Finally found a recipe for cat treats that is simple and my cats loves so I assume delicious! It’s great also because if you use an airtight container you can store up to two weeks. Make sure to look for no salt, skinless, boneless salmon preferable in water so your kitty has fresh healthy treats. And if you are looking for more pet recipes check out http://www.thecookierookie.com:

Ingredients

10 oz canned salmon undrained***no salt

1 egg beaten

2 cups whole wheat flour

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Pulse 10 ounces of undrained, canned salmon in a food processor to chop as finely as possible.
3. In a stand mixer, combine salmon, 1 egg (beaten), and 2 cups whole wheat flour until dough forms. If the dough is too dry, add up to 1/3 cup water. If it’s is too wet or sticky, add a bit more flour. The dough should be tacky but not sticky.
4. Roll dough on a floured surface until about 1/4-inch thick. Use a 3/4-inch cookie cutter in the shape of your choice to create your treats.
5. Place treats on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 350° for about 20 minutes. When they’re slightly browned and crunchy, they’re done.
6. Allow to cool before serving.
7. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Looking for a great salad for these summer barbeques, sweet potatoes, black beans, and corn with some pickled red onions sounds delicious. Head over to your favorite Framers market to pick up all fresh ingredients and have a few friends or family come over to enjoy. Make sure to share with all the vegans friends too they just need to leave out the cheese!

Ingredients

• Rounds from 2 Grilled Sweet Potatoes
• ¼ cup Chipotle Vinaigrette
• ½ cup Mango Salsa
• ½ cup cooked Black Beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 ear fresh raw corn kernels
• ⅓ cup crumbled quark, cotija or feta cheese
• ¼ cup Pickled Red Onions
• 1 serrano pepper, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Arrange the grilled sweet potato rounds on a platter and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the chipotle dressing.
2. Evenly scatter the mango salsa, black beans, corn, cheese, onions, serrano, and cilantro on top.
3. Drizzle with more chipotle dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette

Ingredients

• ½ cup avocado oil
• ¼ cup fresh lime juice
• 1 chipotle pepper from a can of chipotles in adobo
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 garlic clove
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

• In a small food processor, combine the oil, lime juice, chipotle, honey, garlic, cumin, salt, and several grinds of pepper. Pulse until combined.
• See the above blog post for serving suggestions.

Mango Salsa

Ingredients

• 2 medium ripe mangos
• ¼ cup diced red onion
• ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro
• Juice and zest of 1 lime
• 1 small garlic clove, grated
• ½ jalapeño, minced
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt, more to taste

Instructions

• Peel and dice the mangos according to this method.
• In a medium bowl, mix together the mango, onion, cilantro, lime juice, garlic, jalapeño, and salt. Chill until ready to use.

• 

I love being a proud dog mom too, so when I find a treat recipe for my fur pets I will try it out! Dog biscuits are great and you can sometime frost with peanut butter also for an extra treat. http://www.prouddogmom.com has this great nutty treat to share and if your pets like it check out her book also with more recipes:

Proud Dog Chef: Tail-Wagging Good Treat Recipes 

INGREDIENTS  

• 2 cups super-fine almond flour
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 2 tablespoons ground flax seed
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 cup peanut butter ***no salt
• 1/2 cup water

INSTRUCTIONS 

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Combine almond flour, coconut flour, ground flaxseeds, and ground ginger. Whisk together.
3. Add peanut butter and water. Mix together.
4. Knead mixture until it forms a dough ball.
5. Using a rolling pin, roll dough ball out to approximately 1/4 inch thick and use a cookie cutter to stamp out biscuits.
6. Bake in 350º oven for 18-20 minutes. They should come out crunchy!

NOTES

Since this recipe is loaded with healthy fats, the dough will be a bit greasy. That’s why, when rolling out this dough, I like to cover my dough ball with a piece of parchment paper and then use a rolling pin to flatten.

Want something to add some spice to sandwiches, hamburgers, salads, or any other food. If you love onions raw or grilled, here is a new twist. Check out this easy recipe from http://www.loveandlemons.com

Ingredients

• 2 small red onions
• 2 cups white vinegar
• 2 cups water
• 1/3 cup cane sugar
• 2 tablespoons sea salt

optional

• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon mixed peppercorns

Instructions

1. Thinly slice the onions (it’s helpful to use a mandoline), and divide the onions between 2 (16-ounce) jars or 3 (10-ounce) jars.
2. Place the garlic and peppercorns in each jar.
3. Heat the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
4. Stir until the sugar and salt dissolve, about 1 minute. Let cool and pour over the onions. Set aside to cool to room temperature, then store the onions in the fridge.
5. Your pickled onions will be ready to eat once they’re bright pink and tender – about 1 hour for very thinly sliced onions, or overnight for thicker sliced onions.
6. Once you make them, they’ll keep in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.

