Holiday Dog Cookie Recipe: Salivatin’ Cinnamon Apple Nips

“Now the furry little apple of your eye will have yet another reason to love you.”  From Cooking the Three Dog Bakery Way by Mark Beckloff & Dan Dye, Broadway Books, New York.

Apples and whole oats are sweetened with a touch of honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon will definitely get your pooch’s full ears-up attention.  They make a great reward for your pup just for being so darn cute!

Salivatin’ Cinnamon Apple Nips

1 cup all-purpose flour1 cup quick rolled oats1 tsp. baking powder1 tsp. cinnamon½ cup canola oil1/3 cup honey2 eggs1 cup cored & diced apple 

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Grease two baking sheets with nonstick vegetable spray.

Stir together the flour, oats, baking powder & cinnamon in a bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, stir together the oil and honey until well blended. Add the eggs, one at a time, stirring to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and stir to form a smooth dough.  Fold in the apples.

Drop the dough by the rounded teaspoonful, 1.5 inches apart, on the baking sheets.  Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden.

Cool to room temperature before serving.

Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week, or wrap well and freeze for up to two months.  (Thaw before serving.)

Holiday Dog Cookie Recipe: Salivatin’ Cinnamon Apple Nips

Christmas never tasted so good! For your dog, that is.

These Salivatin’ Cinnamon Apple Nips are from the Cooking the Three Dog Bakery Way: “Now the furry little apple of your eye will have yet another reason to love you.”

The book is by Mark Beckloff and Dan Dye, Broadway Books and it’s a good one. Here’s a holiday dog treat recipe that your dogs will love and that makes the whole house smell terrific!

Apples and whole oats are sweetened with a touch of honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon that will definitely get your pooch’s full ears-up attention.  They make a great reward for your pup just for being so darn cute!

Salivatin’ Cinnamon Apple Nips

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup quick rolled oats
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ cup canola oil
1/3 cup honey
2 eggs
1 cup cored & diced apple

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Grease two baking sheets with nonstick vegetable spray.

Stir together the flour, oats, baking powder and cinnamon in a bowl and set aside.  In a large bowl, stir together the oil and honey until well blended.  Add the eggs, one at a time, stirring to combine.  Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and stir to form a smooth dough. Fold in the apples.

Drop the dough by the rounded teaspoonful, 1-1/2 inches apart, on the baking sheets. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden.

Cool to room temperature before serving.

Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week, or wrap well and freeze for up to 2 months.  (Thaw before serving.)

Recipe Corner: Green Monster Dog Cookies

Editor’s note: This recipe comes to us via the wonderful Jodi at Kol’s Notes, “One dog's blog about good food, good friends and the good life!” As always, thanks for your contributions, Jodi!

When you’ve got a dog that is a hot mess, you’ve got to get creative.

Take my Felix, for example. When we brought him home, he was all over the place: allergies, food intolerances, the itches and a butt like a stoplight, if you know what I mean.

I knew right off the bat that the regular crappy treats you get at the grocery store just weren’t going to do it for my new best buddy. This is something that seems to be happening more and more: whether your dog can’t eat store bought treats due to allergies or bladder stones or kidney and liver problems; tons of people have started making treats at home to keep spoiling their furry kids in style.

Felix has some crazy allergies, so we are always experimenting with alternative flours. A new favourite of ours is green pea flour. Adorable colour aside, this legume based flour is pretty good for you and your dogs. High in protein and fiber, green pea flour is gluten free, grain-allergy friendly and good to use in baked good for dogs with bladder stone’s like Love on a Leash’s own Finnigan. As an added bonus, these Green Monster Dog Cookies are SUPER easy to make.

Green Monster Dog Cookies

Ingredients:

2 ¼ cups Green Pea Flour
2 cups Frozen Peas, defrosted
1 ½ cups ground chicken
1 egg

Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Over medium heat, sauté ground chicken until cooked, but not brown. In a food processor or blender, mix together defrosted peas, chicken and egg.

Stir green pea flour and parsley into the pea mixture. It should be thick, but not stiff. Pour mixture onto baking sheet and spread into a thin (1/4") layer. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove from the oven. Score treats into bite sizes pieces with a knife. Return to oven and bake for another 30 minutes.

