From the kitchen: Apple & Cheddar Dog Biscuits

It’s coming guys – bathing suit season. Ugh! I need to fit into a bikini next weekend, so I’ve cut out carbs for the time being in hopes of losing a little bit of the bloat that likes to hang around my midsection. Fingers crossed. Diamond, on the other hand, is a born super model and carbs only seem to enhance her beauty, so she graciously accepted the challenge of eating my baked goods this week.

She’s a cheese lover, it’s bad for her but we give in every so often. She’s cute. What can we do? You try saying no to her spotted nose and hazel eyes. It’s impossible, I promise you.

Anyway, I made her these cheddar and apple treats with oats and brown rice flour. Diamond ate three at one sitting, so I assume they’re pretty good – although this is the same dog that inhaled a half eaten hamburger on the sidewalk last week before I could stop her (shrugs). Like I said, what can we do? She does what she wants. Including actively not participating in this very blog post. All I wanted was a dog to sit at the dining table, wearing a napkin around her neck, while cutely mugging for the camera, is that too much to ask Diamond?!! It was.

p.s. have an awesome weekend!!!

Success!

Apple Cheddar Dog Treats (adapted from Martha Stewart)

Makes about 16 biscuits

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cups brown rice flour (plus more for dusting)
• 1/2 cup old-fashioned oatmeal
• 1/3 cup shredded cheddar
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons water

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a nonstick baking mat or parchment paper; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients to form a dough. Roll out mixture between two sheets of plastic wrap dusted with brown rice flour to 1/4-inch thick; remove plastic wrap and cut out biscuits with your favorite cookie cutter, I used a 2 1/2″ scalloped edge round cutter. Reroll scraps and continue cutting out biscuits.
3. Space biscuits 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheet. With your pinky finger and thumb, create indentations to resemble paw prints.
4. Bake for 25-30 minutes until nicely browned and firm.
5. Transfer biscuits to a wire rack.
6. Keep refrigerated in an airtight container up to 2 weeks.