Summer time yummy lunch idea that are fresh and delicious, with a nice cocktail enjoying the sun in your back yard. Thanks to http://www.eatwell101.com for this great recipe:

INGREDIENTS

• 8 oz raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 large avocado, diced
• 1 handful cherry tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 red onion, minced
• Freshly chopped cilantro (or parsley)
• 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and fresh cracked pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Toss shrimp with melted butter in a bowl until well-coated.

2. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp to the skillet in a single layer, searing for a minute or until it starts to become pink around the edges, then flip and cook until shrimp are cooked through, less than a minute.

3. Transfer shrimp to a shallow plate and allow cooling while you prepare the other ingredients.

4. Add all other ingredients (avocado, tomato, red onion, and cilantro) to a large mixing bowl. drizzle with olive oil and lime juice and toss to mix everything together.

5. Add cooked shrimp and give a quick stir to mix together. Season the shrimp avocado salad with more salt and pepper, to taste. Enjoy!

TIPS FOR THE SHRIMP AVOCADO SALAD

This shrimp avocado salad recipe can be made in under 20 minutes, it really doesn’t take much doing to prepare a fresh batch — a quickly-prepared protein (such as shrimp) is one of the essential parts of composing a salad like this.

• You can serve this shrimp avocado salad as an appetizer or light meal. You can put this over slices of toasted bread to make it more substantial.
• If making this for a party, you can easily double or triple the recipe. Just cook shrimp in batches to not overcrowd the pan.
• To make ahead, combine all the ingredients except for the avocado and cilantro and keep this refrigerated, then add them just before serving the shrimp avocado salad.

WHAT SHRIMP SHOULD I USE FOR THE SALAD?

• Frozen shrimp is okay for this recipe but try as much as possible to buy wild-caught shrimp. Fresh wild-caught shrimp tends to have better flavor. You can use the shrimp with the tails on or off. Large shrimp (jumbo, colossal, extra large, whatever the name named… with a caliber of 16-20) will do best because they are meaty and juicy.
• Make sure not to crowd the shrimp in the skillet, otherwise, moisture will form and shrimp won’t sear properly. You’ll end up with steamed rubbery shrimp.

Barbeque time, beautiful weather and being around friends and family again June is a great month! Make your shopping list don’t forget to add Portobello mushrooms for those none meat-eaters coming by. Check out this great recipe from http://www.loveandlemons, add a nice salad and fries:

Ingredients

• 4 large portobello mushrooms
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• Balsamic vinegar, for drizzling
• Tamari, for drizzling
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For Serving

• 4 hamburger buns, warmed or toasted
• Lettuce
• Sliced tomato
• Sliced red onion
• Pickles
• Ketchup, mayo, mustard
• Pesto, Guacamole, or Chipotle Sauce, optional

Instructions

• Prepare the mushrooms by removing the stems and cleaning the caps with a damp cloth or paper towel. Place the mushrooms in a rimmed plate and drizzle with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, tamari, salt, and pepper. Use your hands to help coat the mushrooms on both sides.
• Heat a grill or grill pan over medium heat. Place the mushrooms, gill side up onto the grill pan. Cook 5 to 7 minutes per side, or until mushrooms are tender.
• Place the mushrooms onto the buns and serve with desired fixings.

Summer time fun time and having an adult drink to beat the heat is not a bad idea! What better refreshing drink lemonade we some kick, for adults only of course. Try out this recipe from Tiffani Thiessen oldie but goodie and maybe switch up some ingredients to try a different mix:

Ingredients

1 cup sugar

1 cup fresh lemon juice (about 6 lemons) 

12 ounces peach brandy 

6 lemon slices, for garnish

6 mint sprigs, for garnish 

Directions

1. Combine the sugar and 1 cup water in a heavy-bottomed pot. Heat over high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is completely dissolved, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool completely.
2. Pour 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the cooled simple syrup into a 2-quart pitcher. (Reserve the remaining syrup for another use.) Add the lemon juice and 4 cups water and stir to combine.
3. To serve, fill an 8-ounce glass with ice. Add 2 ounces of the peach brandy, then fill with the peach lemonade to just short of an inch below the rim.
4. Garnish with a lemon slice and a mint sprig.

