Monthly Archives: July 2012

Elvis Pocket Treats

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So what’s up with the name, yo?

Pocket Treats are what I call the ones that I take out with me on long walks with the lads. I can’t stand the feel of crumbs in my pockets, and I’m just not the type of gal who takes the time to put a couple of goodies into a ziploc bag before I herd the excited pups out the door.  It’s grab and go – so it’s very important to have a stash of crumb free goodness ready!

As for the Elvis part, well, The King was known for his love of fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches. And the stars of these pocket treats are peanut butter and banana, so there you have it.

Elvis Pocket Treats
1 banana
1/2 cup to a cup of peanut butter
1 cup of water or chicken stock
4 cups of flour, preferably rye but you can use whole wheat flour
TSP baking powder

Mush the banana in a large mixing bowl, then add the peanut butter and cup of liquid. Mix well.  Then add the baking powder, and gradually add the flour in, mixing until combined.  Bananas come in different shapes and sizes, so if your dough is still a bit wet, add flour until your fingers don’t stick to it.  Knead it until you have a somewhat smooth ball.  Roll in parchment or plastic wrap and let it cool in the fridge for a half hour or so.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Roll it out on a lightly floured surface until you reach desired thickness.  About 1/8th of an inch to a 1/4 inch.  Then, using a butter knife, cut them into squares or whatever shape your little heart desires.  (I put the rolled out dough back onto the parchment to do this so I don’t scrape the counter – and then place the parchment on a baking tray). Bake in the oven for 20 minutes and let cool before serving.  Store in the fridge  for 3-5 days, freeze some for longer storage.

TIP: If you want them to be crunchier – let them cool down, separate the squares, and put back into the oven at 250 degrees for about 45 minutes.

P.S. I’m pretty sure Elvis would have approved of my blue suede shoes.

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 to speak to your own vet before trying new recipes or feeding any home cooked foods to your dog.

Icy Bones: A Non-Dairy Frozen Treat

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Hey hot stuff -

The heat is unrelenting, isn’t it…we need more chilly treats! I wanted bone shapes, so I repurposed a halloween bone baking mold, and the results did not disappoint. You could use ice cube trays or plastic cups just as easily – those “stick-maker” ice cube trays that are usually at the dollar store would make a nice sized pupsicle, I reckon.

If you’re anything like me, you’ve been keeping an eye out for dogs left in cars on hot days like this. It seems so obvious that you shouldn’t do it, yet we keep hearing stories about people going to malls etc. and leaving their poor dogs in the car. Don’t we all feel sick to our stomachs when we hear about it in the news? Common sense does not always prevail, so let’s all spread the word and do what we can to prevent such senseless suffering.

Back to the bones – these only have a few ingredients in them, after all, less is more in the summertime.

Berry Bones
1/2 cup frozen raspberries/blueberries/strawberries, thawed
1/2 cup chicken stock (or water)
TSP coconut oil (optional)

(makes 5 large bones, or a couple of ice cube trays worth)

Simply thaw the berries to room temperature and mix with chicken stock and coconut oil. The latter of which is optional – I included it because it has so many positive benefits for dogs – it improves their skin & coat, promotes weight loss, aids digestion and more. And as if that isn’t enough, it adds a really nice dimension, flavour-wise. I’ve been using it in a lot of non-dairy desserts for myself as a matter of fact. Now, you may need to heat this mixture up a bit to get the coconut oil to melt. Or let it rise to room temp. Give this mixture the what for with a fork to break up those berries. Then, simply spoon mixture into your mold and freeze. SO EASY. I used frozen berries because they break up better than fresh ones. I’m all about making less effort.

Apple Cinnamon Bones
1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1/2 cup chicken stock (or water)
1/4 TSP cinnamon

This recipe is even easier!! Simply mix the applesauce, chicken stock or water and cinnamon together and spoon into your mold. Apparently cinnamon is great for senior dogs with arthritis – like Hank. And the smell of apple cinnamon is just one of those winning combinations. IMHO these are healthy, delicious treats for your dog on a hot summer day. Chicken stock can tempt even the fussiest of fruit rejecters like Hank.

Enjoy, and stay out of the sun -
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 to speak to your own vet before trying new recipes or feeding any home cooked foods to your dog.

My Dog’s Dinner: Lamb & Rice with Mint Sauce

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The Main Ingredients…

And Dinner is served!
Warning! Long post ahead. Skip to the end if you just want the recipe :)

My mother-in-law wanted BBQ’d lamb chops for her birthday lunch, so I picked up some thick juicy ones from the butcher shop to take to her place. There were a couple left over, and you know I was all over taking those home for The Boys. Home cooked dog food is great in terms of repurposing your leftovers. A leftover lamb chop is not going to be in my lunch the next day, but it’s definitely drool worthy stuff for you know who!

From time to time, I’ll share what I would make in place of a processed meal, so I looked up the ingredients for a very popular brand of Lamb & Rice kibble. One of the more expensive ones at the grocery store. This is the ingredients label (without the list of vitamins, additives etc.)

Lamb Meal, Brewers Rice, Corn Meal, Ground Whole Grain Sorghum, Corn Grits, Chicken By-Product Meal, Ground Whole Grain Barley, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), Dried Beet Pulp, Chicken Flavor, Dried Egg Product, Potassium Chloride, Brewers Dried Yeast, Salt, Dicalcium Phosphate, Monosodium Phosphate, Caramel, Choline Chloride, Fructooligosaccharides PLUS a bunch of Vitamin and Mineral supplements.

Here are my own thoughts on these ingredients:

Lamb Meal: Lamb meal is rendered lamb tissues such as skeletal muscle, some bone and internal organs that have been dried and ground. I guess thats why it’s meal, not meat! Brewers rice: This is considered a by-product or leftover rice that is created when rice is milled, for beer making or pet food. This is neither a human grade ingredient nor is it a good source of nutrition. Corn Meal:  Commonly used as an inexpensive protein source, corn is difficult to digest. Not a fan of corn in dog food. Ground Whole Grain Sorghum: Sorghum is the ground grain of the sorghum plant. This is ok, from what I gather, but have you ever bought it to cook for your own meal?  Chicken By-Product:  By-product is a “meat” mixture that includes other animal organs such as intestines, lungs, liver or any other kind of animal part. There are only three exceptions – hair, hoof, and horn. Bones, eyeballs and even underdeveloped baby chicken eggs could quite possibly a part of the animal by-products listed in many commercial pet food ingredients. I’m gonna barf. Ground whole grain barley: Good, would like to see this higher on the list. Corn Grits: Again, not a fan of corn fordogs. Chicken Fat: sounds ok, depending on how much.Dried Egg Product: sounds ok, but why is it listed as a “product” rather than simply Dried Egg? Dried Beet pulp: ok Chicken Flavour:  Artificial Flavourings -If this food tasted any good it wouldn’t need fake chicken flavour added. Hello, 3 dressed up as a 9. Brewers Dried Yeast: cool Caramel: Assume for colour – mmm all brown pellets. Fructooligosaccharide: conflicting research on this “sweet thing”. Various vitamin and mineral supplements: I don’t think supplements are a replacement for whole foods – otherwise I’d be at the drive through for myself more often!

Are you grossed out yet? Well, here’s what I wish was in that bag of dog kibble!
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