Thursday, September 3, 2015

Homemade Dog Treat Recipe | Cheesy Cauliflower Muffin Bites

Yesterday, I asked the question - can dogs eat cauliflower? The answer is definitely yes and there are several good health benefits for your dog from cauliflower. Because I have never seen a homemade dog treat recipe that uses cauliflower, I decided to make my own.

My dog, Shiner, has never eaten cauliflower before. I don't buy it often and it just never crossed my mind to feed it to her before. Shiner was very interested in the cauliflower and wanted to eat it when I showed it to her.



Today's homemade dog treats are called "Cheesy Cauliflower Muffin Bites" and I'm very pleased with the way they turned out. You can share them with your dog too! I tried one and thought it tasted really good. If you are planning to make a batch to share with your dog, I'd recommend adding a little bit of seasoning to some for yourself. The dog treat recipe does not include any seasoning.

Ingredients


  • 1 head of cauliflower
  • 1/2 cup of cottage cheese
  • 2 eggs 
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/4 cup cheddar cheese (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

To make these Cheesy Cauliflower Muffin Bites for dogs, you are going to need a mini muffin pan, a food processor or blender, mixing bowl, and an oven. The cheddar cheese is optional and could be omitted if you want to reduce some of the calories in the dog treats. 

Directions for Cheesy Cauliflower Muffin Bites

  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Farenheit. 
  2. Chop your cauliflower into small pieces. They don't have to look pretty, because they will be blended together anyways. 
  3. Add about a 1/4 cup water and all of the chopped cauliflower to a microwave safe bowl, cover, and microwave for 3-5 minutes. Remove the cauliflower, stir, recover, and microwave for another 3-5 minutes. 
  4. Drain the water from the cauliflower and add it to your food processor or blender. Pulse until mostly all of the large chunks of cauliflower are gone. (I found this a bit tricky with a blender, but it worked out OK.)
  5. Add the cauliflower, cottage cheese, eggs, and cheddar cheese to a mixing bowl and stir together until everything is mixed well. 
  6. Use vegetable oil to grease your muffin pan lightly so the treats don't stick to the pan. 
  7. Add the cauliflower mixture to the muffin pan. You can fill them to the top. Press down gently on each one. 
  8. Bake in your preheated oven for 25 minutes or until golden on top and firm to the touch. Remove from pan and let them cool.

The recipe is easy to make, grain free, and only uses a couple of ingredients that are inexpensive and safe for dogs to eat. As with any dog treat, feed in moderation. If your dog is sensitive to cheese or dairy products, this homemade dog treat may not be a good choice for them. 

You can share the treats with your dog while they are fresh and warm, and refrigerate or freeze the leftovers for later. 


Shiner loved her Cheesy Cauliflower Muffin Bites and was eager to gobble them up when I offered them to her. My pet rats also enjoyed eating them. 

We hope your dog enjoys these homemade dog treats as much as ours did! Happy Cooking!

12 comments:

  1. The heck with Dakota, I want to make these for ME!!! lol
    xoxo
    DakotasDen

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    Replies
    1. And you totally should! I thought they tasted pretty good without any seasoning in them. I will probably make some again with seasoning and maybe a little extra cheese. Because I like cheese :)

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  2. I think I will share them with Schooner and Skipper. They sounds so delicious that I am going to make them for the labor day weekend to take to a party. Thanks for the YUMMY recipe.

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    Replies
    1. Awesome! They should turn out good if I was able to wing this first try so well lol! They really are easy to make.

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  3. Wow, those look good! I don't eat cauliflower so never have it in the house. I think this recipe might work with other veggies too, like maybe broccoli?
    Very creative, Ann, I had to pin this one for sure!

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    Replies
    1. Broccoli is very similar to cauliflower so it might work too. I also rarely ever use cauliflower, but it was calling my name at the grocery store this time. Thank you for sharing!

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  4. My mom is picky and not a big veggie fan, but she says add cheese and almost everything is good. We might give this a try.

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    Replies
    1. I agree - cheese makes everything better! I do love vegetables though. I just wish my family liked them more.

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  5. I agree with Caren! Those look pretty darned tasty, and maybe, just maybe we'd share them with our doggie pals. :)

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  6. Lol I'd make these for myself! I think Bain would get too gassy. Then again, I'm not supposed to have cheese either!

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    Replies
    1. Shiner always seems slightly gassy no matter what, so I figured a little extra gas wouldn't be so bad BOL... but I haven't been able to notice any difference after feeding them.

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  7. I want to make these for myself!!

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