Went to the store today and saw fresh figs which I love especially in yogurt or salad! Great morning breakfast or a quick lunchtime snack. Check out this quick recipe from Tiffani-Thiessen:

Ingredients

2 cups fresh ricotta cheese

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

2 cups ripe, plump fresh figs, stemmed and quartered

2 tablespoons lavender honey

Fresh mint leaves, for garnish

Directions

1. Combine the ricotta and yogurt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and whip on medium speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scoop 1/4 cup of the ricotta mixture attractively into 4 small dessert bowls. Top with the figs and drizzle each portion generously with honey. Garnish with mint leaves. Serve at room temperature.

Happy Memorial Day and what is the choice activity for today barbeque!!! And if you want something easy and sweet to enjoy after your meal here are a few recipes. Better Homes & Gardens put together 13 great cupcake ideas check out a few below:

Spiked Raspberry-Lemonade Cupcakes

Ingredients

• ¾ cup butter
• 3 eggs
• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons raspberry liqueur or milk
• ⅔ cup buttermilk or sour milk*
• Red food coloring
• 1 recipe Creamy Raspberry Frosting
• Thin lemon wedges (optional)
• Fresh raspberries (optional)

Directions

1. Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, line eighteen 2-1/2-inch muffin cups with paper bake cups. In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, lemon peel, lemon juice, and liqueur; beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Tint batter pink with a few drops of food coloring.
3. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each about three-fourths full. Use the back of a spoon to smooth out batter in cups.
4. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in muffin cups on wire racks for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from muffin cups. Cool completely on wire racks.

*Test Kitchen Tip:

To make 2/3 cup sour milk, place 2 teaspoons lemon juice or vinegar in a glass measuring cup. Add enough milk to make 2/3 cup liquid; stir. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes before using.

Island Bananas Foster Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• ¾ cup unsweetened coconut milk
• ¾ cup shredded coconut, lightly toasted
• ¼ cup rum or unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 recipe Bananas Foster Topping
• Whipped cream (optional)
• Shredded coconut, lightly toasted (optional)

Directions

1. Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, line twenty-four 2-1/2-inch muffin cups with paper bake cups. In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Alternately add flour mixture and the 3/4 cup coconut milk to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Fold in the 3/4 cup coconut and the rum.
3. Spoon batter into prepared cups, filling each about three-fourths full. Use the back of a spoon to smooth out batter in cups.
4. Bake about 20 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in muffin cups on wire racks for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from muffin cups. Cool completely on wire racks.
5. Spoon Bananas Foster Topping over warm cupcakes. If desired, pipe or spoon whipped cream onto cupcakes and sprinkle with additional coconut. Makes 24 (2-1/2-inch) cupcakes.

Hot Fudge Sundae Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 2-layer-size package chocolate cake mix
• 1 12 ounce jar hot fudge ice cream topping
• 1 16 ounce can creamy white frosting
• ½ cup semisweet chocolate pieces*
• 1 teaspoon shortening*
• Chopped nuts
• 1 10 ounce jar maraschino cherries with stems, well drained

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line twenty-four 2-1/2-inch muffin cups with paper bake cups; set aside. Prepare cake batter according to package directions.
2. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Use the back of a spoon to smooth out batter in cups. Place a scant tablespoon room temperature ice cream topping on the top center of each cupcake.
3. Bake for 16 to 20 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched. Cool cupcakes in muffin cups on wire racks for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from muffin cups. Cool completely on wire racks.
4. Spread some of the frosting over each cupcake. Place the remaining frosting in a pastry bag fitted with a star tip.
5. In a small saucepan melt the chocolate pieces and shortening over low heat; cool slightly. Spoon melted chocolate into a small heavy resealable plastic bag. Seal bag; snip off a small piece from one corner. Drizzle chocolate on top of frosted cupcakes.
6. Sprinkle cupcakes with nuts. Pipe the remaining frosting on top of cupcakes. Place a cherry on top of each cupcake. Makes 24 (2-1/2-inch) cupcakes.

