Dog Treats Made With Beef Bouillon

Dogs love beef. Why not ramp up the taste factor of her meals by adding beef bouillon to your home-prepared dog cuisine. Indispensable as a savory base for doggy gravy, beef bouillon also gives a hearty boost to the flavor of treats, tempting even the most hard-to-please.

These home-baked cheesy beef bones are crunchy and nutritious, and beef bouillon gives them an extra-beefy taste. To prepare, preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine in a large mixing bowl: 1/2 cup of brown rice flour, 1/2 cup of oat flour, 3/4 cup of old-fashioned rolled oats, 1/2 cup of oat bran and 1/2 cup of coarse cornmeal. Dissolve 2 teaspoons of sodium-free or sodium-reduced beef bouillon powder in 1 cup of boiling water, and set aside to cool. In a medium mixing bowl, combine 1 large egg, 1 tablespoon of raw honey, 1/4 cup of olive oil, 1/2 cup of skim milk and the beef bouillon. Whisk until all the ingredients are well-incorporated. Fold in 1/2 cup of low-fat, shredded cheddar cheese. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients a little at a time, and mix until a dough forms.

Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to about 1/2 inch thick. If the dough is too sticky, add a little more oat flour -- if it's too dry, add a little water. Cut the dough with a bone-shaped cookie cutter. Place the bone-shaped cookies close together on a baking sheet that is lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the cookies are golden-brown. For an extra-crunchy treat, turn off the oven and let them cool in the oven for a few hours or overnight. You can store the cheesy beef bones in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

These herbalicious beef dog biscuits are both wheat-free and gluten-free, the ideal treat for dogs with grain allergies. Beef bouillon gives them a delicious beefy flavor and aroma that dogs find irresistible. To prepare herb and beef biscuits, preheat the oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 cups of brown rice flour, 2 cups of oat flour, 1/2 cup of coarse cornmeal, 1/2 cup of oat bran, 1 tablespoon of dried parsley and 1 tablespoon of crushed, dried rosemary. Mix thoroughly to blend the ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl, combine 1 large egg with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and beat until incorporated. Dissolve 2 teaspoons of sodium-free or sodium-reduced beef bouillon powder in 1 cup of boiling water, and let cool. Add the cooled beef bouillon to the egg-and-oil mixture, then stir well to incorporate. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients a little at a time to form a dough.

Roll out the herb and beef biscuit dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/2-inch thickness. If the dough is too sticky, add more oat flour -- if it is too dry, add a little water. Cut the dough into squares, triangles or crescents -- or use a cookie cutter. Place the biscuits close together on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Bake for 2 hours, or until the biscuits are golden brown and firm to the touch. Remove them from the oven, and cool on a wire rack. For an extra-crunchy biscuit, turn off the oven and let the treats cool in the oven for a few hours or overnight. Store leftover herb and beef biscuits in the refrigerator in a loosely closed paper bag for up to 5 days.

Both the cheesy beef bones and herb and beef biscuits contain a valuable blend of nutrients derived from wholesome, natural ingredients such as raw honey, olive oil, oat bran and herbs.

Honey is almost the perfect food -- it contains protein, carborhydrates, iron, copper, manganese, silica, chlorine, calcium, potassium, sodium, phosphorous, aluminum, magnesium, vitamin B complex, vitamins, C,D and E. A natural energizer and wonderful pick-me-up for listless dogs, in its raw, unheated form honey discourages the growth of unhealthy bacteria in the digestive tract.

Rich in monounsaturated fats, olive oil offers a host of health benefits to your dog, such as prevention of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. It also contains oleic acid, believed to help prevent cancer, and high levels of antioxidants, including polyphenols, vitamin E, chlorophyll, and carotenoids, all of which aid the immune system and help fight off disease. Olive oil also keeps your dog looking her best, working from the inside out to keep her skin healthy, and add shine to her coat.

A primary ingredient in the cheesy beef bones and herb and beef biscuits, oat flour is made by grinding old-fashioned, rolled oats into a flour consistency. Oats are one of the least allergenic of grains. It is a warming grain that calms the nervous and reproductive systems, strengthens the pancreas, spleen and immune system, as well as the heart muscle. Oat bran is the fiber-rich outer casing on the oat grain and promotes a healthy digestive tract. In combination, oat flour and oat bran are a powerhouse of nutrition.

Nutrient-rich herbs are a beneficial addition to your dog's diet, and tasty ingredients in treats such as the herb and beef biscuits. Protein-rich parsley is a famous doggie breath freshener because of its high content of chlorophyll, and it's packed with vitamins A, B, C and K, as well as the minerals calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium and phosphorous.

Rosemary not only boosts the flavor and enhances the aroma of the herb and beef biscuits, it is a natural antibiotic, antiseptic and antioxidant. This potent herb also increases blood flow to the brain and aids in memory.

Avoid beef bouillon powders or cubes made with artificial ingredients and preservatives. You can buy premium beef bouillon powder at specialty and health food stores that are primarily made with natural ingredients. If you have time, make homemade beef bouillon for your dog's treats and food by roasting about 4 pounds of meaty beef bones -- or ask your butcher for soup bones, including knuckles -- at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about an hour. Remove the browned bones from the oven, place in a pot and cover in water. Add 2 to 3 cups of diced carrots, 2 tablespoons of dried parsley and 1 tablespoon of thyme. Bring to a boil, then simmer for several hours. Skim the scum off the top, and discard it. Or, bake the bones in the oven, then cook in a crock pot or slow cooker for about 24 hours. Pour the bouillon into ice cube trays to freeze, and use a couple of cubes in your recipes to substitute for each teaspoon of beef bouillon powder called for in the recipe. If you are following a beef bouillon recipe designed for human consumption, omit ingredients that may be toxic to dogs, such as onions. If your dog has any health issues, or if you are in doubt about any of the recipe ingredients in the cheesy beef bones or herb and beef biscuits, consult with your veterinarian.

Avoid feeding honey to dogs with cancer.