TREAT WISE

By Tails staff

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 Doggie Power Biscuits [110-45 Queens Blvd., Suite 612, Forest Hills, (718) 897-1619], owner Joan Chin believes in “quality over quantity.” Chin grew weary of seeing other stores selling unhealthy pet food. “I kept saying to myself, why?” she says. “There isn’t any need to feed anything that’s not edible or not good for the digestive system just to make a profit.”

Simply put, Chin doesn’t eat anything that she is not familiar with and doesn’t think our pets should either. Chin shares with us this recipe, which uses only all-natural, human-grade ingredients.

Peanut butter doggie biscuits

3 cups flour
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons oil
1 1/2 cups water

1. Preheat oven to 360 degrees.
2. Mix ingredients together in a medium or large mixing bowl.
3. Bake for 40-50 minutes, depending on how hard you want the biscuits.
4. Let cool. If kept in a sealed container, biscuits should stay fresh for months.

A cat with a craving is a terrible thing. Can anyone resist the way they make that figure-eight motion around our legs to let us know we need to pay attention to them? Wendy Nan Rees knows a hungry cat all too well. 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. Give Whiskers a fiesta with these tasty and healthful south-of-the-border delights (perfect for dogs too!).

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.