When we posted our recipe for L&W’s Wheat-Free Blueberry and Flax Dog Cookies we were asked if we could come up with a grain-free cookie recipe.  It’s been a challenge, but I think we came up with a major winner here!

Instead of using wheat or rice flour, we chose coconut flour. Coconut flour is very finely ground dried coconut meat, which is left over after extracting the coconut oil.  It is very dense, so in most recipes many eggs are needed to allow the baked good to rise properly.

Did you know?

• At 58% fiber, coconut flour has 10 times more fiber than wheat flour and more than twice as much fiber as wheat bran!
• Coconut flour is naturally sweet, so you can use less sugar in baked goods.
• Coconut flour is low carb.  Using it in baked goods lowers their glycemic index and helps maintain healthy blood sugar levels.
• Coconut flour is rich in protein.
• Coconut flour is grain- and gluten-free.
• Coconut flour has only 120 calories per 1/4 cup.

L&W’s Grain Free Coconutter Cookies

The directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Sift the coconut flour into a medium bowl.  Coconut flour tends to be clumpy, so you may need to use a spatula or spoon to break up the clumps in your sifter.

Add the remainder of the ingredients and mix well, until a soft dough forms.

Using a small cookie scoop or rounded tablespoon, drop dough onto a greased cookie sheet.

Press a fork into some coconut flour so that it doesn’t stick to the dough. Then use the fork to gently flatten the cookies in a criss-cross pattern.

Bake at 350 for 12 minutes or until the bottoms begin to brown around the edges. Do not open the door.  Turn the oven off and allow the cookies to sit in the warm oven for 1 hour.  Cool completely before serving to your dog.

While your cookies are baking, enlist the help of your cleanup crew.

The finished product

Printable recipe:

L&W’s Grain Free Coconutter Cookies

The ingredients:

3/4 cup coconut flour
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 tablespoon molasses

The directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Sift the coconut flour into a medium bowl.  Coconut flour tends to be clumpy, so you may need to use a spatula or spoon to break up the clumps in your sifter.
3. Add the remainder of the ingredients and mix well, until a soft dough forms.
4. Using a small cookie scoop or rounded tablespoon, drop dough onto a greased cookie sheet.
5. Press a fork into some coconut flour so that it doesn’t stick to the dough. Then use the fork to gently flatten the cookies in a criss-cross pattern.
6. Bake at 350 for 12 minutes or until the bottoms begin to brown around the edges. Do not open the door.  Turn the oven off and allow the cookies to sit in the warm oven for 1 hour.
7. Cool completely before serving to your dog.

Makes 18 cookies

We’re heading out on vacation in just a few days. We were going to board the dogs, but luckily, my brother will be able to stay with them at our house while we’re gone. To make things easier for him, I want to be sure to leave the dogs with plenty of things to do, so I bought 4 new Kongs. My thought is that I will freeze them and he can refill and rotate them as they get eaten so there will always be a frozen Kong waiting in the freezer.

I usually just stuff them with peanut butter and Rice Krispies, or mashed sweet potato mixed with chicken broth, but I thought I might try something extra special for while we’re gone.

While I was searching for interesting Kong stuffing ideas, I came across a great article at The Fun Times Guide I thought these were great!

What’s your dog’s favorite Kong stuffing?

The following recipes are from The Fun Times Guide

CHEESY ELVIS: Combine a ripe banana, 3 spoonfuls of peanut butter, and a slice of cheese. Mix until blended well. Fill the Kong and freeze.

MONSTER MASH: Instant mashed potatoes (without the salt) — or leftover mashed potatoes from dinner — mixed with crushed dog biscuits.

DOGGIE OMELET: Combine a scrambled egg, some beef, yogurt, cheese and mashed potatoes all together

FIBER CRUNCH: Combine bran cereal with some peanut butter.

KONGSICLE JERKY POPS: The equivalent of a popsicle… Seal the small hole of the Kong toy with peanut butter. Fill to the rim with water and a pinch of bouillon (or just use chicken broth instead). Place a stick or two of beef jerky inside. Freeze. (This one gets messy in a hurry, so it’s recommended only for outdoor use.)

GOOEY CHEERIOS: Combine cheerios and peanut butter. Freeze.

FRUIT KITTY NOODLES: Mix together some dried fruit, cooked pasta, banana and dry cat food.

BANANA YOGURT: Plain yogurt and mashed bananas. (You can also add a little peanut butter or other fruits.) Then freeze it.

