Bake a Batch of Valentine's Treats for YOUR Local Shelter!!

What a great idea!!  Bake up a batch of these scrumptious treats and drop them off at your local shelter!!  Make some new Valentine's friends!!

Gather your ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked and cooled carrots
• 1 ripe banana, peeled, or another cup of cooked, cooled vegetables like peas or green beans
• 1 cup soy milk
• 1-1/2 cups peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 cups white flour, plus more for dusting

1. Preheat the oven to 325° F (160° C).
2. Blend the banana and veggies in a food processor. Add the soy milk, peanut butter, and molasses and blend again.
3. Sift together the whole wheat flour and baking powder, then add to the wet mixture and blend well.
4. Pour the batter into a large mixing bowl. Add 1 cup of white flour and stir thoroughly. Knead in the second cup of white four, adding more flour if necessary to make a stiff dough. Divide the dough into four parts.
5. Roll out a piece of dough on a floured board to about 1/8 inch thick. Use a cookie cutter or knife to make heart shapes (or any other Valentine's Day symbol). Place the biscuits onto an ungreased cookie sheet—it's okay to put them close together; they won't spread out.
6. Bake the biscuits for 10 minutes or until they are just starting to brown. Remove from the oven and turn over the biscuits with a spatula. Return to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes. Turn the biscuits again and bake for another 10 minutes. They should be as crisp as crackers.
7. Remove the biscuits from the oven and let them cool completely.
8. Repeat with the other three parts of the dough, or freeze the remaining dough to bake later.
9. Store the cooled biscuits in a covered container in the refrigerator until you can deliver them.

Homemade Thanksgiving Treat for your Furry Family Member!

If you are like me and enjoy making your pup happy by spending the holidays with them, you may be interested in this recipe that I have for a special meal for Thanksgiving!

Smoky Chicken and Cheese Pie

2 cups cooked and mashed sweet potato

3 eggs

1 cup chopped cooked chicken

1 1/4 cup cooked green beans

3 Tablespoons of plain yogurt

1 cup of Shredded Italian Blend white cheese

1 Tablespoon olive oil

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees

Cook the sweet potatoes in the microwave.  When they are cool enough, scoop out the middle into a bowl.  Let it cool.  Add the yogurt and eggs and beat it until it is fluffy.  It will have the consistency of cake batter.

Stir in the chopped chicken, cooked green beans and spread it in a square 8 x 8 glass cooking dish.  Sprinkle the cheese over the top.

Use olive oil on your cooking pan before spreading the batter.  This is SUPER important!!

Cook for 45 minutes or until a knife blade comes out clean when you test the middle.

Let it cool and cut into squares.

Keeps in the fridge for three days or in the freezer for three months.

The girls just LOVE this!  It really is easy to make.  Trust me.  I am NOT a gourmet chef!  :)

PS....Guess who is coming to visit us....BEEMER!!!  He just LOVES coming to see us because we give him tons of great things to eat!  His mom doesn't usually give him table food....Shhhhhhh....that is what grandmothers are for!

The Honest Kitchen and Blue ~ Chewy Delivery!

Chloe and LadyBug are always thrilled when a Chewy Box shows up!  Today, we are going to be reviewing Blue Health Bars.  Blue Health Bars are a favorite of health conscious dog lovers because they deliver the great taste and satisfying crunch that dogs crave!

 

Made with wholesome grains and healthy ingredients like carrots and pumpkin, Blue Health Bars are oven baked for old-fashioned goodness.  They actually LOOK homemade!  Blue Health Bars are fortified with Omega 3 and antioxidants to help support your dog's immune system.  So, while your furry friend is happily crunching, he is cleaning his teeth too!

Ingredients:  Oatmeal, Barley, Oat Flour, Pumpkin, Flax Seed, Cane Molasses, Carrots, Salt, Canola Oil, Cinnamon, Calcium Carbonate, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate, preserved with mixed tocopherols and oils of Rosemary and Vitamin E Supplement.

The second product we are reviewing today is The Honest Kitchen Beams.  Beams are Pure Icelandic Fish Skin Chew Treats (Non-GMO).  Just ONE Pristine Ingredient!!

Ingredients:  Dehydrated Catfish Skin.  Grain Free, No Fillers or Artificial Preservatives.

The Honest Kitchen's Beams are catfish skins that are wild caught and dried into nice long, flat, sticks.  Natives in Iceland have been eating these as snacks for centuries!!  The Honest Kitchen Beams are a product of Iceland and packed in the USA.

