Grain Free, Sugar Free Canine Candy Canes!

Cello’s Canine Candy Canes

DSC09205INGREDIENTS:

  • 3 cups organic garbanzo bean flour (plus more – see note)
  • 1/2 cup nonfat powdered milk
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 cup organic beef stock/broth, chicken stock, or vegetable stock (see note)
  • 2 large organic, free range eggs
  • 2 tsp red, all natural food coloring (see tips)
  • 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
  • 1 large organic, free range egg, whites only (for an egg wash)

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INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Whisk together the flour, powdered milk and baking powder.
  2. Pour beef stock in small bowl, and whisk the eggs into stock.
  3. Form a well in the dry ingredients, pour in the wet ingredients.
  4. Stir until thoroughly combined.
  5. Knead the dough for about two minutes.
  6. Add more flour until the dough is no longer sticky (dough will be VERY sticky and hard to work with.  Keep adding flour until dough is reasonable to work with.
  7. Divide the dough in half.
  8. Form a well in one of the halves of dough.
  9. Add the food coloring and peppermint flavoring to the one half of dough.
  10. Wearing food safe gloves, knead the coloring and flavoring throughout the dough.
  11. Cool the dough in the freezer for 30 minutes.
  12. Preheat the oven to 350° F
  13. Scoop a tablespoon of each half of dough  into tablespoon-sized balls.
  14. Gently roll each ball into a “worm” shape, letting the dough rest when needed. Each strip should be about 5 inches long.
  15. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
  16. Twist one plain strip with a red strip, and curl the end to shape a candy cane.
  17. Place on the baking sheet.
  18. Whisk the extra egg (whites only) in a small bowl.
  19. Using a pastry brush, thoroughly coat each candy cane with the egg wash.
  20. Bake for 10-15 minutes. (let cool in oven for crunchier treat)
  21. Cool completely on a wire rack.

NOTES:

Garbanzo bean flour:  Although a great alternative to grain-based flour, this flour is SUPER sticky and can be difficult to work with. Keep adding flour until dough is at a consistency you are comfortable working with.  Allowing the dough to cool in freezer will help with handling this sticky dough.

Broth/Stock:  No matter which stock you choose (Chicken, Beef, or Vegetable), be sure to check that it does NOT contain any form of onion, or onion powder

Food Coloring: rather than use artificial coloring, I chose an all-natural vegetable base coloring made from beet juice (India Tree brand vegetable colorants).  Beet powder is also another great alternative to artificial coloring.

Yield:  will depend on how long/thick you make each “worm” when you are twisting the candy canes.  My batch made 15 candy canes.

Storing: Remember, these treats do not have any preservatives, so they will need to be refrigerated, or frozen for use at a later time. These canine candy canes will keep fresh for approximately two weeks in the refrigerator, or for about 6 months in the freezer.

Peanut Butter Pumpkin Pooch Pleasers (Grain Free !!)

Cello has had recurring ear infections lately.  It was suggested to us to try her on a grain-free diet for 30 days to see if her ear problem ceases.  Her dog food is of very high quality, and is already grain free.  However, all of the treats I was making her had whole-wheat flour as an ingredient  …so – this is the first grain-free treat to be made in Cello’s Cucina!

We are going to go camping for Thanksgiving, so I decided to make these treats to bring on the trip for Cello… I chose Fall cookie cutters…a turkey, 2 different shaped leaves, an acorn, and a Squirrel (Cello’s favorite!)

 Fall cookie cutters

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Cello is licking her lips waiting for her treats to be done! DSC08622

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INGREDIENTS:

  • 2  1/2 to 3 c. of organic garbanzo bean flour (SEE NOTE)
  • 2  1/2 Tbsp of creamy organic peanut butter (unsweetened and no salt)
    • Be sure that the peanut butter you use doesn’t contain xylitol)
  • 2 Tbsp pure natural organic honey
  • 3/4 c. organic canned pumpkin (PURE pumpkin – NOT pumpkin pie filling)

DIRECTIONS:

1.  preheat oven to 300 degrees F

2.  In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients until completely combined

3.  The dough will be very sticky – so generously flour everything – including your hands.  Roll the dough out to about 1/4-inch thickness.

Use cookie cutters of your choice to cut out the cookies.

4.  Place cookies on a parchment paper-lined cookie tray, and bake the cookies for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.  The cookies will

come out a pretty pumpkiny-brown!  Let cool on a wire rack for soft treats, or turn oven off and let treats sit in oven for 1-2 hours or more if you want crunchier treats.  I baked mine at night, so I just shut the oven off and left treats to cool overnight. In the morning I put some in the refrigerator, and some in the freezer to take on our camping trip.

Cookies can be stored in an air tight container in refrigerator for approximately 2 weeks – or in the freezer if you would like them to last a bit longer, or if you wanted to save them for a later date.

NOTE: have lots of extra garbanzo bean flour  – the dough is REALLY sticky…so you will need to add flour to the dough, the cookie cutters, the roller, and the work surface (I used a glass cutting board – which worked the best with this sticky dough)

Grain Free Ginger Bread Man Cookies

Gingerbread Man Cookies

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INGREDIENTS:

  • 3 cups organic buckwheat flour
  • 2 tbsp organic ground ginger
  • 1 tsp organic ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp organic ground cloves
  • 1/2 cup organic blackstrap molasses
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup organic canola oil

 

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Preheat oven to 325° F
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon and cloves until combined well.
  3. In a small bowl, stir together the molasses, water and canola oil.
  4. Pour the wet mixture into the flour.
  5. Stir ingredients until thoroughly combined.
  6. Roll out the dough to about 1/2 inch thickness.
  7. Use a gingerbread cookie cutter to cut cookies.
  8. Lightly spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
  9. Place your gingerbread man cookies on the baking sheet.
  10. Continue to roll and cut out shapes with the remaining dough.
  11. Bake for 20 minutes.
  12. Cool completely on a wire rack, or allow to cool in the oven (after you turn it off) for a crunchier treat.

 

Yield – Will depend on size of your gingerbread man cookie cutter.  My batch made 30 gingerbread man cookies.

Storing – These treats should keep fresh for several weeks in the refrigerator, or in the freezer for approximately 6 months.