Cherry-Almond Vanilla Cupcakes

Ingredients

• ½ cup butter
• 4 egg whites
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ cup buttermilk or sour milk*
• ⅓ cup maraschino cherry juice
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ teaspoon almond extract
• 12 maraschino cherries, halved
• 1 recipe Cherry-Almond Butter Frosting
• Maraschino cherries with stems (optional)

Directions

1. Allow butter and egg whites to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, line twenty-four 2-1/2-inch muffin cups with paper bake cups (or coat with cooking spray). In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. In a 2-cup glass measuring cup combine buttermilk and cherry juice; set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, vanilla, and almond extract; beat until combined. Add egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk mixture to beaten mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined.
3. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Use the back of a spoon to smooth out batter in cups. Press a cherry half into batter in each cup.
4. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched. Cool cupcakes in muffin cups on wire racks for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from muffin cups. Cool completely on wire racks.
5. Using a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip, pipe Cherry-Almond Butter Frosting over tops of cupcakes. If desired, top with cherries. Makes 24 (2-1/2-inch) cupcakes.

*Test Kitchen Tip:

To make 3/4 cup sour milk, place 2 teaspoons lemon juice or vinegar in a glass measuring cup. Add enough milk to make 3/4 cup liquid; stir. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes before using.

Berry Cheesecakes

Ingredients

• 16 ounce can cream cheese frosting
• fresh blueberries and strawberries

Directions

1. Place canned cream cheese frosting in a large pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Insert the tip into the top of each of twelve 2-1/2-inch white cupcakes, squeezing about 2 teaspoons frosting into each. Pipe swirls of frosting onto tops of cupcakes. Arrange fresh blueberries and strawberry halves on cupcakes; store in the refrigerator. If desired, dust with powdered sugar just before serving.

What could make any Mother’s Day morning more great maybe a few of her favorite muffins? And vegan to keep Mom healthy for a long long time. This is why I love checking on http://www.loveandlemons.com they always have such great recipes for vegan friends and family. And for the record the unvegan folks don’t know the difference LOL! Try out any of the 3 recipes or all 3 a nice combo basket will really makes Mom’s day:

Strawberry Muffins Recipe

Ingredients

• ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup whole wheat flour
• ½ cup + 2 tablespoons almond flour
• 1 tablespoon aluminum-free baking powder
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup cane sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1¼ cups diced strawberries
• ½ teaspoon flour to dust the strawberries

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400°F and grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
• In a medium bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
• In a large bowl, vigorously whisk together the almond milk, olive oil, eggs, sugar, and vanilla.
• Dust the strawberries with the ½ teaspoon of flour and toss to lightly coat them. This will prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the muffin cups.
• Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl of wet ingredients and stir to combine. Gently fold in the strawberries. Use a ⅓ cup measuring cup to scoop the batter into the muffin cups. Bake for 17 minutes, or until the muffin tops spring back to the touch. Let cool for 10 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Chip Muffins Recipe

Ingredients

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ cups whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt
• 2 large eggs
• ⅔ cup almond milk
• ⅓ cup maple syrup
• ⅓ cup olive oil, or any neutral oil
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ¾ cup chocolate chips

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly oil or spray a 12-cup muffin tin.
• In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose and whole wheat flours, the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt, eggs, almond milk, maple syrup, olive oil, vinegar, and vanilla.
• Add the wet ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Do not overmix. Fold in the chocolate chips and use a ⅓-cup measuring cup to scoop the batter into the muffin cups.
• Bake for 22 minutes, or until the tops spring back to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs attached. Let cool for 15 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling.

Blueberry Muffins Recipe

Ingredients

• 1½ cups + 2 tablespoons whole wheat pastry flour*
• an additional 1/2 teaspoon flour to dust the blueberries
• ½ cup + 2 tablespoons almond flour
• 1 tablespoon aluminum free baking powder
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup cane sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon lemon oil, optional
• 1 ¼ cups blueberries

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400°F and grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
• In a medium bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
• In a large bowl, vigorously whisk together the almond milk, olive oil, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and lemon oil, if using.
• Dust the blueberries with ½ teaspoon flour and toss to lightly coat them. This will prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the muffin cups.
• Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl of wet ingredients and stir to combine. Gently fold in the blueberries. Use a 1/3-cup measuring cup to scoop the batter into the muffin cups. Bake for 17 minutes or until the muffin tops spring back to the touch.