For a soft treat, remove from oven and allow cookies to cool.

For a crunchy treat, flip cookies, reduce heat to 200F and bake for another 2 - 4 hours.

Store in refrigerator.

Holiday Dog Cookie Recipe

“Now the furry little apple of your eye will have yet another reason to love you.”  From Cooking the Three Dog Bakery Way Cookbook, by Mark Beckloff and Dan Dye, Broadway Books, New York.

Apples and whole oats are sweetened with a touch of honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon and will definitely get your pooch’s full ears-up attention. They make a great reward for your pup just for being so darn cute!


Salivatin’ Cinnamon Apple Nips

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup quick rolled oats
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ cup canola oil
1/3 cup honey
2 eggs
1 cup cored and diced apple

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Grease two baking sheets with nonstick vegetable spray.

Stir together the flour, oats, baking powder and cinnamon in a bowl and set aside.  In a large bowl, stir together the oil and honey until well blended.  Add the eggs, one at a time, stirring to combine.  Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and stir to form a smooth dough.  Fold in the apples.

Drop the dough by the rounded teaspoonful, 1-1/2 inches apart, on the baking sheets.  Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden.

Cool to room temperature before serving.

Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week, or wrap well and freeze for up to 2 months.  (Thaw before serving.)

Never Say “Diet” Cheese Treats for Your Dog

Dogs love cheese. Always and without question. But the reality is, too much cheese is no better for your dog than it is for you! Dogs love these richly flavored cheese-based treats, but don’t seem to utter a single growl at their recede calorie contents. A guilt-free treat your pup will really enjoy!

Never Say “Diet” Cheese Treats for Your Dog

Ingredients:

1/2 cup shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese
1/2 cup green beans, cooked and mashed
3 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup beef broth
1/4 cup skim milk
1 tablespoon melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Mix shredded cheddar cheese with flour. Add skim milk, butter and beef broth. Knead dough until firm and roll to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into appropriate shapes and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Makes 30 cookies.

Figgy’s Custom Chicken, Rice and Cheese Dog Treats

My darling senior bichon, Figgy, has a problem with bladder stones and is on a severely restricted diet. I wrote to the always fantastically helpful Jodi of Kol’s Notes and asked her for help coming up with treats that Figgy can both handle and enjoy.

Here’s a link to our exchange, as well as the recipe Jodi cooked up, on the Kolchak Puggle blog though with Jodi’s kind permission, we’re running the recipe and her photos here, as well.

Thanks, Jodi! Figgy is ever so happy with his healthful and delicious treats!

Chicken, Rice and Cheese Dog Treats

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked, chopped chicken chunks or other lean meat, like pork loin or fish
1 cup cooked white rice or cooked peas
1 cup shredded cheese or other flavour booster, like asparagus
3 tablespoons white rice flour or pea flour
1/3 - 1/2 cup low-fat, low sodium chicken stock
1 tablespoon dry cilantro or basil (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F.

Place chicken and rice into a blender, food processor or Magic Bullet. Add chicken stock a little a time until it forms a very thick paste. (You might not need all the stock.)

Stir in cheese and rice flour.

Spread mixture into a 9x9 silicone cake pan or a wax paper lined regular pan.

Score the treats into one-inch squares using a pizza cutter or a knife. (This will make it much easier to break them into bites later.)

Bake the treats for 45 minutes. If you like a soft treat, remove from oven and allow to cool. If you prefer a crunchy treat, flip them and bake them for another 30 - 45 minutes.

Oh, Figgy, I hope this helps. We’re going to keep you in mind when we make new treats and we'll make sure we mention if they’re Figgy-Friendly!

Recipe Corner: Peanut Butter Dog Treats

Peanut butter and dogs seem to go nut in paw. Something about the wholesome goodness of peanuts, plus they’re a good source of supplementary protein. As with everything you feed your canine companion, remember to choose your peanut butter with care. Many supermarket brands are loaded with sugar and other additives. For best results, choose a healthful, organic brand.





