I'm one of those people who cares way more about what I feed my dog than what I put in my own mouth. My pup loves the dried chicken treats, but I swear there's a damn warning or recall on them like every other week. So from now on, only homemade treats for the fur child. All of these recipes have some healthy/beneficial component and are 100% Zora approved...
Peanut Butter + Oats Cookies
INGREDIENTS
2 C. whole wheat flour
1 C. rolled oats
1/3 C. natural peanut butter (or regular)
1 1/4 C. hot water
Cookie cutters
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350°. In one bowl, combine flour and oats. In another bowl, mix peanut butter and hot water. Combine mixtures and stir well.
Drop dough on lightly floured surface and knead. Roll out dough anywhere from 1/8” to 1/4” thick. Cut into desired shapes. Bake on greased baking sheet for 20-30 minutes. Store in airtight container.
HEALTH BENEFIT
Oats contain more protein per calorie than any other common grain. They have anti-inflammatory and skin-soothing properties. Oats also have a calming effect on the nervous system (great for anxious dogs!) and help strengthen the spleen, pancreas, heart and immune system. Lastly, they are rich in silicon and help make bones strong.
Peanut Butter Cookies
INGREDIENTS
2 C. whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 C. natural peanut butter (or regular)
1 C. skim milk
Cookie cutters
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 375°. In one bowl, combine flour and baking powder. In another bowl, mix peanut butter and milk. Combine mixtures and stir well.
Drop dough on lightly floured surface and knead. Roll out dough anywhere from 1/8” to 1/4” thick. Cut into desired shapes. Bake on greased baking sheet for 20 minutes. Store in airtight container.
HEALTH BENEFIT
Peanut butter is rich in oil, protein and fatty acids. These ingredients, along with vitamins H and K, give dogs a shiny coat. Vitamin E also helps strengthen your dog's immune system.
Peanut Butter + Banana Cookies
INGREDIENTS
1 large egg
1 large or 2 small banana, peeled and mashed
1/3 C. creamy peanut butter
1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
1 C. whole wheat flour
1/2 C. rolled oats
1 egg white, lightly beaten
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 300°. Combine large egg, banana, peanut butter and syrup and mix thoroughly until smooth. Stir in flour and oats.
Drop dough on lightly floured surface and knead. Roll out dough to 1/4" thick. Cut into desired shapes. Brush tops with egg whites. Bake on greased baking sheet for 25-30 minutes or until hard and crunchy. Store in airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
HEALTH BENEFIT
Bananas are an excellent source of fiber, vitamins C and B6, manganese and folate. They contain almost no fat, very low in sodium and are loaded with potassium.
Gimme Kisses Cookies
INGREDIENTS
2 C. whole wheat flour
1 C. rolled oats
1 Tbsp. dried parsley flakes or fresh parsley
2 large eggs
1/2 C. water
1/2 C. non-fat dry milk
1 C. peanut butter
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 300°. In large bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs lightly; add in water and peanut butter. Gently add the wet to the dry ingredients.
Drop dough on lightly floured surface and knead. Roll out dough and cut into desired shapes. (You can also bake the dough as one giant cookie and break it apart after it's done.) Bake on greased baking sheet for 20-30 minutes or until golden. If you want the cookies to look shiny, you can also brush a thin coat of egg whites on them before baking.
HEALTH BENEFIT
Parsley aids in digestion and will also give your pup fresh breath. Parsley is also high in vitamins A and C.
Pumpkin Cookies
INGREDIENTS
1 (15 oz.) can organic pumpkin puree (NOT the spiced pie filling)
3/4 C. dry, uncooked cream of wheat (or rice cereal if wheat sensitive)
1/2 C. dry powdered milk
*Instead of cream of wheat, you can add 3/4 cup of rolled oats.
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 300°. In large bowl, mix ingredients together thoroughly.
Drop dough on lightly floured surface and knead. Roll out dough and cut into desired shapes. Bake on greased baking sheet for 15-20 minutes.
HEALTH BENEFIT
Pumpkin is loaded with antioxidants and vitamins C and E, which help to reduce cataracts and heart problems. Pumpkin is also great for weight loss since it acts as a healthy filler.
Vegan Biscuits
INGREDIENTS
1 banana, mashed
1/2 C. peanut butter
1 C. rolled oats
1/2 C. applesauce
1 1/4 C. whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
*If your dog is allergic to wheat, try substituting amaranth, rice, millet, quinoa, almond, corn, oat or potato flours/starches.
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350°. In large bowl, mix ingredients together thoroughly.
Drop dough on lightly floured surface and knead. Roll out dough and cut into desired shapes. Bake on greased baking sheet for 10-15 minutes, until edges brown. Cool and refrigerate.
HEALTH BENEFIT
Cinnamon is good for your dog's heart since it improves circulation. It also has anti-inflammatory properties which helps relieve joint pain. Cinnamon helps lower cholesterol levels and regulates blood sugar. Perfect for diabetic pups!
Two-Ingredient Treats
INGREDIENTS
2 C. whole wheat flour
2 (4 oz.) jars of pureed baby food - beef, blueberry, sweet potato, chicken, etc.
*Make sure baby food does not have traces of onions, raisins, grapes or artificial preservatives.
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350°. In large bowl, mix ingredients together thoroughly.
Drop dough on lightly floured surface and knead. Roll out dough to 1/4" thick and cut into desired shapes. Bake on greased baking sheet about 1/2" apart for 20-25 minutes. Cool and store in paper bag. (Storing in an air-tight container will make them soft, but still edible.)
Pumpkin Apple Treats
INGREDIENTS
3 C. whole wheat flour
1/2 C. oatmeal, chopped in food processor
2 sm. or 1 lg. apple, finely chopped or grated
1 egg
1/2 C. pumpkin
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 C. cold water
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350°. Mix flour and oatmeal. Add apples, egg, pumpkin, brown sugar and water.Drop dough on lightly floured surface and knead. Roll out dough to 1/4" thick and cut into desired shapes.
Bake for 35 minutes. Then, turn off oven and leave baking sheets inside for an additional 35 to 45 minutes to crisp.
Frozen Peanut Butter Banana Pops
INGREDIENTS
3 (6 oz.) containers of plain, low-fat vanilla yogurt
1/2 C. peanut butter
1 (4 oz.) jar banana baby food
1 Tbsp. honey
INSTRUCTIONS
In medium bowl, combine all ingredients thoroughly. Pour mixture into small cups (i.e. Dixie Cups) or silicone mold. Freeze.
Once frozen, peel away paper cup and serve!
Canine Cookies
INGREDIENTS
1 C. hot water or broth
1 envelope dry milk
2 tsp. bouillon
3/4 C. oil
2 eggs
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
5 C. whole what flour
INSTRUCTIONS
Combine first set of ingredients. Add second set of ingredients. Stir to form a very stiff dough. Roll out and cut into shapes. Bake at 300° for 40 minutes, turning cookies over after 20 minutes.