PEANUT BUTTER GLUE: Fill Kong 1/3rd full of dog food. Pour in melted peanut butter (after it has cooled from microwaving). Add more dog food, followed by more melted peanut butter until the Kong toy is full. Freeze until solid.

ROCK-HARD KIBBLE: Combine some of your dog’s regular food with cream cheese, which acts as a cement, keeping everything inside.

STICKY BREAD: Smear peanut butter on a piece of bread. Fold it over and stuff inside the Kong. Mix together plain yogurt with some fruits or vegetables (carrots, celery) and pour inside. Freeze. The yogurt sticks to the bread holding everything together.

APPLE PIE: Squeeze a small piece of apple into the tiny hole. Fill the Kong with a small amount of plain yogurt. Add a few slices of mashed banana, more apple, yogurt, banana. End with a slice of banana and chunk of peanut butter on the top.

CRUNCH ‘N MUNCH: Combine crumbled rice cakes and dried fruit with some cream cheese and plain croutons.

PUMPKIN PIECES: Combine some plain yogurt, canned pumpkin, and cooked rice in a small baggie. Mix well inside the bag, then snip off a corner of the bag and squeeze it into the Kong toy. Freeze.

KIBBLE-SICLE: Put a glob of peanut butter into the Kong first. Then add some dry dog food. Pour in some chicken broth. Add some more peanut butter, followed by more dry dog food. End with another glob of peanut butter at the very top. Freeze until solid.

OLD STANDBY: Soak some of your dog’s regular food in water (or chicken broth) for a brief time before placing it inside a Kong, then freeze.

MUTT & CHEESE: Melt a cube of Velveeta cheese in the microwave, until it’s gooey — not runny. Fill the Kong toy with cooked noodles. Pour cheese over noodles.

FROZEN BONZ: Mix up some bananas, unsweetened applesauce, oatmeal, peanut butter, and plain yogurt. Freeze.

CHEEZY DELIGHT: Combine small chunks of cheese (or cheese spread) with some dry dog food and microwave until the cheese melts. Let it cool completely, then pour into the Kong toy. Freeze thoroughly.

CARB DELIGHT: Combine some canned dog food with pasta noodles, rice, mashed potatoes, and some of your dog’s dry dog food. Freeze.

NUT CRUNCH: Take 2-3 dog biscuits and crunch them a bit into very tiny bite-sized pieces. Add a couple spoonfuls of peanut butter. Then add a couple spoonfuls of plain yogurt. Mix in bowl until soft, but not runny. Stuff inside Kong.

BABYLICIOUS: Mix together some fat-free cream cheese, peanut butter, and either sugar-free applesauce or a jar of baby food (like bananas, carrots). Cram a solid food item into the small hole at the end of the Kong, then fill with the mixture. Seal the large hole with either more cream cheese or peanut butter.

FRUITOPIA: Combine applesauce with chunks of fruit. Freeze.

PUPPY TRAIL: Fill the Kong with some cashews (unsalted) and freeze-dried liver bits. Add some dry dog food and/or dog crushed dog biscuits and some Cheerios. Drop in a spoonful of peanut butter, followed by some dried fruit. Finally, top it off by using a piece of ravioli or tortellini to close the large opening.

RED ROVER: Smear the inside of the Kong toy with peanut butter. Put a tiny piece of apple into the small hole, then drop some more apple pieces in next. Drop in a scoop of peanut butter (or cream cheese), then drop in some dog food or broken dog treats. Add another scoop of peanut butter (or cream cheese), then more apples. Plug the large opening with a final scoop of peanut butter (or cream cheese) and freeze.

FROZEN TUNA SALAD: Mix together well: 1 6oz can of light tuna, 2 T. plain yogurt, and 1/4 C. grated carrot. Spoon into KONG toy. Freeze. According to Linda G. of Mendham, NJ (as printed in the Aug ’07 Kong Newsletter), “This treat is healthy and high in Omega-3 fatty acids which contribute to healthy skin and a glistening coat.”

ICEBERG KONG: Kolchak‘s mommy says: “Mix some dry and wet food together and stuff into enough Kongs to hold your dog’s supper (use different sizes & strengths to make it fun). Put them into an ice cream bucket. Mix a few squirts of dog gravy (from the pet store) with enough water to cover the Kongs. (If you really want to spoil your dog, toss in a small handful of dog treats!) Freeze the whole thing — usually takes overnight. Great for dogs who don’t each much, especially during those hot summer months. When it is frozen, run it under hot water to loosen it from the bucket and serve — outside, because it’s messy.”

