Oatmeal Cookies from Dog Food Crumbs

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

Buffer

Packer Fan Oatmeal Cookies for Fido

If you feed kibble to your dogs, you no doubt know that every bag has a little waste. Those crumbs in the bottom come from the transportation and handling that cause crumbling, which trickles to the bottom of the bag, not to be eaten by Fido. I'm out to change that waste!

The crumbs you get in the bottom of every bag will vary. I've gotten as little as 2 Tablespoons and as much as 3/4 of a cup. That last bag was a major score for this treat recipe! I now collect the crumbs from every bag and freeze these until I have enough to bake. Those crumbs make a terrific oatmeal or wheat flour-like base for your dog treat recipe. Below is one of my dog's favorites, but feel free to test this technique out with any of your recipes that call for oatmeal or flour. Please report back and if you include your recipe with a photo, I may share it on All Things Dog Blog.

Carrie's Organic Oatmeal Crumb Cookies for Dogs
Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Kibble Crumbs*, saved from the bottom of each bag. For a finer flour, whir in your food processor or blender. A course flour works just fine in this recipe.
• 1 1/4 Cup Organic Whole Wheat Flour
• 1/2 Cup Organic Rolled Oats
• 3/4 Cup Organic Milk, reduced fat or fat free
• 1 Cup Organic or All-Natural Peanut Butter (salt and sugar-free is best for your dog)
• 1 Tablespoon Blackstrap Molasses **

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Whisk dry ingredients together
3. Stir in remaining ingredients gradually, until mixed.
4. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead to a soft dough.
5. Roll out to 1/2" thick and use cookie cutter to create fun shapes. Remember that these are treats, not meals, so although your cookies will be adorable, keep serving sizes reasonable, or replace some of Fido's chow with a cookie for mealtime balance.
6. Bake on cookie sheets for about 13 minutes. All ovens vary and the timing will vary by the thickness of the dough as well.
7. Cool and store in an airtight treat jar for a couple of weeks.
8. These cookies freeze very well. Extras can be frozen in small packages to remove for enjoyment as needed.

*We use organic Natural Balance kibble crumbs to keep this recipe as healthy as possible. 

**Did you know that although Molasses is a sugar, it also packs a tremendous nutritional value. According to Wikipedia, "...

Unlike refined sugars, it contains trace amounts of vitamins and significant amounts of several minerals. Blackstrap molasses is a source of calcium, magnesium, potassium, and iron; one tablespoon provides up to 20% of the daily value of each of those nutrients.^[5] Blackstrap has long been sold as a health supplement."

As an NB Insider, I often share tips, information and news about Natural Balance. This recipe has been in our favorites list for a long time, but lends itself well to the crumbs of Natural Balance's bag bottom. We're happy to represent Natural Balance at industry events in exchange for a steady supply of their organic formula for our furry family.

SafeMade Pet's Flexi-bowl: A Versatile Pet Bowl and Bakery Pan

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© Carrie Boyko
Bow Wow Banana Cake
 Fresh From the Oven

Boy howdy! Did the kitchen ever smell good while this was baking. Tanner and Oliver mingled around the table just knowing that something yummy would soon be out. I'm sure they thought it would be one of those same 'ole, same 'ole things--we eat most of it and maybe they get a crumb or two from pops. Little did they know that this cake was made special for them.


The SafeMade Pet Flexibowl that it was baked in is made of silicone, a material that is becoming more frequently used for kitchen items such as hotpads and even some types of bakeware. This bowl is particularly cute with it's paw print shape, perfect for a dog cake.

© Carrie Boyko
Can We Cut it Now?

Would you like to try making one of these healthy and delicious cakes for your pup--maybe for a birthday celebration? Here's the recipe I used; it was a big hit here.


Carrie's Bow Wow Banana Cake


Ingredients:

• 3 ripe organic bananas, mashed well
• 1 organic egg
• 2 Tablespoons organic Applesauce
• 2 Tablespoons organic Canola Oil
• 1-1/2 cups organic Whole Wheat Flour
• 1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

© Carrie Boyko
It's Almost All Gone, Oliver

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare pan with organic cooking spray and set aside.
2. Combine dry ingredients. 
3. Stir egg, oil and applesauce into mashed bananas.
4. Combine all and stir until evenly mixed.
5. Spoon mixture into a 1-1/2 quart pan.
6. Bake 35-45 minutes. Ovens vary and so will pans. Check with a toothpick to determine when done.
7. After cooling on a rack for a few minutes, remove from pan to continue cooling with full air circulation.
8. Cool before slicing.

Find more recipes at SafeMade Pet, where you'll find house specialties like sundaes, peanut butter and carrot cake and more cake and toy filling recipes. 


If you'd like to read the two previous entries in this series, visit:

• Safe Made Pet Products: Safety Tested for the Whole Family
• Our Dog Toy Testing Twosome Takes on SafeMade Pet

Full disclosure: All Things Dog Blog has not been compensated to write this review of SafeMade Pet Products. We were provided with product samples to review. The opinions included in this review series are our own.

Chicken Stew Biscuits for Fido: High in Protein and Vitamins

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

(c) Carrie Boyko
Leftover Chicken Stew
 Makes Great Dog Biscuits

Saving money on your pack's chow doesn't always have to be about clipping coupons or watching for sales. You do have options for supplementing your pup's diet without compromising his health or your wallet.

I've been inspired by other dog moms to not only cook some food to supplement Tanner and Oliver's kibble, but also I now use my leftovers to make all sorts of yummy goodies. This saves me big bucks on all those pricey treats, although I have to admit that my dogs love to sample a variety. Cooking at home helps to widen that smorgasbord.


A simple stewed chicken made of healthy, low-fat, organic chicken breasts, organic broth and vegetables (we used carrots) is easy to cook up in your crockpot with very little effort. I cut this up and scoop a few spoonfuls on the boys' kibble some evenings, to give them that home-cooked feel of a warm meal.


What's really great, though, is that when leftovers reach the breaking point (eat them quick or toss them) these cooked meats and vegetables make great dog biscuits that are simple and healthy. Here's a sample recipe that we renovated to make these fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants biscuits, which do not require rolling. This makes them much faster to prepare than those adorable bone-shaped ones you've seen here before.


Organic Chicken and Carrot Stew Biscuits


Instructions:

1. After chicken and veggies are cooked thoroughly in the crockpot, cool till they reach a comfortable working temperature.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
3. Place the chicken and veggies (any portions you have available) in your food processor with the blade in place and process until you have a smooth textured, babyfood-like mixture that is easy to stir.
4. Remove and replace the blade with the kneading blade.
5. Add one egg and mix in briefly.
6. Add a few tablespoons of broth and 1/2 cup organic whole wheat flour at a time, until you have a stiff dough, much like cookie dough.
7. Break off a tennis ball sized portion and press out on a clean surface until an even thickness of about 1/2 to 3/4 inch.
8. Using a small juice glass dipped into some flour, cut biscuits and add remaining dough back to the batch.
9. Continue till all dough has been used.
10. Bake for about 10-13 minutes at 350 degrees. Ovens and ingredients vary, so watch your first batch carefully for timing.
11. Store a week's worth of biscuits in your refrig. These make a nice substitution for some kibble at mealtime, or a generous afternoon snack that is healthy and satisfying.
12. Freeze the remainder in small enough portions to use within a week.
13. Don't forget to pat yourself on the back when your Fido devours his yummy, homemade biscuit that you provided. Unconditional love most certainly can be enhanced with great chow!