Peanut Butter Dog Treats

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons oil
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup water
1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1-1/2 cups white flour

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Combine oil, peanut butter and water. Add flour, one cup at a time, forming a dough.

Knead dough into firm ball and roll to 1/4 inch thickness.

Cut into 3 to 4 inch pieces. You can use cookie cutters if you like.

Place on an un-greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes.

Makes 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

Koly’s Merry Ho-Hos Gingerbread Cookies

Jodi Chick from the always entertaining dog blog “Kol’s Notes” has graciously shared her dog-friendly gingerbread treats recipe with us in her usual rambling and hilarious style. The treats -- and Jodi -- are so addictive, all I had to do was read the recipe and then I was forced to find and devour no fewer than half a dozen gingersnaps. And since I can’t imagine a more inviting introduction than that, heeeeeeerrrreeee’s Jodi!

The holidays are one of my favourite times of year. I’m one of those half-crazed Christmas maniacs who will make the holiday merry and bright at all costs. Something snaps in my nutty little brain this time of year and all of a sudden I fancy myself the next Martha Stewart. (Well, Martha Stewart with less knit sweaters, more cursing and with a decided bent toward doggy fabulousness.)

Every freaking year it happens: All of a sudden I believe that the concept of time no longer applies to me and I decide to undertake a baking marathon, plan to make one of every Christmas Craft ever invented and plot to redecorate the house from top to bottom. (Would it be crazy to get “Holiday Furniture” in red that only comes out this time of year? Too much??) My poor dogs get in on the action, spending much of December being subjected to my holiday Mania.

All month they will be Kolchak the Unhappy Little Elf and Felix the Reluctant Reindog.

Pretty soon our house will be filled with the sound of sleighbells and carolers and the scent of gingerbread. I’m a huge gingerbread fan. (And by huge, I mean that my waistline reflects my love of desserts.) I make gingerbread cookies, houses, cakes, lattes -- the sky is the limit! I can give everything a gingerbread touch, if I just try hard enough.

Surprisingly, I discovered a few years ago that Kolchak is also a fan of this traditional Christmas cookie. I’m not a huge fan of giving the dogs treats with a ton of suger in them -- and Felix is allergic to wheat, so sharing my cookies with them was NOT an option, plus I hate sharing my cookies! I set out to make them their own tasty treat and Koly's Merry Ho-Hos were born!

Koly’s Merry Ho-Hos Gingerbread Cookies

The stuff:

1.5 cups coconut flour (if your dog is wheat tolerant, just use regular flour)
1/4 cup dark molasses
1/4 cup cold water
1/8 cup coconut oil (melted) or olive oil
2 eggs
1.5 teaspoon ground ginger
1.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
.5 teaspoon ground cloves

*skip the traditional nutmeg, it’s not dog friendly!

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a large bowl, combine flour, ginger, cinnamon and cloves. Add molasses, eggs and oil and mix well, adding water slowly to create a heavy dough. The mix may be slightly crumbly, but don't worry! If you knead it altogether, the cookies will be just fine! Don’t be afraid to get in there and Take Chances! Get Messy! Make Mistakes!

Once dough has come together, turn it out onto a floured surface and gently roll out to about 1/4” thick. If desired, cut into festive shapes with a cookie cutter. If you aren't totally fancy like that, you can just cut these into squares using a pizza cutter or a knife. I personally like the shapes, but apparently Kolchak doesn’t give a woof what his cookies look like, as long as he gets to eat them. Some dogs have no taste for the finer things in life!

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lay out cookies on the sheet. These don’t spread much, so you can place them fairly close. Place in oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. For crunchy crispy treats, turn off the oven and leave the cookie inside until it is completely cool.

If desired, you can decorate the Gingerbread Men with low-fat cream cheese or yogurt melting chips and other dog treats.

Bone Appetit and Happy Howlidays from Kolchak Puggle!

Recipe Corner: Pumpkin Brownies -- Doggy Halloween Treats!

Pumpkin makes a sweet, nutritious treat for your dog and is plentiful and inexpensive in all its forms, including the canned variety on grocery store shelves. Perfect as Halloween treats these pumpkin brownies are a delicious, nutritious treat for your dog all year long!

