Blueberry and Nut Butter Dog Treats (Recipe)

One weekend a while back, my husband and I joined some friends for a quick half-hour of blueberry picking.

Even though it was only 30 minutes, between the 5 of us, we collected 13 pounds of berries. Yep, pounds.

We split up our haul, and I baked everything from blueberry pie to muffins, cookies and pancakes. But I still had leftovers.

So, there was only one thing to do: I finished up the last of my fresh blueberries in a new dog treat recipe for Banjo.

Blueberry and Nut Butter Dog Treats

Ingredients

• 1½ cups oatmeal
• ⅔ cup almond butter with no added salt or sugar
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup plain yogurt
• ¼ cup fresh blueberries
• 1 tablespoon honey

Directions

1. Using a food processor, grind the oatmeal until it resembles a coarse flour.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and process until smooth. If the dough seems too runny, add a little more oatmeal.
3. Press the dough between 2 sheets of wax paper and refrigerate for 20–30 minutes.
4. While you wait, heat your oven to 350 F.
5. Remove the dough from the fridge and, leaving it between the wax paper, roll it to ¼-inch thickness.
6. Using a knife or cookie cutter, cut out the treats and place them on a nonstick baking sheet.
7. Bake for 12–15 minutes.

This recipe originally called for peanut butter. But Dr. Judy Morgan, DVM, CVA, CVCP, CVFT, who reviewed this recipe for Petful, says, "I do not like to use peanut butter when making food or treats for dogs. Peanuts (a legume) are commonly affected by aflatoxins, a toxin produced by molds. Not to mention the xylitol risk with peanut butter. Almond butter is a much better substitute."

I enjoy using blueberries in Banjo’s treats because of the potential health benefits.

Blueberries contain pterostilbene, a "powerful, dog-approved antioxidant that has been shown to contain potent cancer-fighting properties in animal studies," according to Dr. W. Jean Dodds, DVM.1 

Aside from the healthfulness of these treats, I’m even happier that Banjo is a fan of the berries — she loves her treats and leaves no crumbs behind.

Adapted from: Delish D’Lites.