Pumpkin Spice Granola Bites

Fall is right around the corner. Since I just got my girls some pumpkin Spice Greenies, it got me thinking that I needed to create some autumn treats for them as well. This fall inspired granola recipe is easy, and best of all, since it’s made with all natural ingredients, it’s not just a dog treat. This recipe can double as human treats too.

Pumpkin Spice Granola Bites

Granola is super tasty and amazing for you as well. The oats are full of fiber, so they help lower cholesterol and can even prevent diabetes. The nuts and seeds in Granola are chock full of unsaturated fats which are good for your ticker too. It’s also good for your four legged family too! Which is why you’ll notice I incorporate it into almost all of our treat recipes. If you love all things pumpkin spice, then this recipe is for you! You can whip it up in no time, and your kids, as well as fur kids are going to love it! So let’s get started.

.First, preheat your oven to 375°. You’re going to toast your regular oats, and a few ingredients before you get into actually making the granola. Here’s what you’ll need.

Ingredients:

• 2 ½ cups Oats
• ¼ cup of Coconut Oil (Olive or Vegetable Oil will work too)
• 1 ½ tsp of Cinnamon

Mix these three ingredients together, then spread them out into a baking pan. In total you will bake these are 375° degrees for 25 minutes. However, have your phone handy to set a timer. Stir them around every ten minutes so they don’t burn. After the full twenty five minutes, remove them from the oven and turn it down to 300°.

While your oats are toasting, gather and combine the remaining ingredients in a bowl. You will need:

• 1 cup Kind Granola
• ⅓ cup Pureed Pumpkin (canned works great, but make sure it’s JUST pumpkin.)
• ⅓ cup Brown Sugar
• ¼ cup Honey

Pour your toasted oats into the mix, and stir well. Next grab your bar pan. I use my handy silicone pan that makes little square bites. Press the mixture in, and bake at 300 for 30 minutes. (You can bake these longer if you want them crunchier, but keep an eye on them as noone wants burnt granola.

If you’re using a bar pan, let them cool for about ten minutes, then cut them into bars. Don’t wait too long or you will have a huge mess of crumbs!

That’s it. How easy is that? With only 7 ingredients, you just created a yummy and healthy treat for your loved ones! These Pumpkin Spice Granola Bites taste amazing. My sister and I and my dogs love them, and I know your family will too.

Yields 3 dozen in my square treat pan

(Side Note: Since this recipe does call for sugar, only give your dog a treat or two ((depending on their size)) per day. You don’t want to give them too much, no matter how much they love them.)

Let's Bake Fur Baby Style! Strawmelon Pet Grass Bites

    It was damp and rainy here in NEPA this weekend. (Actually it's even worse today!) So of course I used that time to bake some tasty treats for my fur babies. This new recipe was a hit, so join us as we bake fur baby style!

Strawmelon Pet Grass Bites

    I am very passionate about my family. One of the ways I show them my love is by baking them delectable treats. My fur babies are no exception. This weekend I created them a new recipe highlighting fresh summer strawberries, and watermelon (hence the Strawmelon name.) My girls, their fur aunt, and fur cousin went wild. I know your canine besties will too, so let's gather some ingredients and get cooking!

Side Note: 

    You don't HAVE to add pet grass to these cookies. However, it's super healthy for your fur babies, AND it keeps them from nibbling on outdoor grasses. In turn, that keeps them from vomiting in your home. So it's a win win! We get ours from Chewy.com. It's so easy to grow, and kids love trimming it and watching it sprout! 

What You Need:

    Remember, I'm an "eye baker." Measuring isn't really a thing for me as I eyeball all of my recipes. However, I am pretty good at knowing how much of something I put in, so rest assured, your pet bites will be perfect!

• 1 cup of fresh strawberries (tops off)
• 2 slices of watermelon (cut off rind, and remove seeds)
• 1 cup of Granola Mix (we happen to love this mix from Kind.)
• 3 cups of flour (If you want to use less flour, then add more granola, or substitute oats.)
• 1/4 of Pet Grass (cut into small pieces) 

Let's Get Baking!

    Preheat your oven to 400°. Grab your blender and mix up your strawberries and watermelon. (By the way, this makes an amazing sorbet for your human family. So you could always double it, and freeze half of it for them!)

See what I mean? This makes a gorgeous sorbet too!

    Pour the fruits into a large mixing bowl. Add in your granola mix and pet grass, and mix. Now, add in your flour. I do a cup at a time. As I said, if you want to use less flour, just replace with the same amount of either granola, or oats. (Granola will make them crunchier which is great for removing plaque too!) Mix well. On a greased cookie sheet, make teaspoon sized cookies. Bake from 12-15 minutes. That's it!

Look how pretty that batter is! All natural pink color :)

    Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks. For longer shelf life, freeze them. This recipe makes 80 small cookies, so I freeze mine. I take some out each week, and keep them in the refrigerator.