Pumpkin (and all squash) is high in vitamin A (beta-carotene), vitamin C, some B vitamins, potassium, manganese, folate and fibre. Because pumpkin is so moist, these treats are superb for dogs of all ages, especially seniors who may have trouble with hard, crunchy treats.

You can use fresh pumpkin, cube the flesh, toss with canola oil, spread on a baking sheet and roast at 400 degrees F. for half an hour or until tender. Mash with a fork or puree in a food processor. Canned, pureed plain pumpkin also works perfectly.

Pumpkin Brownies

Ingredients:

2 large eggs
1 cup canned pure pumpkin puree
1/3 cup canola oil
2 tbsp honey
1 & ¼ cups whole wheat or oat flour, or some of each
2 tbsp ground flax seed or oat bran
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, pumpkin, canola oil & honey. Add the flour, flax seed, cinnamon, baking soda & salt and stir just until combined.

Scrape the batter into an 8 x 8 inch pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray, and bake for approximately 30 minutes, until golden and springy to the touch. Cool completely before cutting into squares based on the size of your dog.

Store leftovers in an airtight container or wrap well and freeze.

Recipe Corner: Gobble Gobble Turkey Bars for Your Canine Pal

Thanksgiving is a time for many things, but richness and indulgence tend to be among them. And why should we have all the fun? Your best friend deserves a bit of indulgence, too! They’re lucky, though, those best friends of ours. While humans can get to indulging a bit indiscriminately, our canine pals have us looking out for them. We can ensure that even the most luxurious goodies are rich in healthful goodness as well as flavor.

Turkey Bars

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground Turkey
2 eggs
1 ½ cups Parmesan cheese grated
1 TBSP. crushed garlic
3 cups Oatmeal

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a large bowl combine turkey, eggs, cheese and garlic. Hand mix, then add the oatmeal. Mix well, using your hands, to ensure oatmeal is well blended into the meat mixture. Press down by hand into an 11” x 17” deep-sided baking pan. (Not a cookie sheet type pan.)

Bake at 350F for 30 minutes. Cut into bars.

Your dog will love you for these!

Note: The Pilgrim Boy costume pictured above is from The Pet Boutique who have, among other things, a whole line of Thanksgiving dog clothes. While Casey and Finnegan have not yet had the pleasure, there are certainly some sweet options!

Recipe Corner: Ice Cream Heaven

Is your pet feeling the heat? Homemade dog ice cream will keep him cool and happy. Peanut butter is a great ingredient to use in ice creams because most dogs love it. Here is a great starter recipe that is simple & easy to make. Check out: http://www.crazycrumb-dog-treats.com/frozen-dog-treats.html for more great “beat the heat” delicious doggy recipes and tips.

Ice Cream Heaven

Ingredients

1 ripe banana
1 cup peanut butter
2 cups natural plain yogurt
2 tablespoons honey

Mash the banana and stir into the yogurt then warm the peanut butter either on your stove or in the microwave until it is easy to stir. Add the banana/yogurt mixture and the honey. Mix everything until it is well combined. Pour into non-stick trays or containers and freeze. We like to use ice cube trays, or freeze in small dog sized containers!

Freeze overnight or until frozen

This recipe make a lovely creamy ice cream. It is nicer if you take it out of the freezer to let it soften before giving it to your dog. It depends how big your frozen portions are, but this could take somewhere between ten minutes and half an hour.


Note: If you’re in the UK or planning a visit, you won’t have to make the ice cream yourself. The image above is from Wagg Pet Food, a popular UK company, who recently started making ice cream for dogs. (Don’t you think the addition of the biscuit is an elegant touch?)

Recipe Corner: Blueberry Maple Pupsicles

Now that the weather is getting warmer, it’s time to start thinking about cool canine treats. I made these for my dog and she is crazy for them! Maple syrup is associated with all that is Canadian and dogs love the stuff even more than we do. In warmer weather, these frozen treats will help cool your pet down -- plus you can even eat one yourself! They are yummy.

