Healthier Homemade Dog Treats

Even Fido should eat healthy!

Healthier Homemade Dog Treats

Ingredients

• 1 cup meat broth (chicken, beef, etc.) *
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup all-natural peanut butter
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup all-natural almond milk
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 teaspoons all-natural real maple syrup
• 3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Add the meat broth to a stockpot on the stove-top on medium. Add the pumpkin, peanut butter and olive oil. Stir until the peanut butter is melted. Add the almond milk, beaten egg and maple syrup. Mix well to combine. Add the flour and salt. Stir until all ingredients are moistened.

Spray a 9x15 baking ban with non-stick spray. Pour the batter onto the pan. With clean wet hands, spread the batter evenly in the pan and make sure the top is smooth. 

Bake in pre-heated oven for 75 minutes. Remove from oven. When cool enough to handle, cut or break the treats into whatever size pieces you would like them. We have a pug, so her pieces are smaller.

Let them set until completely cooled and dried out. 

You can freeze them up to 6 months... but they never last that long around here!

* Even if you only have little bits of broth leftover from various recipes, you can add the cooled broth to a jar and keep it in the freezer. When you've accumulated the amount of broth you need for this recipe, simply thaw and make Fido's treats!

Spiced Pumpkin Mousse

Spiced Pumpkin Mousse

Ingredients

• 1 pint heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 15 ounce can pumpkin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

Preparation

Add the whipping cream into a mixing bowl and beat until the consistency of whipped cream. (We use our Kitchen-aid mixer with the whisk on high.) Stir in the remaining ingredients.

Chill mousse in a bowl in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.

We served the mousse as a "dip" with some gingersnaps or cinnamon graham crackers. You could fill a graham cracker pie shell for a quick and easy pumpkin mousse pie. You can even dish it into bowls and eat it "as-is". Whatever way you choose... it's a perfect addition to the snacks of the holiday season!

Old Fashioned Bread Dressing

One of the favorite traditional holiday side dishes.... Bread dressing (stuffing). This recipe is simple and delicious. Make it just once and you'll never go back to boxed stuffing again! 

Old Fashioned Bread Dressing

Ingredients

• 3 loaves of white bread
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 5 stalks of celery, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons rubbed sage
• 3 tablespoons poultry seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 sticks butter, melted
• 3 cups chicken or turkey broth, slightly warm *

Preparation

I always buy a very large foil pan to prepare and bake this dressing right in the pan. It makes for easy clean-up.

Cube or tear the bread into bite-sized pieces. Add the spices to the bread and toss to lightly coat. Add the onions and celery and mix into the bread. Pour the melted butter over the top. Pour the broth over the top.

You can use this as a turkey stuffing or baked on the side. 

• Stuffing the turkey: Lightly stuff the bread mixture into the chest cavity of the turkey. Bake as usual.
• Baked on the side: Cover the pan with foil and bake on 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes, stirring half-way through.

I never stuff our turkey. I have always baked this dressing on the side. Either way you prefer your bread dressing, it will turn out deliciously wonderful!

* If you prefer your bread dressing moister, use additional broth. We make ours as-is and top it with some fresh-made turkey gravy. On the day after Thanksgiving my sister-in-law piles leftover dressing on a turkey sandwich and tops it with cranberry sauce.  :)

Should you be lucky enough to have any leftovers, this dish re-heats very well.

Bon Appetit!

Deliciously Simple Pear Crumble

Dessert. That's the first word to leave the vocabulary when you decide to "watch what you eat". Dessert doesn't have to be laden with sugars, fats and complete unhealthiness to make it taste good. We don't keep sugars or "dessert-type" ingredients on hand. In a pinch I whipped this together, not sure how the family would respond. Everyone loved it ... and even the kiddos were asking for seconds!

Deliciously Simple Pear Crumble

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup old fashioned oats
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon stevia powder 
• dash of salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 2 very large pears, diced (approximately 3-4 cups)

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

Add the oats, cinnamon, stevia and salt to a small bowl. Mix well to combine. Add the vanilla extract and mix again. Add the coconut oil, mixing as you go, until the mixture is crumb-like. Spread the pears evenly in an 8x8 baking dish. Gently stir the oats into the pear mixture. Bake for 20-30 minutes. Allow to cool before serving.

Makes 4 servings.

Try this recipe with some different fruits -- apples, peaches, berries, etc.!

Brown Rice Pilaf

Brown Rice Pilaf

Ingredients:

• 1/2 celery rib, chopped
• 1 medium carrot, chopped
• 1/4 medium onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon butter (or olive oil)
• 1 cup orzo
• 1 cup brown rice
• 3 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
• salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation:

Lightly spray a pan with non-stick spray and pre-heat over medium heat. Add the celery, onion, carrot, and garlic. Saute until onion and celery are translucent. Transfer veggies to a pot.

