Taking care of your pet’s heart is an important part of being a pet parent, and what better time of year to devote yourself to a little heart-pampering than Valentine’s Day?  Show your pets how much you care with some of these simple but delicious, heart-healthy recipes dogs and cats.

Pumpkin Pupcakes

Ingredients:

• 1 can mashed pumpkin (15 oz. – NOT spiced pie filling)
• ¾ C garbanzo (chickpea) & fava bean flour
• ½ C dry powdered milk

Mix ingredients together, spoon into mini muffin tins and bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes.  These treats are very soft so they are great for older pets or dogs with sensitive teeth.  Refrigerate or freeze to preserve.

Pumpkin is packed with vitamins that boost immunity and help fight cancer.  It is surprisingly low in calories and high in fiber—great for a low fat, heart-healthy treat and even as a substitute for a portion of your dog’s daily food intake to reduce weight.

Using bean flour is a great substitute for regular wheat flour because it is high in protein and dietary fiber, as well as a good source of iron.

Courtesy of www.all-natural-dog-treat.com.

Oven-Dried Liver

Ingredients:

• Liver

Cut your “liver of choice” into thin strips ( ½ x ¼ in ) and place them on a wire mesh tray.  Place them in the oven on slow cooker, or at the lowest possible setting, and let the strips “cook” for 5-6 hours or until they appear dry.  Let them cool for more hours on the counter, then break them up as desired and place in a cool, dry container.

Liver is rich in all kinds of vitamins and minerals and by drying it plain you can preserve all the delicious, meaty flavor without adding carbohydrates by baking it in dough.  However, liver is high in cholesterol so doll these tidbits out in moderation. (So I guess they’re not really heart-healthy but they just sound so good…if you’re a dog or cat!)

Salmon Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 can of Salmon or Jack Mackerel (15 oz.)
• some flour (use soy or chickpea flour for a healthy twist)
• 2 tsp of salt
• 1 tsp of baking powder

Mix fish (and all the juices) with salt and baking powder.  Add flour for texture and to make it stick.  Spread the mixture on a cookie sheet, score into sections (for easier breaking apart after) and bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes or until golden.

Both salmon and mackerel are rich in healthy omega fats that will improve the health of your pet inside and out!  You can also choose not to add the salt, to make this an even healthier treat.

Courtesy of www.dogaware.com.

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