The yogurt adds protein and calcium to help keep bones and teeth healthy and strong, plus probiotics are good for your dog’s tummy and the blueberries are loaded with anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals plus fibre: the maple syrup is just added for taste. Don’t use too much: like all sugars, large doses of syrup are not good for your dog’s teeth, and flavorwise, a little goes a long, long way.

Blueberry Maple Pupsicles

Ingredients:

2 cups plain non-fat probiotic yogurt
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, raspberries, strawberries or chopped fruit such as peaches or plums
2 tbsp. maple syrup (honey may be substituted if you are out of maple syrup)

Stir together the yogurt, blueberries and syrup and freeze in containers appropriate for your dog’s size. (ie: muffin tins, ice cube trays, mini-muffin tins, etc.) Do not fill all the way to the top as the mixture swells as it freezes.

To release them from the container, dip the bottoms in warm water.

These treats store well frozen in freezer bags.

Recipe Corner: David & Tom’s TLC Turkey Treats

My friend, David created and then perfected, these treats for their adorable rescue dog, Gizmo. David assures me that all dogs are CRAZY for these treats!

David & Tom’s TLC Turkey Treats

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground turkey
1 cup quick oats
1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 egg

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Combine all ingredients and mix well with your hands. Mixture will have the consistency of a meatloaf. Shape into patties suitably sized for your dog. We recommend rolling them and then slightly flattening till you have a patty approx. two-inches long, one-and-a-half-inches wide and one-inch thick.

Bake in 375 degree oven for 12 minutes. Flip patties over and bake for another 12 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.

Patties can be frozen for later feeding. Defrost before serving. Break off small pieces for treats and watch how your dog falls in love with you all over again!

Recipe Corner: Apple Cinnamon Fetch ’Ems

This recipe for delicious Apple Cinnamon Fetch ‘Ems is from Cooking the Three Dog Bakery Way Cookbook by Mark Beckloff and Dan Dye.

An apple a day keeps the vet away... and dogs love em all...apples that is!

Apple Cinnamon Fetch ’Ems

Ingredients:

1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 and 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4-cup honey
2 cups unsweetened applesauce
½ cup canola oil
2 large eggs
½ cup skim milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 12-cup muffin pan with non-stick vegetable spray.
Stir together the flours, baking powder and cinnamon in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the honey, applesauce and oil. Then whisk in the eggs one at a time.

Add the milk and continue whisking. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients stirring only until combined.

Fill the muffin cups ¾ full. Bake for 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center of muffin comes out clean.

Cool to room temperature before serving. If you have a small dog cut the muffins into halves or even quarters to serve them as a treat.

Store in an airtight container for up to four days or wrap well and freeze for up to two months.

Thaw before serving.

Four Seasons Chef Robert Gerstenecker’s Dog Biscuits

Robert Gerstenecker is the Executive Chef at the Four Seasons in Atlanta, Georgia, and is the loving owner of two Pugs, Zoe and Pearl, whom he cooks for from scratch!

Four Seasons Chef Robert Gerstenecker’s Dog Biscuits

Ingredients:

3 cups whole-wheat flour
½ cup rolled oats
2 tsp. baking powder
1 ½ cups whole milk
1 ½ cups peanut butter
1 tbsp. molasses

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Blend together whole wheat flour, rolled oats, and baking powder. Stir together whole milk, peanut butter and molasses. Stir dry ingredients into liquid ingredients. Roll out to 3/8 to ½ inch think and cut into bone shapes. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes until lightly browned.

Makes 15 biscuits.

Pumpkin Apple Muffins for Your Dog

You’ll be surprised at how much your dog will enjoy this delicious vegan treat.

Pumpkin Apple Muffins

Ingredients:

3 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 Tbsp. ground flax
1 Tbsp. hulled hemp seeds (optional)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup applesauce (no sugar added)
1/2 cup pumpkin
2 Tbsp. canola oil
1 tsp. cinnamon
11/2 cups water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray mini muffin pans with non-stick spray.

In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, flax, hemp seeds, cinnamon and baking soda. Add applesauce, pumpkin, oil and water, mixing well. The batter will be thick. Scoop batter into the muffin pans and bake for 20 to 30 minutes. Remove and let cool completely before serving. Store in the fridge.

Makes approximately three dozen mini muffins.