Melt the butter (or oil) in the pan. Add the orzo and stir constantly until the butter is absorbed and orzo starts to turn a light brown. (Do not burn the orzo! Stirring constantly will help make sure it does not burn and does not stick to the bottom of the pan.)

Add the orzo to the pot with the sauteed veggies. Add the remainder of the ingredients to the pot. Stir well. Cover and bring contents of the pot to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until rice is cooked until desired consistency (approximately 30-40 minutes). 

Simple Crockpot Applesause

Tis the season... for crockpots and apples! 

We picked about 25 pounds of apples today from some of our local growers. They're very inexpensive and taste so much better than the store-bought ones! Last batch of apples we picked, I made batches and batches of Crockpot Apple Butter and froze it in freezer containers so it's ready when we are. This time we decided to make applesauce (in addition to eating some of the apples, of course). School has started and applesauce is always a great "side dish" for the lunch box.

We just randomly picked a variety of apples. You can use whatever your favorite apples are to create a flavor for your own liking.  Enjoy!

Simple Crockpot Applesauce

Ingredients

• 5 pounds apples (cored, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice *

Preparation

Add all ingredients to the crockpot. Cook on high for approximately 4 hours (or low for 6-8 hours). Stir apples half-way through. Cook until apples are very soft and mash when stirring. Mash the applesauce to your desired texture. I used a wooden spoon for this batch. You can use a potato masher or a blender as well.

* You may need to adjust this measurement depending on the type(s) of apples you use... flavor, sweetness, tartness, etc.

Pumpkin Bread

Today's rainy fall weather is perfect for baking up a batch of this bread. Bon Appetit! 

Pumpkin Bread 

(Our "healthier" option)

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup olive oil or melted coconut oil
• 1 cup honey
• 4 eggs
• 1 - 15 ounce can pumpkin puree
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves or allspice
• 2 1/2 cups 100% whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup ground flax meal
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup raisins (optional)
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 loaf pans with non-stick spray.

Combine all wet ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix well. Combine all dry ingredients in another mixing bowl and mix well. Combine the wet and dry mixtures together and stir until lumps are pretty much gone.

Evenly divide the batter between the two loaf pans. Bake the loaves in the preheated oven for about 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Allow to cool before slicing and serving.

Makes 2 loaves.

Mimi's Mac N Cheese Casserole

Mimi's Mac N Cheese Casserole

Ingredients

• 4 cups water 
• 7 ounces uncooked whole grain macaroni noodles
• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons 100% whole wheat flour
• 2 cups 2% milk
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 8 ounces 2% Four-Cheese Mexican Blend Cheese
• 5 pieces Whole Grain Melba Toast, crushed

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 baking pan with non-stick spray.

Put water in large sauce pan and bring to a full boil. Add the macaroni and cook on high for 10 minutes (or until al dente), stirring occasionally. Drain macaroni.

In the meantime, heat the oil in a large skillet (or smaller saucepan) over medium heat. Add the flour, milk, and spices. Stir well to combine and mixture thickens. Add the shredded cheese. Reduce heat to low and cook until cheese is melted.

Combine cooked macaroni with the cheese mixture. Pour mac and cheese into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the crushed melba toast over the top.

Bake for 30 minutes. Makes 4 cups

Crockpot Congee (a.k.a. Chinese Oatmeal)

Congee is not a dish many people are familiar with. It is a (rice-based) porridge that has its origins all throughout Asia. There are no real "rules and regulations" for what you put in your congee. Various countries base their ingredients on what meal they traditionally eat their congee (meats and veggies for supper, various grains and fruits for breakfasts, beans, plain, etc.).

This variation is a delicious and hearty breakfast easily prepared in the crockpot ... which makes it a perfect breakfast for those cold mornings! Why waste money on a fast food breakfast when you can prepare a healthy dish faster than you can get through a drive through window!

Crockpot Congee (Chinese Oatmeal)

Ingredients

• 1 or 2 pears and/or apples, unpeeled
• 2/3 cups oat groats
• 2/3 cup brown rice
• 3/4 cup dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, prunes, etc)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
• 4 cups water

Preparation:

Wash and dice the apples (or pears). Place all ingredients into a 6 cup (1.5 quart) crock-pot. Stir and cook on low for 8 hours or overnight. 

Makes 6 cups of cereal.

Be sure to use a smaller (preferably 1.5 or 2 quart) crockpot so your congee does not dry out while cooking!

Try experimenting with the different dried fruits and spices (pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, etc.).

Chicken and Lentil Loaf

With the rising cost of meat, lentils are a great way to stretch your ground meat even further! 

