Giving your canine companion a box of chocolates for Valentine’s Day is simply out of the question. How about spoiling your dog with a tasty and healthy homemade treat? Here are five easy recipes made with all-natural ingredients!
Mini Heart Dog Cakes
Show your pup how much you love him or her by making these delicious mini heart cakes!
The Ingredients:
For the cake:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/3 cup butter (or 1/4 cup vegetable oil)
- 1/4 cup all-natural peanut butter
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 tablespoons all-natural honey
- 1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
For the frosting:
- 8 ounces of low-fat cream cheese
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Spray mini heart cake pan with non-stick cooking spray and set it aside.
- Mix the flour and baking soda. Add the peanut butter, vanilla, honey, and oil/butter and stir. Add the buttermilk, 1/4 cup at a time. Stir in carrots.
- Spoon the mixture into the mini heart cavities, filling each one about three-quarters full.
- Bake for 25 minutes, or until cookies turn golden brown.
- While the cakes cook, prepare frosting by beating the cream cheese, vanilla and cinnamon together. Once the cakes have cooled completely, frost.
Tip: Drizzle melted peanut butter on top of mini cakes and add shredded carrots for extra sweetness!
Cinnamon Honey Hearts Dog Biscuits
With a touch of honey and cinnamon, this sweet treat has just the right blend of sugar and spice for your favorite doggy!
The Ingredients:
- 1/4 Cup Water
- 1/4 Cup pureed Banana
- 1/2 Cup plain Yogurt
- 1 Tablespoon Honey
- 1 Tablespoon Canola Oil
- 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1/2 Cup Oat Flour
- 1/4 Cup Rice Flour
- 1 Cup Wheat Flour
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
- Mix the cinnamon, oat flour, rice flour, and ½ cup of wheat flour. In a separate bowl combine water, banana, yogurt, honey, and canola oil with an electric mixer. Add the dry ingredients and mix until well blended.
- Place on a floured surface and roll to desired thickness. Use cookie cutters to create shapes from the dough.
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until cookies turn golden brown.
Tip: Turn off oven and leave biscuits in for a couple hours to make sure they are completely dry and crunchy.
Carob Doggie Delights
These doggie delights are baked and hand decorated, with love, to ensure a beautiful and delicious snack for your Valentine!
The Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 Cups Wheat Flour
- 1/2 Cup Rolled Oats
- 1/4 Cup Carob Powder
- 1 Tablespoon ground Flax Seed (Optional)
- 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 Egg
- 1/2 Cup Water
- 1 Tablespoon Honey
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
- Mix the wheat flour, rolled oats, carob, flax seed, and baking powder. In a separate bowl combine egg, water and honey. Add the dry ingredients and mix until well blended, forming a stiff dough.
- Place on a floured surface and roll to desired thickness. Use cookie cutters to create shapes from the dough.
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until cookies turn golden brown.
Tip: Make this Valentine’s Day extra special by melting carob chips in the microwave or double boiler and drizzling over treats.
Banana Peanut Butter Dog Biscuits
Bananas are packed full of amino acids, electrolytes, vitamins, and minerals, making for a perfectly healthy Valentine’s Day treat!
The Ingredients:
- 1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/3 cup peanut butter
- 1-2 mashed bananas
- 1/2 cup water
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Mash bananas and mix in the whole-wheat flour and peanut butter.
- Stir in water until the batter is mixed well. The dough should be dense and a little dry. Add extra water or flour as needed.
- Place on a floured surface and roll to desired thickness. Use cookie cutters to create shapes from the dough.
- Place onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, about 1 inch apart.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until cookies turn golden brown.
Tip: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature, or you can freeze extras and defrost them as needed.
Beefy Heart Dog Treats
Your four-legged friend will appreciate the idea of adding a little meat in their cookies!
The Ingredients:
- Vegetable oil, for cooking
- 1/2 lb. lean ground beef
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 3/4 cup beef stock, tomato juice or water
- 1/4 cup canola or olive oil, plus extra for cooking
- 1 large egg
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Add vegetable oil to skillet and cook the beef with garlic over medium heat until no traces of pink remain. Set aside to cool.
- Mix together the whole wheat flour and cornmeal. Stir in beef. In a separate bowl, whisk together the beef stock, oil and egg. Add the dry ingredients and mix until well blended.
- Place on a floured surface and roll to desired thickness. Use cookie cutters to create shapes from the dough. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, until cookies are springy to touch
Tip: Use unsalted or low sodium beef broth for the healthiest treat for your pet.
Lisa Podwirny is the owner of Ketchum Mfg. Connect with her on Google+