And the winners of our K9 Flyer Giveaway are…

Mary Hone and Roxy the Traveling Dog!

Congratulations!

It’s another awesome Saturday Pet Blogger Hop, brought to you by Life with Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume! Leave us a note to let us know you dropped by, then hop on over to one of these other great blogs! Read the rest of this entry »

Blueberries were on sale this week, so I bought a bunch!  The dogs love them, so I decided to try coming up with a new recipe for a crunchy dog cookie that included blueberries.

L&W’s Wheat-Free Blueberry and Flax Dog Cookies

The ingredients:

2 cups Rice Flour
3/8 cup Flax Meal
1/4 cup Blueberries
1/8 cup Coconut Oil
1/8 cup Applesauce
1 cup Water

The Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl until combined.  The mixture will be crumbly.

Transfer the mixture to a waxed-paper-covered surface.  Knead mixture to form a firm dough.

Roll dough 1/4″ thick and cut into 1″ squares.

Transfer squares to a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper (or a silpat).

Bake at 350 degrees for 1/2 hour, until the cookies are slightly brown.

Meanwhile, share some blueberries with your patient assistants…

After 1/2 hour, turn off the oven and leave the cookies to rest for 1 hour without opening the oven door.  Remove cookies and allow them to cool completely before feeding them to your dog.

The finished product:

I will look ‘berry’ cute for a cookie!

That’s nothin’!  I’ll do a dance.

I call this the LuBerry Twist!

Lu and Wally give these cookies

4 enthusiastic paws up!

Did you know?

Coconut oil:

• Improves digestion and nutrient absorption
• Helps control body and breath odor
• Aids in elimination of hairballs and coughing
• Aids healing of digestive disorders like inflammatory bowel syndrome and colitis.
• Contains powerful antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal agents that prevent infection and disease
• Prevents and treats yeast and fungal infections, including candida
• Promotes normal thyroid function
• Helps prevent or control diabetes
• Aids in arthritis relief
• Reduces allergic reactions
• Improves skin health and hair condition
• Disinfects cuts and promotes wound healing
• As an antioxidant, it is 50 times more potent than Vitamin E, 15 times more potent than carrots, and 300 times more potent than tomatoes.

Flax Meal:

• Is an excellent source of alpha-linolenic acid, a type of Omega-3 fatty acid
• Can prevent dry, itchy skin, shedding, and hot spots
• May reduce or or stop the need for cortisone shots or steroids in dogs suffering from allergies
• May help to heal cracked paws and nails
• Helps regulate body functions in your dog, including blood pressure, kidney and artery function, as well as calcium and energy metabolism
• Contains lignin, a compound that is believed to have powerful cancer fighting, anti-fungal, and anti viral properties

Blueberries:

• Are low in fat and high in vitamin C and fiber
• Increase levels of antioxidants in the blood
• Prevent damage from free radicals
• A blueberry-enriched diet may improve cognitive function in older dogs.   Because blueberries are rich in natural antioxidants and that plays an important role in preventing a increase of oxidative damage in brain aging. Actually, studies have shown that older dogs that consume blueberries and other antioxidants over several years are more able to perform tasks, and learn new ones, than old dogs that were fed an average diet.

Printable Recipe:

L&W’s Wheat-Free Blueberry and Flax Dog Cookies

The ingredients:

2 cups Rice Flour
3/8 cup Flax Meal
1/4 cup Blueberries
1/8 cup Coconut Oil
1/8 cup Applesauce
1 cup Water

The directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl until combined. The mixture will be crumbly.
3. Transfer the mixture to a waxed-paper-covered surface. Knead mixture to form a firm dough.
4. Roll to 1/4″ thick and cut into 1/2″ squares.
5. Transfer squares to a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper (or a silpat).
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 1/2 hour, until the cookies are slightly brown.
7. After 1/2 hour, turn off the oven and leave the cookie sheet to rest for 1 hour without opening the oven door.
8. Remove cookies and allow them to cool completely before feeding them to your dog.
   
9. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

I finally got around to making those sweet potato chews I was talking about in a previous post.   Did you know that The Center for Science in the Public Interest ranked the sweet potato as the number one vegetable when it comes to nutrition?  They’re chock full of complex carbohydrates, protein, vitamins A and C, iron and calcium.  They’re a great alternative to rawhide, full of fiber and highly digestible.  Plus, my dogs really like them!  :)

A recipe from