Chicken and Lentil Loaf

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground chicken breast
• 2 cups cooked lentils
• 2 eggs
• 1 sleeve saltines, crushed (I used Whole Wheat)
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 2 carrots, shredded
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup ketchup

Preparation

Place all ingredients (except the ketchup) in a large mixing bowl. Mix well to combine. 

Place the mixture in a loaf pan. Spread the ketchup over the top of the loaf to cover well.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour, or until cooked through.

Makes 6-12 servings, depending on how big or small you like your servings!

Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Banana Pancakes

Looking for a stick-to-your ribs breakfast? These pancakes are great! The peanut butter and the banana in them makes them more filling - with the desire to eat less at one sitting!

Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Banana Pancakes

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 cups milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 bananas, mashed
• 1/4 cup peanut butter (chunky or creamy, your choice)

Preparation

Add all dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl and mix well to combine. Add wet ingredients in order listed, whisking/blending as you go until all ingredients are combined and batter is no longer lumpy.

In a pre-heated skillet (or a griddle), pour a scant 1/4 cup of batter. Cook until very bubbly, then carefully flip over to the other side. Cook until the pancake is cooked through.

Makes roughly 22 pancakes.

Finish off with your choice of topping - More peanut butter, fruit preserves / jam, apple butter, butter, syrup, honey, etc!

Note: I use my Kitchen-Aid mixer for this recipe. I add all of the ingredients (un-prepped) and mix using the whisk attachment until the batter is no longer lumpy.

Lentil Taco Filling

We're still LOCO FOR LENTILS!!!  :)

Lentil Taco Filling

Ingredients

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon*
• 3 cups water*
• 1 cup dried lentils
• 1 tablespoon mild chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 1/2 cups salsa
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

Saute onion and garlic in the olive oil until softened.

Wash and sort lentils. Place in a large pot and add the water, bouillon, onions, garlic, spices and salsa. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until lentils are softened. Remove lid and cook uncovered until desired consistency.

Serve up your Lentil Taco Filling in taco shells (or in a taco salad) topped with your favorite toppings!

Makes 12 servings

* You can use 3 cups prepared chicken broth instead of the 2 teaspoons bouillon and 3 cups water. (I just went the lesser expensive route.)

Lentil Enchiladas

We're going LOCO FOR LENTILS again!! This one may sound interesting... but try it. You just may surprise yourself. This one is a new family favorite. Our picky eaters and kids are loving this!

Lentil Enchiladas

Ingredients

• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 1/2 cups dry lentils
• 2 cups shredded cheese
• 12 corn tortillas
• 4 cups enchilada sauce

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a 9x13 baking pan with nonstick spray.

Add the chicken broth, water, and lentils to a saucepan on the stovetop. Cover and bring to a boil. Turn to medium-low and cook until the lentils are softened and all of the water is just about absorbed (about 20-30 minutes).

Pour 1/3 cup enchilada sauce into the bottom of the baking pan. Using the back of the spoon, lightly coat the bottom of the pan with the enchilada sauce. In a separate bowl, combine the cooked lentils and the remainder of the enchilada sauce.

Corn tortillas aren't always the easiest to worth with. They can be fragile and tend to tear easily. Here are two methods to preparing the enchiladas: 

1. Traditional Enchiladas -- Quickly dip one corn tortilla into a bowl of hot (warmer than warm, but not HOT) water. Add a scoop of the lentil mixture into the middle of the tortilla then place in the baking pan. Repeat until all of the tortillas and lentil mixture has been used. Top with cheese.
   
2. "Casserole-style" -- Tear each tortilla in half. Layer 8 of the halves evenly on the bottom of the pan. Cover with 1/3 of the lentil mixture and 1/2 cup shredded cheese. Repeat this layering two more times (a total of 3 layers). Top the casserole with the remainder of the cheese.

Bake (uncovered) in the pre-heated oven for about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from oven and allow to cool before serving. 

Makes 12 servings.

Chicken Breakfast Sausage

Chicken Breakfast Sausage Patties

Ingredients:

• 5 1/2  pounds ground boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 1/2 teaspoons dried sage
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Form into 4 ounce patties. Cook patties in a skillet on the stovetop until cooked all the way through.

Makes 22 patties

Easy Crockpot Apple Butter

Easy Crockpot Apple Butter

Ingredients:

• 12 "good sized" apples (approx. 5-6 pounds) - variety(s) of your choice
• 1 cup honey
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• dash of salt, to taste

Preparation

Wash, peel, core and cut all of the apples into 1 inch x 1 inch chunks. Place the apples in the crock-pot. Add the honey and pumpkin pie spice to the crockpot. Cover. Cook on low for 8 hours, or until reduced to almost half. You can stir every few hours, as the apples cook down, to mix the honey and spices in.

Stir the apple mixture well to combine. Use a potato masher to mash the mixture until desired consistency. You can also use an immersion blender or blender as well. 

