs. If you’re thinking that buckwheat is a cereal grain, you would be wrong! It’s actually a fruit seed that is related to rhubarb and makes a good substitute for grains for people or pets who are sensitive to wheat or gluten. It has a strong nutty taste so it’s not generally used on its own in a recipe, as the taste of the finished product can be very overpowering, and a little bitter. I also used potato flour (not be confused with potato starch flour.) Also grain and gluten free. You can probably buy these flours in the grocery store specialty/organic section, but I just load up on these flours as well as rye and coconut flour at the Bulk Barn. Man I love that store. (hint, hint, sponsor me PLEEEEZE!) I also buy blackstrap molasses there. Because the potato and buckwheat flour has no gluten, you need a good binder, and the molasses is perfect. It also disguises some of the bitter buckwheat taste by adding some sweetness, the dogs love it, and unlike refined sugar, blackstrap molasses retains such vitamins and minerals as calcium, magnesium, potassium and iron. It’s actually got a lot going for it – another thing I learned when developing this recipe!
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