Almost all dogs love peanut butter. March 1st was National Peanut Butter Day but there is no better day than TODAY to make your dog a tasty peanut buttery treat that they are sure to go nuts over. And the best part is that you don’t have to feel guilty about peanut butter treats because they are actually really good for your dog.
Health Benefits of Peanut Butter
A great addition to your pet’s diet, peanut butter is chock full of goodness.
- Great source of protein
- Full of heart healthy fats
- Lots of vitamins like B, E, and niacin
- Makes coats shiny and full
Homemade Peanut Butter
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cup unsalted, roasted peanuts
- 1 tsp. honey or molasses (optional)
- 1 tsp. or more peanut or safflower oil (optional)
Directions:
- Place peanuts into a food processor or high-speed blender.
- Process until the PB is the desired consistency. Note that PB goes through different stages: starting with a crushed blob of nuts, then to a paste with the consistency of a pie dough, and then into a thicker paste before it finally becomes a creamy “butter.”
- Blend for around around 3 minutes to allow the oils to be released so the “paste” can become a butter. If your blender or food processor gets too warm, turn it off, and let it cool, and continue processing. Eventually you’ll start to see the peanut butter that you recognize.
- For crunchy style PB, chop up a handful of peanuts and add to the finished processed PB.
- Refrigerate in an airtight jar or tupperware.
Easy Peanut Butter Treats
Ingredients:
- 2 cups whole wheat flour or gluten free flour of your choice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/3 cup smooth natural peanut butter
- 1 cup hot water or 1 cup skim milk
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Mix together the flour and baking powder in a big bowl.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the peanut butter and hot water until smooth. Slowly add the dry mixture and mix well. Add a little water or milk as needed if the dough is too dry, or flour if it’s too wet.
- Place onto your counter and roll to 1/4″ thickness.
- Cut with a cookie cutter and place on a cookie sheet.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly brown. Let cool, and then let the begging begin!
Frozen Treat Bites
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of peanut butter,
- ½ of a banana – mashed
- A dash of water
Directions:
- Mix together
- Put into ice cube trays (silicone ones work best)
- Freeze for a few hours
Peanut butter is a great treat for our dogs that is also good for them too. They feel like they are indulging, but really they are getting a belly full of nutrients. It doesn’t have to be National Peanut Butter Day to let your dog enjoy these treats, but it is the perfect day to try one!