Be careful if using a blender!! Putting the steaming hot apple mix in there may cause it to blow the lid off the blender! Wait until the mixture cools a bit, then blend in small batches until desired consistency.

Enjoy on toast, pancakes, waffles, sandwiches, scones, biscuits.... possibilities are endless! 


Try this recipe with a variety of apples. Each apple has it's own texture, sweetness or tartness, and flavor. Use all one kind, or mix and match! 

Crockpot Lentil Sloppy Joes

Lentils are budget-friendly and a great meat-subsitite in many recipes. Even if you're not looking to give up meat altogether, but you are looking to save money ... consider going LOCO FOR LENTILS!

Lentil Sloppy Joes

 Ingredients

• 2 cups dry lentils
• 8 cups water 
• 1 tablespoon chicken stock base
• 15 ounces tomato sauce
• 6 ounces tomato paste
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce, Bragg's aminos, or coconut aminos
• 3 carrots, shredded

Directions

Place 2 cups of dried lentils into a large microwave safe bowl. Add the 8 cups of water and chicken stock base. Microwave for 25 minutes. Water should (almost) completely absorbed into the lentils. For a stovetop method --add the 2 cups dried lentils, 8 cups water, and 1 tablespoon chicken stock base to a stockpot. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Cook until almost all of the water is absorbed (about 15-20 minutes). Do not drain remaining water from the lentils!

Spray a skillet with non-stick spray. Add the garlic and onion and cook on medium-high until onion is translucent. Add the cooked lentils, onion and garlic, and remaining ingredients to a crockpot. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.

Vegan Peach Cobbler

Vegan Peach Cobbler

Ingredients

• Filling
• 8 peaches, sliced and pit removed
• 1/2 teaspoon unflavored liquid stevia
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon water
• Topping
• 1 cup old fashioned oats
• 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder or cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 2 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon stevia powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8x8 baking pan with non-stick spray. Combine all filling ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Evenly spread in the bottom of the baking pan.In a separate bowl, combine all crust ingredients except the maple syrup. Mix well until it  reaches a crumbly consistency. Crumble the topping mix onto the filling mix in the baking pan. Cover with foil and bake for about 40 minutes. Uncover and drizzle the maple syrup over the top. Continue baking for another 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool before serving.

Makes 8 servings.

Savory Seconds: Chicken Rice & Spinach Casserole

Chicken Rice Spinach Casserole

What I started with: I had some leftover brown rice, one chicken breast, 5 green onions, and some spinach.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
• 1 cooked chicken breast (roughly 8 ounces), diced
• 5 green onions
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 4 cups fresh spinach
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Preparation:

Slice the green onions. Mix about half of the green portions into the rice. Put the rice and onion mixture into a small casserole dish. Add a dollop of coconut oil to a pre-heated skillet on the stovetop. Sautee the spinach, garlic, and white part of the onions. Layer the spinach mixture on top of the rice mixture in the casserole dish. Layer the diced chicken breast on top of the spinach mixture. Top with cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees OR if you are in a hurry, microwave until the cheese melts and casserole is heated through.

The finished dish is very tasty!

Creamy Broccoli Soup

Creamy Broccoli Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds broccoli florets
• 1/2 large onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 can coconut milk
• salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation:

Add a pat of coconut oil to a soup pot. When the coconut oil melts, add the onion and the garlic and sauté until the onion is translucent (about 5 minutes). Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add the broccoli. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low and cook 10 minutes.

Next you'll puree the soup by either 1) using an immersion blender in the soup pot; or 2) CAREFULLY placing the soup into a blender. Puree ingredients to desired consistency. (We used our Vita-Mix.)

Return soup to the pot and add in the can of coconut milk. Simmer on low for 10 minutes.

Options:
-- For a chunkier soup, keep some of the cooked broccoli florets in the pot while you puree the rest of the soup then mix together back into the pot.
-- For some heartiness, add some chopped chicken or you can top with cheese.

Enjoy!

Fresh Roasted Tomato Sauce

Fresh Roasted Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

• 24 Whole Roasted Roma Tomatoes
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 2 teaspoons fennel seed
• 2 teaspoons marjoram
• 1 - 6 ounce can tomato paste
• 1 (6 ounce) can water

Preparation:

Put the tomatoes in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. In a pot on the stovetop, saute onion and garlic in olive oil just until starting to brown.  Place roasted tomato puree into the pot with the onion and garlic. Stir to combine. Add the spices, tomato paste, and can of water. Simmer on low for 30 minutes.

**OR** Place the (blended) roasted tomato puree, sauteed onion and garlic, and remaining ingredients into a crockpot. Cook on low for 4 hours.

If you prefer a meat sauce, brown one pound of ground meat and add it to the sauce.