Just a few thoughts...As I watched Chloe enjoying her chew, I wondered if there had ever been issues with small dogs swallowing these treats.  Even on the package, it states, if you are concerned that your small dog may swallow them, you can cut these treats in to smaller pieces with sharp scissors, but they have never had any problems!

LadyBug likes to throw her chew up in the air and play with it!   

 Kol’s Notes and Sugar the Golden Retriever are our hosts for Tasty Tuesday.  Click their names to discover more recipes, reviews, and treats.

 

 

 

#Chewy Delivers Awesome Treats!!

Guess What??  Our friend CHEWY stopped by this month with a little surprise called HALO Liv-A-Littles for Dogs AND Cats!!

.

They are 100% Wild Salmon

Grain Free

Simple, Tasty, AND Healthy!!

They are freeze dried to lock in the flavor and nutritional benefits of protein-rich Chicken, Beef, Rabbit, Salmon, and Lamb.

They can also be crumbled over your pet's meals at mealtimes.

Guaranteed Analysis 77.0% (Min)

Crude Fat 10% (Min)

Crude Fiber 1.0% (MAX)

Moisture 6.0% (MAX)

We are joining Sugar the Golden Retriever for Tasty Tuesday!!

Coconut Oil Benefits Dogs Too!

Someone asked me just the other day how did my girls like coconut oil.  Well...let me tell you, they absolutely LOVE the taste of coconut oil...and if I forgot to put it in their food, they probably would not even eat!  THAT is how much they have come to love it!!  I put just about a half of a teaspoon mixed in with their meal.  Both of them are quite happy to lick the spoon!!

Coconut oil can have many so many health benefits if you feed it regularly to your dog– for their skin, digestive and immune systems, metabolic function, even their bone and brain health! Here are the top 10 reasons to add coconut oil to your dog’s diet:

1. Coconut oil improves overall skin health, and clears up skin conditions such as eczema, flea allergies, contact dermatitis, and itchy skin.

2. Incredibly emollient, coconut oil helps moisturize the dryest K9 skin and makes a dog’s coat gleam with health – whether you add it to her diet, her shampoo, or both!

3. Applied topically to the skin, coconut oil  promotes the healing of cuts, wounds, hot spots, bites, and stings.

4. The antibacterial and antifungal properties of coconut oil help reduce doggy odor, and its pleasantly tropical aroma imparts a delightful scent to a dog’s skin and coat.

5. Coconut oil prevents and treats yeast infections, including candida. Its antiviral agents also help dogs recover quickly from kennel cough.

6. Digestion and nutrient absorption are improved by the addition of coconut oil to a dog’s diet. It can, however, cause stool to loosen; if that happens, just add a few spoonfuls of canned pumpkin to your dog’s diet (go here for more stool-firming tips).

7. Coconut oil reduces – and sometimes eliminates – doggy breath. Some dog lovers even brush their pets’ teeth with the stuff! Which makes sense, as dogs love the taste of coconut oil, and that makes the chore less arduous for brusher and brushee. 

8. Like cinnamon, coconut oil helps prevent diabetes by regulating and balancing insulin. It also promotes normal thyroid function, and helps prevent infection and heart disease.

9. Helping to reduce weight and increase energy, coconut oil also promotes mobility in dogs with arthritis and other joint issues.

10. Again like cinnamon, coconut oil is excellent for brain health; it’s being used to stave off dementia in humans, and it’s a must to keep senior dogs’ minds from becoming cloudy.

Our thanks to Dogster for this very important health info!!

Cool Treats for Hot Pups!!

Surfing for Cool Foods for Hot Pups over on my favorite site...Pinterest, I came across these easy frozen treats for our furry friends!!

Frozen Liver: Cut chicken/beef liver into small bite size pieces and place on a sheet pan covered in parchment paper. Feed 2 or 3 pieces daily (unless raw feeding and then you may feed regular daily amount). They keep well in a zip lock once frozen. 

Frozen Egg: Although this one is best eaten outside, toss an egg or two in a blender (including shells) and blend till smooth. Freeze in an ice cube tray (half way full) for easier dispensing. Do not feed more than 1 per day to ensure proper nutrient absorption. 

Frozen Tuna: There isn't much a cat or a dog won't do for tuna. For them, it's just as tasty cold, so freeze in small bite size pieces or mounds on parchment, or even blend with any of the ingredients above before freezing. 

