Sweet Potato, Kale, & Cheese - Vegan Pet Treats

Photo credit: Vaughn Farris

We often hear about the importance of integrating complex carbohydrates and leafy greens into our diets, but are they valuable for our pets? I am “that person” at the grocery store who will stand in the aisle examining the nutritional facts and content in a package while conducting an internet search on my phone about what the different ingredients are. Even worse, I am that person in the pet food store! Because of this obsession with making sure the things in our household are just as good for our pets as they are for us, I decided to do an exhaustive internet search on different pet treats recipes. After several variations on the recipe in the test kitchen, this is the result.

Here is why I selected these ingredients:

• Chickpeas - High in protein and fiber, low in fat, chickpeas are a good source of many vitamins and minerals like potassium, magnesium, and vitamins (A, B). These maintain and improve kidney function, blood pressure and support healthy vision. (1)

• Sweet Potato - A complex carbohydrate containing beta-carotene, vitamins (A, B6, C), calcium, potassium, magnesium, and iron. These essential sources help to boost immunity, improve vision, and promote healthy teeth and bones. (2)

• Kale - Leafy greens contain lutein, zeaxanthin, chlorophyll, which give kale a rich green color. Kale is high in calcium, magnesium, potassium, and iron, which support strong bones and a healthy heart and is great for balancing free-radicals and supports colon health, liver detoxification, and fighting off infections. (3)

• Nutritional Yeast - This plant culture provides protein, zinc, biotin, and B vitamins to support the maintenance of healthy skin and coat, which may minimize excessive shedding and dry skin. (4)

• Sea Salt - Only trace amounts of minerals, including potassium, iron, and calcium, are found in sea salt. The benefit of using small quantities of sodium chloride is that it helps monitor animal's cells, regulate fluid balance, and blood pressure in the body. (5;6)

• Olive Oil - Rich in antioxidants, phytonutrients, vitamin E, and omega-3 fatty acids, olive oil aids in promoting healthy digestion, brain function and moisturizes skin and coat. (7)

Tools:

Food processor/mixer
Rolling pin
Cookie-cutter (Used here a 2”x2” inch paw shape to maximize yield)
Parchment paper
Baking sheet (Pro-tip: a light-colored baking sheet will cause the treats to not brown on the bottom.)

Preparation Notes:

Sweet potato and kale powder: To maximize flavor and longevity for these treats, I found it best to use dehydrated vegetables. The dehydration process helps to remove moisture and protect the nutritional quality of the vegetables. Making your own powders can be done at home in an oven or in a dehydrator. The vegetables will need to be pulverized in a food processor or in a spice-nut grinder into a powder. These may even be purchased in a local market or online. If buying a pre-packaged item, consult the ingredients list to verify that no added sugars or preservatives may be deemed harmful to your animal.

Prep-Time: 15 mins
Bake-Time: 10-12 mins
Approx. Yield: 25 treats

Recipe:

1 cup - Chickpea flour
3 tablespoons - Sweet potato powder
1 tablespoon - Kale powder
2 tablespoons - Nutritional yeast
½ teaspoon - Sea salt
3 tablespoons - Olive oil
4 tablespoons - Water

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In your food processor, blend all the dry ingredients together – chickpea flour, sweet potato powder, kale powder, nutritional yeast, and sea salt by pulsing several times. While continuing to pulse, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Following the olive oil, slowly pour in water. Pulse until well blended.

Remove the dough from the food processor and place it on parchment paper. This dough is very sticky and should be worked by placing it in the middle of two parchment paper pieces and rolled out with a rolling pin. Roll the dough out three times, folding it in between each roll. Using the rolling pin, work the dough into 1/8 inch thickness. It will have a glossy appearance and will be easy to handle.

Using your cookie cutter, cut out treats. Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and place into a 350°F oven for 10 to12 minutes. Allow to cool completely before serving to your favorite little beast.