Getting Ready to Make Meaty Muffins for your Dog
Once you have made the decision to make West Coast Canine Life muffins, patties or squares for your very lucky dog, there are a few tricks that will make it easier for you:
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Make sure you always have the necessary ingredients on hand - fresh or frozen ground meat, and a variety of fresh or frozen orange and green vegetables, red apples, eggs, oil and proper freezer bags or air tight containers.
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When using frozen meat and veggies, they are best thawed in the fridge, however if you forget to pull them out of the freezer they can easily be defrosted in the microwave.
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Pre-heat oven to 350F, then choose one of the two simple preparation methods below.
Mixing your Dog's Meaty Muffins
Please refer to the recipe on the back of your bag of Canine Life Pre-Mix for the appropriate quantities of ingredients, or view our muffin recipe online.
Hint: Make a double batch or more, especially if you have a large breed dog - you're making a mess anyway!
You choose one of two mixing methods (blender or food processor):
Method 1 - Blender
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In a blender, add veggies, apple, egg, oil, filtered water and pure cranberry juice. Whirl together - it should resemble a smoothie!
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Dump the smoothie in a large stock pot or big mixing bowl
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Add the raw, ground, boneless meat and 5 cups of the Canine Life Pre-Mix.
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You can use a wooden spoon or your hands to mix it. Your choice. The mixture should resemble cookie batter. The batter consistency will depend on what type of meat you are using, due to the water content in the meat.
Method 2 - Food Processor
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Whirl the veggies, apple, egg, oil, filtered water and pure cranberry juice together and include the raw ground meat. Mixture should resemble baby food!
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Pour the mixture into a large pot or mixing bowl and mix in 5 cups of Canine Life Pre-Mix.
Baking Meaty Muffins for your Dog
You choose one of three baking methods: muffins, patties or squares:
Muffin Method
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Grease the muffin tins.
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Spoon in batter. The mix should be up to the top of each muffin tin. There is no rising ingredient in the mix so they will not rise over the edge of the tins. You should get approximately 24 muffins per batch depending on the size of your muffin tins.
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Bake muffins for approximately 20 minutes in a 350F oven. Muffins should be moist, not dry, so don't over-bake them. Muffins often look under-baked when they first come out of the oven, but by the time they have cooled they are perfect!
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Cool muffins before turning them out onto the cooling racks. If the muffins don't fall out of their tins easily, they could still be too warm.
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Cool completely before bagging and freezing and you will eliminate most of the ice crystals that sometimes form inside the bags.
Freeze enough in each freezer bag to last about three days in the fridge. Example: if your dog eats 4 muffins a day (2 per meal) store them in bags of 12.
Pattie Method
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For an even quicker method, line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper
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Form the batter into 24 balls, or use an icecream scoop. Place the balls on the cookie sheets and press down lightly with your hand or the top or a flat potato masher dipped in water (for a cute grid pattern on your patties).
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Bake patties for approximately 20 minutes at 350F. They should be moist, not dry, so don't overbake them.
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Cool patties before turning them out onto the cooling racks.
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Cool completely before bagging and freezing and you will eliminate most of the ice crystals that sometimes form inside the bags.
Freeze enough in each freezer bag to last about three days in the fridge.
Example: if your dog eats 4 patties a day (2 per meal) store them in bags of 12.
Squares Method
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Grease a 9 x 12 cake pan or line with parchment paper.
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Spread batter evenly in cake pan.
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This method takes longer to bake. Bake for approximately 40 minutes at 350F degrees.
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Cool thoroughly, remove from pan, and cut into 24 equal pieces.
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Freeze enough in each freezer bag to last about three days in the fridge. Example: if your dog eats 4 patties a day (2 per meal) store them in bags of 12.
Baking meaty muffins for your dog is not rocket science. For recipe and baking information see Pre-Mix and Recipes.
There are three individual recipes to suit most dog's needs.
Regular Pre-Mix Recipe suitable for most dogs
No Calcium-Pre-Mix suitable for most dogs with kidney/liver issues
Puppy Pre-Mix suitable for puppies under 6 months of age
You really don't have to be a good cook to produce delicious and nutritious meaty muffins for your dog! Just watch our video clip below with Company owner and President Joanne Fraser and "Stella"
Other Baking Ideas for your Dog
Biscuits or Cookies
While your are in the baking mood, whip up a batch of biscuits / cookies using our Pre-Mix and the biscuit recipes also on this website. They're so simple to make.
Special Occasion Cakes
You can make a special occasion cake for your dog too! Use a cake pan (using the Squares Method above). Ice it with low fat cream cheese and decorate it with crumbled cookies. You'll be your dog's best friend!
For other great ideas, check out our Special Occasions Recipe page.
A Fresh Whole Foods Diet
for Your Dog's Optimum Health