Happy Girls!!

They aren't staying outside for too long these days...TOO HOT!

They prefer the A/C!!

Beating the Heat with Beemer!

We are REALLY hoping that it is going to get a little sunny and warmer here today so we thought we would share a summer treat with you all!

Pour chicken or beef broth into ice cube trays. When frozen, place a few of these delicious doggy ice pops in the bowl with your dog's kibble, or simply add to the water bowl for a flavored beverage.

It is very important for dogs to drink during oppressive heat like they are having out west!!  

Also, make sure they are drinking all kinds of water!!!

Today, I am showing off pics of my granddog, Beemer!!

#Bravo Homestyle Complete: Make Good Happen!

~Disclosure:  Product samples were given to us for the purpose of writing this review.  No other compensation was received.  All opinions are my own.  Bravo Pet Foods is not responsible for the content of this review.~

Homestyle Complete Dinners for Dogs are the very first freeze dried dinners to be added to Bravo's extensive raw food line.

These great tasting recipes have been created to uniquely meet the nutritional needs of dogs of all ages and breeds.  They feature premium meat or poultry as the  #1 ingredient.  Bravo adds lots of other wholesome ingredients such as organ meat, chickpeas, garden vegetables and cranberries...and herbs like turmeric and sage!!  Bravo's Homestyle Complete dinners come in three different proteins; beef, pork, and turkey.  Every single one of these dinners is completely balanced, low in fat, AND...grain and gluten free!  Who can ask for more than that??

There are absolutely NO artificial preservatives, flavors, or colors of any kind in these terrific dinners!!  They really are a convenient and healthy way to provide your dog with all of the benefits of a raw diet!  Freeze drying does not degrade any essential proteins, fatty acids or enzymes...all of the ingredients nutrition values are retained!  These dinners are so awesome for when you and your family are on the go as they do not need to be refrigerated!  When it is time for your dog to eat, just mix in a little warm water or broth and serve!  That's IT!!  If you happen to have a dog with a sensitive stomach, you may want to let the water or broth soak in for about 10-15 minutes before serving.

Bravo Homestyle Complete Dinners are available in three ounce resealable packs, as well as 2 pound or 6 pound resealable bags at independent retailers starting at $5.49.

Please visit Bravo Pet Foods to learn more about this healthy new alternative to conventional diets.

Follow Bravo Pet Foods on social media:

Facebook.com/BravoPetFoods

Twitter.com/BravoPetFoods

Pinterest.com/BravoPetFoods

Bravo® Pet Foods is a leader in fresh-frozen raw pet foods.  They are a family-owned company located in Manchester, CT.  The original family business, Manchester Packing Company, has specialized in providing high quality meats and poultry to the finest New England restaurants since 1942.  Today, Bravo offers over 125 different items for dogs and cats made from the highest quality meats, poultry and fish.  Every single product is processed following strict food safety guidelines.  Read the full story on the Bravo Website.

#Chewy Delivery: #PetSafe Dental Chews

The girls sure were excited when the delivery guy showed up with THEIR package!!  I swear they can actually READ the packages that say Chewy on them!!  :)

Chloe and LadyBug favor the PetSafe Indigo Fresh Dental Sticks which are Chicken and Blueberry Flavored.  They love these so much they would prefer to eat them for all their meals!  

The ingredients are:  Rice Flour, Vegetable Glycerin Gelatin, Natural Chicken Flavors, Powdered Cellulose, Fruit Juices, Blueberry Powder, Sodium Hexametaphosphate, Citric Acid, Titanium Dioxide, and Peppermint.

The PetSafe Indigo Fresh Dental Sticks are crunchy, low-calorie and help to remove plaque and tartar!

Many thanks to Chewy for delivering our awesome dental chews!!

**Disclosure:  We were provided with one bag of PetSafe Indigo Dental Chews for our honest review.  All opinions are my own.  Chewy.com and PetSafe are not responsible for the content of this review.**

Coconut Oil...Healthy for You AND for your Pet!!

Someone asked me just the other day how did my girls like coconut oil.  Well...let me tell you, they absolutely LOVE the taste of coconut oil...and if I forgot to put it in their food, they probably would not even eat!  THAT is how much they have come to love it!!  I put just about a half of a teaspoon mixed in with their meal.  Both of them are quite happy to lick the spoon!!

