I have a confession. I LOVE to bake. I probably follow 20 or more baking blogs, have hundreds of recipes bookmarked on my web browser, and more cookbooks than is probably sane. Come Autumn and Winter my stove and oven are working OVERTIME to keep up with all the baked goods. It’s fun, relaxing and oh so rewarding to pull out that beautiful loaf of bread or to see that gorgeous stack of cookies sitting on my counter.
My husband’s gym friends love and hate me. Love because, duh they taste yummy. Hate because they are probably at this moment increasing the time they spend on the treadmill. I also love knowing that every ingredient has been hand picked by me. Organic flour and sugar, local produce, pasture raised eggs. Ingredients I’m proud of.
I don’t just bake for people. No, no, no. I also bake for my furry, four-legged friends and family members. Knowing the ingredients I’m feeding them seems even more important. With all the recalls of pet foods around the country, I love knowing that what I offer my dog is real, natural, and nutritious ingredients.
Making my own dog treats also allows me to be able to share these treats with dogs that have food allergies. Many dogs have allergies to various ingredients like chicken, beef, corn, and soy. So knowing EXACTLY what is in the treats lets me share the love and not exacerbate the allergic reaction. I can tailor the treat to the pet and everyone gets the cookie-love.
You can find dozens of recipes for dog treats online. Below is one of my favorites (my Weimaraner’s too!) It’s a great recipe because it only has three ingredients (oats, pumpkin, and peanut butter) that don’t tend to be a problem for pups with food allergies. The ingredients can be changed up a bit too. You can use almond or cashew butter in place of the peanut butter or exchange the pumpkin for another squash. Get creative!
What kinds of treats do you like to make for your dog? I’d love your recipes to add to my collection!!
Three Ingredient Dog Treats
Author: Sam Turnbull; www.itdoesnttastelikechicken.com
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Serves: Around 50 small treats (I make bigger treats for my bigger dog and get around 24)
Ingredients:
1 cup Oats (Old fashioned, minute oats, or instant)
⅓ cup Pumpkin Puree
¼ cup Natural Peanut Butter
Preheat your oven to 300F (150C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Add the oats to a food processor and grind until they reach a fine powder. Add in the pumpkin and peanut butter and blend until a sticky dough is formed.
Remove from the processor and roll out on a lightly floured surface. You can grind extra oats and make them into a flour if your dog is sensitive to wheat.
Cut out cookies using a small cookie cutter of any shape, or alternatively just cut into squares with a knife.
Lay the treats on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the treats are dry and hard. Let cool before giving to your pup and then store in an airtight container.