Ninna Lu

No Bake Peanut Butter Dog Treats with Carrots and Coconut Oil

   The apples of my eye, Pawley and Maddie have been quite finicky with their provided diet as of late. Which I'm coming into terms that I need to change their diet to a raw diet for at least a week to give them a break from their Royal Canin brand dachshund breed dog food which don't get me wrong is great for them as it contains chondontrin and glucosamine for good joint and hip health. While organic chicken and sweet potatoes are in the slow cooker for this evening's doggie dinner, I'm looking through Pinterest dog treat recipes online and stumbled upon a no bake recipe with pumpkin puree as an ingredient. Below is my homemade modified version.

Remember, these are treats and just like candy for children, you must give these on rare occasions to prevent doggy dental problems, as Cynthia Maro explains.

Ingredients:

Baby carrots - One 16 oz. bag is plenty, but you will only need half a bag to make 1 cup of puree' carrots.

3 Cups of oats

1/4 cup of peanut butter

1/4 cup of milk - I personally used sugar free toasted coconut and almond milk (almond milk in moderation for pets are safe, I checked)

2 tbsp. of coconut oil 

 

Preparing the puree' carrots:

Boil baby carrots for about 15-20 minutes. Drain almost all the water, leaving a small amount, pour into a blender, food processor or a mini-chopper. I personally used my Tupperware Power Chef System to dice and almost puree' my baby carrots to a mini dachshund digestable size. Add two tablespoons of coconut oil. I've read the many benefits of coconut oil is for dogs, as it acts as a natural toothpaste for your pets. I'm saving this diagram below for future reference on this blog post.

 

In a medium size bowl, add the puree' carrots and coconut oil mixture along with the peanut butter, milk, and oats. Use a small melon scooper to place these bite treats on a baking sheet and refrigerate for 1 hour to make it firm. 

 

 

I wasn't planning on posting this recipe if it wasn't a true hit with Pawley and Maddie. They love it. It's made from raw ingredients and adding the coconut oil will not only bring them good oral health but it's quite economical too!

You can even take some to your local dog shelter if you want to show your support for those in need. If you want to help dogs via donating, then check out these K9s For Warriors reviews.

Thanks so much for reading!

~ marissa

 

 

 

Lights, Camera, Artisans In Action | SoCal Maker Community

 

 

 

    The definition of the maker movement from whatis.com: "The maker movement is a cultural trend that places value on an individual's ability to be a creator of things as well as a consumer of things." Are you a creator, a maker, an entrepreneur, an avid DIYer, a creative enthusiast or all of the above? The maker movement is full of life and continuing to do well. Here are two great articles from The Huffington Post by Brit Morin (founder of Brit + Co.) and Time explaining the importance of the maker movement to America and our future. 

   As a creative enthusiast, I frolic craft shows as a customer {sometimes also as a vendor} and have officially become a junkie market-goer of the uniquely handmade, handcrafted and re-purposed for the following reasons: goods from craft shows are not mass produced, it is locally made, it is handcrafted or handmade with love by its owner/s, it's a more pleasant shopping experience for me than the ordinary mall, and simply because they make great one of a kind gifts.

   This weekend I had a blast at Southern California's two maker community events, The Jackalope Art and Craft Show in Old Pasadena and the Artisanal LA spring show at The Reef (home to LA Maker City) in Downtown LA. How did I discover these events if I'm not local to Southern California? I was able to discover Artisanal LA on Instagram when they liked a few of my posts. I started following their Instagram account and encountered their April spring show through one of their posts. Since I also added Artisanal LA to one of my go to events on my personal Facebook account, I stumbled upon The Jackalope Art and Craft Show through Artisanal LA's related events. All through social media! 

 

 

 

   Below are featured artisans in action at The Jackalope Art and Craft Show on April 25, 2015. This show only happens twice a year in Old Pasadena, CA and is the best outdoor craft show I've ever been to in my life.  As far as booth decor, product presentation, quality of goods, and very reasonable pricing, it gave me the equivalent charming experience of shopping at a boutique. {Click on their names and you'll find their corresponding Etsy shop or Facebook business page.}

 

:: Alana Douvros Jewelry ::

What captured my eye was not only her "edgy take on classic" jewelry, but her use of natural elements such as wooden slabs, mineral rocks and stones to display/present her jewelry which easily blended and related well with her jewelry collection.

