Oatmeal Cookies from Dog Food Crumbs

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

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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.

Dogs Going Green: More Bonuses from Organic Pet Food

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

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Stuff Your Kongs with Leftovers to Save $

One of the chief complaints I hear from families who choose not to feed their pet a better food is cost. We've all had those pains in our wallet from time to time. Today I've got a few benefits of feeding organic that may help you fall off the fence in the other direction. Did you know?

• Feeding a better quality food like Natural Balance Organic to your dog will result in a healthier, longer life with fewer doctor appointments and a more vibrant coat and mind, making for a happier dog.
• According to my groomer, tear stains on Toy-sized dogs often result from poor diet. I was told that residues of additives and food coloring are excreted from the tear ducts resulting in the stains that develop over time. I was able to test this theory with Oliver. When we adopted him he was on a grocery store food brand and had the beginnings of tear stains, even at the tender age of 4 months or so. I switched him to an organic brand immediately and very soon found the tear stains were gone, never to reappear. If you have ever prices the products for removal of tear stains, you'll know this is a great value!
• I've found that the crumbs all dry dog foods have at the bottom of the bag make a great flour for homemade dog treats. I collect them from the bag as each bag is emptied, freezing them for later use. When I have enough, I make a batch of dog treats, often using a variety of recipes. I'll include one in the next post in this Dogs Going Green series. 
• You can save on dog treats by using your kibble to make quick and easy treats. Read on and please do leave your comments. If you have a dog treat recipe to share, I'd love to hear from you: AllThingsDogBlog@gmail.com.

  

  Add Natural Balance to All Your Treat Recipes!

Using leftovers that are healthy and have no ingredients unhealthy to Fido, you can save money and create quick, easy frozen yummies that will be enjoyed by your dog:

Easy Broth Bombs:

1. When you roast a chicken or turkey, don't waste that carcass. When done, drop it into a stock pot with water and boil for 45 minutes or more to make a rich broth.
2. Fill ice cube trays half way with the broth and add organic Natural Balance kibble to make a frozen treat that's healthy and partially homemade.
3. When frozen, pop into a ziplock bag for easy freezer storage and single servings.

Leftovers in Frozen Filled Kongs:

1. Ever wonder what to do with that smidgen of leftover sweet potatoes, yogurt, cooked veggies or grated cheese? 
2. Layer these yummies one by one into a Kong or other fillable treat canister, using a little Natural Balance kibble between the layers, and freezing for a time when you need to keep Fido busy. We call these Busy Bones, and they work their magic on my boys every time I have a large crowd for dinner or another event.
3. All will be appreciated, and very, very slowly when frozen. This is a great treat to offer when you need a long, relaxing bubble bath in quiet.

Watch for my Oatmeal cookie recipe, made with Natural Balance, coming soon....

Enjoy!

As an NB Insider, I share tips and news on Natural Balance. I am compensated with travel to industry events and receive Natural Balance Organic food for my dogs. I am willing to serve in this role because I believe that serving organic food to my dogs is an important part of keeping them healthy for a long life.

Scavenger Hounding: Play to Win Organix Pet Food

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© Carrie Boyko
Dinner, Please?

In case you haven't noticed, I'm out to introduce as many of you as possible to a great dog food--our dog food. Today we'll be testing out a Scavenger Hunt idea. Who know's what I'll come up with next time. Ideas? I'd love to hear yours.

What can you win? I'll be giving away six coupons for FREE 5.25 lb. bags of the Organix pet food of your choice. They have a wide variety of options including the new grain-free food, so check out their formulas here. If you're wondering where to find a local supplier, you can find their store locator by clicking the logo at right.


You'll have options for entering this contest below, but the first entry is the mandatory one. Beyond that, it's up to you whether you continue to increase your odds or simply stick with your Scavenger Hunt answer. The last two options, a comment or a photo with caption, are worth 2 entries.


What are you hunting for? Tanner and Oliver love to enjoy my special frozen treats filled with Organix canned food along with dry kibble and a favorite organic vegetable. To get your mandatory entry, you must scour the posts on our healthy choices in eating listed in the links below. Here are the two questions you need to answer for an entry:

1. What organic vegetable do Tanner and Oliver enjoy in a frozen treat made with Organix dog foods?
2. Tell me the date that I posted a complete entry on how to make these delicious treats for your pup?

When you have the answers to both of the entry questions, email them to me at AllThingsDogBlog@gmail.com. I'll reply to these emails daily, so you'll find out quickly whether your answer is correct or not. When you get my "Okay to Proceed" reply, you can check the "I've Done This" box and move on to extra entries if you wish. Once again, extra entries are not required to win. Following are the blog posts I suggest you scavenge for your answers.