Recipe Corner: Mongrel Munchers

From Cooking the Three Dog Bakery Way cookbook.

Not only are these cookies delicious, the recipe is so darn simple, it almost makes itself... you barely have to lift a paw! For years Three Dog Bakery’s Mark Beckloff and Dan Dye have used variations of this recipe: whether for a TV baking spot or a Humane Society fundraiser. Whip up a batch today and let the munching begin!

Mongrel Munchers

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups quick rolled oats
½ cup chopped unsalted peanuts
1 large ripe banana, mashed
1/c cup unsweetened applesauce
½ tsp. pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 F. degrees.

Stir together the flour, oats, and peanuts in a bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, stir together the banana, applesauce and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture and stir to form a stiff dough.

Roll the dough into walnut-size balls and flatten on an ungreased baking sheet with the back of a spoon or your hand. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden.

Cool on a rack completely before serving.

Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week, or wrap well and freeze for up to 2 months. (Thaw before serving.)

Recipe Corner: Turkey Bars

Delicious, easy and so good for your canine companion. Your dog will love you for these!

Turkey Bars

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground Turkey
2 eggs
1 ½ cups Parmesan cheese grated
1 tablespoon crushed garlic
3 cups oatmeal

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a large bowl combine the turkey, eggs, cheese and garlic. Hand mix then add the oatmeal. Mix well, using your hands, to ensure oatmeal is well blended into the meat mixture. Press down by hand into an 11" x 17" deep-sided baking pan. (Not a cookie sheet type pan.) Bake @ 350 F. for 30 minutes. Cut into bars.

Recipe Corner: Sardine Dreams

It would benefit all of us -- nutritionally and environmentally -- to eat more seafood, especially the smaller bottom feeders such as herring and sardines. Fortunately sardines don’t carry the same “yuck” stigma for dogs as they do for humans!

These bottom fish -- mackerel, anchovies and the 11-plus species that are packaged as sardines -- are not only cheap due to thriving populations, but are nutritionally stellar. Oily fish are high in omega 3 fatty acids, are a great source of protein, and the inclusion of soft, edible bones makes them particularly high in calcium. Sardines also contain plenty of Vitamin D and phosphorous, which aid in calcium absorption. Plus, because they feed on algae and plankton, they tend to have much lower mercury levels than larger fish.

When it comes to dog treats, sardines make the ideal ingredients by virtue of their intense flavour. Choose plain, unflavoured sardines packed in oil or water and don’t worry about going for cheaper varieties, which tend to be larger and fishier tasting. If you don't have a food processor, mash them with a fork, your dog won’t be concerned about getting chunks of fish in his or her treats!

SARDINE DREAMS

Ingredients:

1 cup (120 g) Sardines packed in oil or water, undrained
1/2 cup (125 ml) Water
1/4 cup (60ml) Canola or olive oil
2 cups (500 ml) Whole wheat flour
3/4 cup (185 ml) Cornmeal

Preheat oven to 350F.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the undrained sardines, water and oil. Pulse until well blended and smooth. Add the flour and cornmeal and pulse a few more times, until the mixture is blended and crumbly. Turn onto the countertop and mix with your hands until you have a soft dough.

Roll the dough into walnut-sized balls and place on an ungreased cookies sheet. Press each one down with the back of a fork, like a peanut butter cookie.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, until firm. If you like, turn the oven off and leave them inside to cool down as the oven cools: this will make a slightly firmer cookie.

Makes about 18 cookies. Store extras in an air-tight container, or freeze.

Recipe Corner: Peanut Butter Treats

What could feel better than spending a Sunday afternoon making treats for your best pal? Try these easy and wholesome treats on for size! Your dog will love them.

PEANUT BUTTER TREATS

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cup Flour
3/4 Cup Oatmeal
1/4 Cup Wheat Germ
1/4 Cup Peanut Butter
1/4 Cup Salad Oil
1/4 Cup Honey
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 Cup Water

Combine all ingredients and mix on low until mixed. Make into 1 Tablespoon-sized balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten balls to 1/4 inch using fork. Bake at 325 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Yield: 20 cookies.

ENJOY!