 

:: UNITED BY FORM ::

For modern home decor and accessories, United By Form had the most fascinating tapestry wall hangings at the event. This post will remind me of one in mind that is on my wishlist!

 

 

:: Eliza Rose Floral Design ::

Felt at home with her fresh and faux succulent potted plants. She uses vintage home goods, wooden pallets and square boxes to plant her carefully designed succulents. I bought my Mom a Mother's Day gift that day!

 

 

:: Ecarlate Boutique ::

I love her animal-themed handmade decorative pillows. Of course I am particularly enamored with her dachshund pillow! Also all dog breeds are available on her Etsy shop. She has over 200 listings of decorative pillows and tea towels.

 

 

 

:: Shop Kenna ::

I was smitten with Kenna's luxurious leather with gold buckle dog collars, in gold foil geometric designs or animal print. 

 

 

:: Bon Villain Beauty ::

It's like shopping for cupcakes! Handcrafted natural beauty soaps that smell like cupcakes! Picked one up in chamomile and sage.

 

    Below are featured artisans in action from the Artisanal LA Spring Show on April 26, 2015.  It was our last stop before heading home to Northern Cali. The pups were in the car with the hubby and I mainly took a quick glimpse of all the gourmet food or drink vendors that were there. There were only a handful of craft vendors, but I was told that the UNIQUE LA event on Mother's Day weekend, May 9 & 10, will be full of crafters. There were large designated DIY areas for adults and kids, elaborate photo booths for selfies, and many vendors were happily giving out samples of their product for customers to taste. 

 

 

:: Olimila Gourmet Emporium ::

Who sells Unicorn Tears? Only Olimila Gourmet with their mixed blend of gourmet olive oils and balsamic vinegars or simply on its own. I was able to pick up a bottle and some Himalayan pink gourmet salt.

 

:: Munch Bakery LA ::

Can you say "buko pandan"? It's a coconut and pandan Filipino dessert. I was completely sold on all her macarons filled with Filipino flavored desserts such as leche flan, guava, buko pandan, ube and matamis na bao. I won't fret since I can probably order online {click on the name for the website} and have it delivered anytime I have a craving. She also has Mexican dessert flavors such as horchata and mexican hot chocolate. Also other popular American flavors such as salted caramel, coffee or nutella.

 

:: Barrington Blue ::

Mesmerizing vintage textiles and handcrafted furniture.

 

:: Chalk & Paint DIY Station ::

 

 

:: Bobby + Bambi's Gourmet Dog Bakery ::

Organic and gluten free dog treats for Pawley and Maddie.

 

 

:: Bloom Nation and The Bosky Dell ::

Enchanting floral designs with their unique circular metal floral wreaths as well as flower bouquets.

 

 

 Don't forget to shop small. Support locally made. 

 

Follow me on Instagram: @shopninnalu or @ninnalu

Thanks so much for reading!

~ marissa

Two Must Share Recipes and One Simple Dog Treat

  I've been very financially cautious with my grocery shopping lately and I have been  comparing prices on all these stores such as Food 4 Less, Save Mart, Winco and even my local Farmer's Market. In my opinion, Winco for grocery shopping has topped them all on budget-friendly pricing and definitely have to keep going to the Farmer's Markets for your in season vegetables and spring time florals for your home.

  Here are two Asian recipes that can add pizzazz to your weekly dinner menu and each recipe only cost me less than $15.00 to $25.00 total when shopping at Winco.

BABY BOK CHOY ASIAN SALAD with DRESSING

Ingredients (feel free to add/modify): For the salad - 4 bunches of bok choy- chopped, 1 carrot - grated, 1 red bell pepper- thinly chopped, 1 bunch of green onions - chopped, 1/3 cup of slivered almonds, 1/2 cup of packaged chow mein noodles. For the dressing: 1/2 cup of olive oil, 1/4 cup of white vinegar, 1/3 cup of white sugar and 3 tbsp. of soy sauce.