Coconut oil can have many so many health benefits if you feed it regularly to your dog– for their skin, digestive and immune systems, metabolic function, even their bone and brain health! Here are the top 10 reasons to add coconut oil to your dog’s diet:

1. Coconut oil improves overall skin health, and clears up skin conditions such as eczema, flea allergies, contact dermatitis, and itchy skin.

2. Incredibly emollient, coconut oil helps moisturize the dryest K9 skin and makes a dog’s coat gleam with health – whether you add it to her diet, her shampoo, or both!

3. Applied topically to the skin, coconut oil  promotes the healing of cuts, wounds, hot spots, bites, and stings.

4. The antibacterial and antifungal properties of coconut oil help reduce doggy odor, and its pleasantly tropical aroma imparts a delightful scent to a dog’s skin and coat.

5. Coconut oil prevents and treats yeast infections, including candida. Its antiviral agents also help dogs recover quickly from kennel cough.

6. Digestion and nutrient absorption are improved by the addition of coconut oil to a dog’s diet. It can, however, cause stool to loosen; if that happens, just add a few spoonfuls of canned pumpkin to your dog’s diet (go here for more stool-firming tips).

7. Coconut oil reduces – and sometimes eliminates – doggy breath. Some dog lovers even brush their pets’ teeth with the stuff! Which makes sense, as dogs love the taste of coconut oil, and that makes the chore less arduous for brusher and brushee. 

8. Like cinnamon, coconut oil helps prevent diabetes by regulating and balancing insulin. It also promotes normal thyroid function, and helps prevent infection and heart disease.

9. Helping to reduce weight and increase energy, coconut oil also promotes mobility in dogs with arthritis and other joint issues.

10. Again like cinnamon, coconut oil is excellent for brain health; it’s being used to stave off dementia in humans, and it’s a must to keep senior dogs’ minds from becoming cloudy.

Our thanks to Dogster for this very important health info!!

Cinnamon: Healthy for Humans AND Canines!!

Of all the items in my pantry, the one I never want to run out of is cinnamon. My dogs and I enjoy this amazing, deliciously fragrant spice every single day of the year!!  The dogs sometimes get a pinch of cinnamon sprinkled over their food.  I like it in and on everything from toast, lemonade, and chai tea to baked apple pie, hot chocolate, coffee and rice pudding!!

Not only does cinnamon smell and taste great, it has many health benefits!!

Cinnamon is a small tree that grows in India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Brazil, Vietnam, and Egypt; its bark is dried and rolled into cinnamon sticks, then ground into powder.

There are four varieties, but Ceylon cinnamon and Cassia cinnamon are the most popular; Ceylon, also called true cinnamon, is sweeter, lighter in color, and more expensive than Cassia, which is the darker type of cinnamon more commonly found in supermarkets and Starbucks. Whichever variety you choose, it's definitely worth it to spend a bit more on organic cinnamon, which tends to be even more fabulously fragrant than its non-organic counterpart.

Traditionally, cinnamon has been used around the world to remedy flatulence, nausea, and diarrhea.   It is also believed to boost energy, vitality, circulation, cognitive function and overall brain health, AND to improve the digestion of dairy products.

In one study, sniffing cinnamon was shown to result in improved brain function - test subjects performed better at memory and attention after a whiff of this FABULOUS spice. So if you're working with your dog on learning new tricks, definitely offer him or her a sniff of cinnamon before you begin your training session!

Recent studies have shown that just half a teaspoon of cinnamon a day helps to regulate blood sugar and raise insulin resistance; it actually boosts the body's ability to use insulin to improve blood glucose levels. This is vital for anyone at risk for Diabetes.

Other studies reveal that cinnamon is antifungal; it works to combat Candida albicans, the fungus that causes yeast infections. These infections are often resistant to medication, but not to cinnamon. (Dogs who suffer from allergies are often prone to yeast infections).

Cinnamon is also antibacterial, and slows down the spoilage of food. Researchers at Kansas State University found that cinnamon even prevents the growth of E. Coli bacteria in unpasteurized juices!

Delicious Tasty Ice Cubes!!

Pour chicken or beef broth into ice cube trays. When frozen, place a few of these delicious doggy ice pops in the bowl with your dog's kibble, or simply add to the water bowl for a flavored beverage.

It is very important for dogs to drink during oppressive heat!!  Also, make sure they're drinking all kinds of water!!!