Our Pet Food Pantry: A Little History

Your Dog's Food: Why is Organic Healthier?

Our Dogs' Food: The Big Decision

Dog Food D-Day: The Big Reveal

Surprise Dog Toys Awarded to Observant Winners

Organix Dog Food Giveaway: 12 Bags of Healthy Goodness

Busy Bones Go Organic with Organix

Organix Busy Bones a Big Hit

Small Dog Issues: Tear Stains Reduced with Organic Dog Food

Organix Crumb Cookies Get Kudos

Gradual Dog Food Changes for Calm Tummies

This contest will end Thursday, September 8th at midnight EST. Answers to the mandatory questions, however, must be submitted for approval no later than 3 PM EST that day. After I confirm your correct answer, you'll need to check the "I Did This" box before midnight for your entry to be registered. I'll make every effort to get all answers in soon after the 3 PM EST deadline.


Winners will be chosen by Random.org and announced on Friday afternoon, September 9th. Be sure to check back to see if you're one of the lucky ones, as well as to visit our Fido's Freebie Friday event of pet giveaways. You'll be able to check out all sorts of fun contests and freebies.


Want to learn more about Castor and Pollux's Organix and other products? Check out their Facebook page, follow them on Twitter, or visit their website for more answers. Good luck in the drawing.


If you don't win, I encourage you to check out your options for local purchase through the logo above, or online purchases. If the Rafflecopter entry form does not appear here, simply click the title to refresh. Good luck to you all!

Wordless Woofing Wednesday: Homemade Dog Treats from My Bestie

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© Carrie Boyko
Oliver says "Thanks Tonnie!"

Super Dog Sunday: Kick-Off the Dog Treats

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© Carrie Boyko
Woo hoo! Game Time

© Carrie Boyko
Homemade Peanut Butter
 Dog Cookies

Shall I share the recipe again? Of course! That's easy. You'll find it at this link--my first post of the day. Now, let's let Oliver and Tanner give thanks before they eat. It's been a long wait and they've earned it:

© Carrie Boyko
Say Please, Oliver

© Carrie Boyko
Yippee!
How Many Can I Have?

Enjoy the game! I'll be continuing to post on FB and Twitter if you'd like to get into the conversation there. Thanks for joining me for this fun afternoon of pre-game silliness. Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. Shall we make it an annual event?

Thanks for joining us for the first annual Super Dog Sunday Blog Hop here at All Things Dog Blog and 5 Minutes for Fido. The action is also going on at our Facebook page throughout the afternoon, as well as on Twitter. After you “Like” us at Facebook, be sure to “Follow” us on Twitter.  Don’t miss out on any of the photos, videos, commentary and all-out silliness as we continue to celebrate Super Bowl XLV with our own brand of Fido fun!

Yogurt Pupsicles: Dog Treats to Celebrate the End of Summer

by Carrie Boyko 

(c) Carrie Boyko
Yogurt Pupsicles
Made with Peanut Butter and Honey

You like frozen yogurt, right? So do dogs. Let's whip up a frozen treat for them to nibble on while we enjoy our last official long, summer weekend:

Frozen Yogurt Pupsicles

Add a container of plain, organic yogurt to your blender or food processor. Now comes the fun part. Choose from your refrigerator’s available supply to save money and use up leftovers: 

• small fruit bites (absolutely no grapes or raisins!) and a drop of honey. My dogs like bananas and berries best. Melons are often a big hit with dogs.
• grated cheese, preferably low fat
• a couple of tablespoons of organic peanut butter and a bit of honey
• You can even try a veggie pop by tossing in broccoli or other vegetables. My dogs love veggies.

Mix briefly and pour into an ice cube tray, removing to a sealed container when frozen, to retain flavor. 

(c) Carrie Boyko
They'll be Ready in a Jif, Gang

Serve these yummies as an occasional treat, one or two, depending on your dog's size. Keep in mind, that they may be messy. I recommend serving them outdoors on a patio or in a newspaper lined crate. What better reason to spend a little crate time, than with a fun new frozen treat. For those pups that generally avoid the crate, you may find this is just the thing to turn it into their favorite place to laze around. 

What was your pup's favorite? Leave me a comment or drop me an email at LetsAdoptaDogPark@gmail.com. Have some ideas of your own to submit for our site's cookbook?  I'm busy putting together a prize package for recipes, photos, and even a cookbook name. 


Send them in with your pup's name and photo. He has to get credit for all his hard work as your taste-tester, right?!!

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