Directions: For the salad - combine the bok choy, green onions, red bell pepper, grated carrots, and slivered almonds in a large bowl. Top with the chow mein noodles. For the dressing - mix together the olive oil, white vinegar, sugar and soy sauce. Mix with the salad when ready to serve.

 

 

 

 

ASIAN TURKEY BURGER w/COLESLAW

Asian Coleslaw with Dressing ingredients:

1 bag of coleslaw mix (green, napa and red cabbage); 2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced; 2 carrots, thinly sliced; 6 green onions, chopped; 1/2 cup of chopped fresh cilantro; 6 tbsp. each of rice wine vinegar, vegetable oil, and peanut oil/marinade; 3 tbsp. each of soy sauce and brown sugar; 2 tbsp. of fresh ginger root, minced; 1 1/2 tbsp. of garlic, minced

Directions: For the dressing, in a medium bowl, mix well together the rice wine vinegar, oil, peanut oil/marinade, soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and garlic. For the coleslaw, in a large bowl, mix the coleslaw, red bell peppers, carrots, green onions, and cilantro. Toss with the dressing mixture when ready to serve.

Asian Turkey Burger ingredients: 1 1/4 lbs. of ground turkey, 1/3 cup of steamed jasmine rice (optional), 1/4 cup of panko, 1/4 cup of thinly sliced green onions, 1 large egg, 1 tbsp. of soy sauce, 1/2 tsp. of sesame oil, 1 tbsp. of soy sauce, 1 Thai or Serrano chile (optional), 1 tsp. of sugar, salt and pepper, 1 tbsp. of peanut oil, and 4 to 6 whole wheat hamburger buns.

Directions: Mix the ground turkey, rice, panko, green onions, egg, sesame oil, soy sauce, chile, and sugar very well. Make into 4 to 6 patties. Season with salt and pepper. Heat the peanut oil in a large grill pan over medium-high heat and saute the burgers thoroughly for about 6 minutes on each side (longer if needed if burger patty is thick).

Don't forget the special mayo! It's optional of course but here are the ingredients: 1/2 cup of mayonnaise and 1 tsp. of horseradish, that's it! Mix this well and use as the spread for your hamburger bun.

Lastly, this doggie cookie recipe was very fun to make for your furry companions! What inspired me was finding the perfect cookie cutter of my favorite dog breed, a dachshund.

 

Ingredients: 1 cup of uncooked oatmeal, 1/4 cup of margarine, 1 1/2 cups hot water, 1/2 cup of powdered  milk, 4 oz. or more of grated cheddar cheese, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 1 egg - beaten, 1 cup of cornmeal, 1 cup wheat germ, and 3 cups of whole wheat flour.

Directions: Pour the hot water in a large bowl over the uncooked oatmeal and melted margarine, let it stand for 5 minutes. Stir in the powdered milk, grated cheese, salt and egg. Add the cornmeal and wheat germ, mix well. Add flour, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Knead the dough for 3 to 4 minutes, adding more flour if necessary to make a very stiff dough. Roll the dough to a 1/2 inch thickness then cut into any shape cookie cutter you have on hand. Place on a greased baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees for one hour. Turn off the heat and then leave in the oven for another hour or more.

This recipe made 3 lbs. of doxie and bone cookie treats which will definetely last for a month for my pups to enjoy!

Favorite Freebie of The Month: I'm always pleasantly surprised when visiting my local Farmer's Market on Saturdays. I was offered a free purple gladiola flower when purchasing three small bunches of calla lillies for my centerpiece vase. The simplest things can make me happy!

My Latest Frugal Find: I'm not an extreme couponer, but I do love a bargain! When your grocery bills are actually higher than your gas bill then you need to take a second look at your spending habits such as what, how often and where. I'm happy to know where to go after discovering this month that Winco Foods is my go to for our household's weekly dinner essentials.

Again, I am open to your suggestions and other ideas. Please feel free to send me an email to share your thoughts at [email protected] and receive $5.00 off any purchase from my eBay online shop: shopninnalu.