TREAT WISE

By Jason A. Heidemann

Your pet can have his cake and eat it too—as long as it’s
good for him.

PET RECIPES

How many times have you had to refuse giving your pet a treat? It’s not easy.  She stares up at you with eyes the size of satellite dishes while perched so precariously on her hind legs that she seems destined for a career as a tightrope walker. “Please,” she’s saying, “I’m begging you, just one more treat!”
Actually, giving in to your pet’s cravings isn’t always a bad thing. At Five Paw Bakery [315 Main Street, Los Altos, (650) 941-5PAW, FivePaw.com], owner Paul Callary encourages it—as long as it’s done right. That’s why he only uses all-natural, human-grade ingredients. “Our bakery supplier provides ingredients to many of the best ‘human’ bakeries in the Bay Area,” says Callary. “We always have had a philosophy that if we could not eat the item, we did not want our dogs eating it either.”
Callary says that while it’s perfectly fine to give your four-legged friend a treat or snack, these tasty morsels should only be about 10 percent of their diet. And even then, make sure to read the ingredient’s label. “If you see a list of chemicals, preservatives, and the magic word ‘by-product,’ run from that brand,” he warns.

Author Wendy Nan Rees couldn’t agree more. She is the author of several cookbooks, including No Barking at the Table, Catnapping in the Kitchen, and her most recent book, The Natural Pet Food Cookbook, in which she outlines tasty recipes for both dogs and cats. Whip up a batch of Rees’ hearty bean soup for canines (she recently discovered that dogs love beans) and then give Whiskers a fiesta with her tasty and healthful south-of-the-border delights (perfect for dogs too!).

Nautical Navy Bean Soup

3 1/2 quarts water, divided
2 whole tomatoes
1 lb (2 cups) dried navy beans
1 meaty ham bone, about 1 1/2 lbs
1 cup cubed potatoes
1 cup thinly sliced celery
1 cup chopped carrots


1. Blanch, seed, and dice the tomatoes.
2. Bring 2 1⁄2 quarts water to a boil in a large stockpot. Boil the beans for two minutes. Then remove from heat and let stand for one hour.
3. Add the ham bone to the beans. Cover, and simmer for two hours or until almost tender.
4. Add the potatoes, celery, carrots, and blanched tomatoes and simmer for one hour longer.
5. Remove the ham bone, cut off the meat, dice it, and add the meat back to the beans. Let cool to room temperature and serve.

Kitty Tostadas

4 corn tortillas
2 9-ounce cans of dark tuna in oil
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup corn (fresh or canned)
2 tablespoons chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Place the tortillas on the cookie sheet and bake or broil until brown, turning them over midway through. If broiling, this will take about one minute per side. If baking, it will take about two to three minutes per side. Watch closely so they don’t burn.
3. In a sauté pan, sauté the tuna, tomatoes, corn, bell pepper, and spinach for five minutes. Add the tomato paste to help thicken, and sauté for five more minutes.
4. Break up the tortillas and sprinkle over each serving to give them a little crunch. Then sprinkle with a little bit of Cheddar cheese and serve with love.