The recipe that follows, Green Chicken Crumpets, is packed with beneficial ingredients and flavors that will make your dog’s or cat’s mouth water. Best of all, it takes just four ingredients, and in about 30 minutes (including baking and prep time), you’ll be pulling these homemade pet treats out of your oven, and popping them into your waiting pet’s mouth. Be sure to let them cool before giving your pet a taste!
- 1 cup ground chicken
- 1/2 cup freshly chopped basil
- 1/4 cup plain organic, yogurt
- 1T hemp protein powder
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Combine all ingredients together in a mixing bowl.
- Drop into bite-sized morsels on a greased cookie sheet.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until light brown.
In contrast, Green Chicken Crumpets contain just four health-promoting ingredients… and nothing more (no hidden fillers, sugars, preservatives, etc.).
Free-Range Chicken
Chicken is an excellent source of protein and it contains all B vitamins along with minerals like selenium. Other nutrients in chicken include zinc, copper, phosphorus, magnesium, and iron, along with sulfur-containing amino acids like cysteine, which help thin mucus in the lungs so it’s easier to discharge.
Other amino acids in chicken, notably leucine, isoleucine and valine, are important for cardiac and skeletal muscle health.1 Ideally, choose free-range, organic chicken.
Basil
Basil contains iron, calcium, manganese, vitamin C, and potassium, along with vitamin K, which is important for blood clotting. The vitamin A in basil consists of beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant that helps protect the cell lining and blood vessels against free radical damage. This essential vitamin also prevents the oxidation of cholesterol in the blood to avoid atherosclerosis, heart attack, and stroke.
Basil is also packed with DNA-protecting flavonoids and volatile oils such as estragole, linalool, cineole, eugenol, sabinene, myrcene, and limonene, which are important in fighting off different kinds of bacteria like listeria, staphylococcus, E. coli, yersinia enterocolitica, and pseudomonas aeruginosa. Basil also has anti-inflammatory properties and is known to help provide relief from inflammatory conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis.
Grass-Fed Plain Yogurt
Yogurt is rich in high-quality protein, beneficial probiotics, calcium, B vitamins, and even cancer-fighting conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) (the latter of which is particularly found in grass-fed yogurt).
Your absolute best bet when it comes to yogurt is to make your own using a starter culture and raw grass-fed milk. Raw organic milk from grass-fed cows not only contains beneficial bacteria that support your pet’s immune system and can help reduce allergies, it's also an outstanding source of vitamins (especially vitamin A), zinc, enzymes, and healthy fats. All you need is a high-quality culture starter added to a quart of raw milk, which you leave at room temperature overnight.
If you’re buying a commercial brand, seek out organic yogurt and that made from 100% grass-fed or pastured milk. And you'll want wholemilk yogurt, not low-fat or skim.
Organic Hemp Protein Powder
Organic hemp protein powder is a high-quality source of plant protein that contains all nine essential amino acids vital for good health. In addition, it’s an excellent source of essential fatty acids (including omega-3 and omega-6), magnesium, iron and zinc, along with beneficial fiber.
Looking for more homemade pet treat recipes? Check out my e-cookbook, Homemade Treats for Healthy Pets: Nutritious Recipes for Your Cats and Dogs. This e-book is filled with homemade dog and cat food ideas, which are personally formulated by me and my mom, and that I’m sure your pets will love. Over 20 species-appropriate recipes – crunchy morsels, savory treats, and even pet-friendly desserts – are included for your cats and dogs.
recipe courtesy Dr. Becker