Healthy-Gut Frozen Yogurt Cups for Dogs

Summer is here and we all want to keep our dogs as cool as possible while they enjoy the outdoor activities of the season. So, for this week’s recipe, I created a treat to help cool your dog down and support his gut health – a winning combination! This recipe, Healthy-Gut Frozen Yogurt Cups for Dogs, incorporates water kefir and all of its wonderful health benefits, which I discussed in my previous post, Fermented Foods for Dogs and Cats. It’s also delicious and refreshing and sure to please your canine companion!

My Healthy-Gut Frozen Yogurt Cups for Dogs recipe has it all. It contains beneficial gut-boosting probiotics from the water kefir, phytochemicals and antioxidants from the raspberries, and it’s much easier for our dogs to digest than cow’s milk frozen yogurt. This recipe uses goats milk and water kefir as the liquid base, making it a healthy gut treat.

Here are some of the ingredient highlights in this Frozen Yogurt Cups for Dogs recipe:

• Water Kefir: As I talked about in my previous post on fermented foods, kefir is loaded with probiotics that help to restore the healthy bacteria in our dogs’ intestines and healthy gut bacteria is essential to overall digestive and immune health. I especially like water kefir for this purpose because it doesn’t contain any cow’s milk, which many dogs react adversely to or have difficulty digesting.
• Goat’s Milk: I like goat’s milk because it’s easy to digest and contains important vitamins, enzymes and fatty acids. It is an excellent alternative to cow’s milk and provides a creamy consistency you would expect from a frozen yogurt treat. (*If your dog has chronic pancreatitis or needs a low-fat diet, look for low-fat goat’s milk for this recipe.)
• Raspberries: Raspberries are an excellent source of vitamin C, manganese and dietary fiber and are packed full of phytochemicals, but they are also sweet and refreshing, making them a tasty and healthy treat for your canine companion. The raspberries in this recipe give this “yogurt” an added dose of superfood power and sweet flavor your dog will love.
• Pumpkin Puree Low in Calories and high in gut-healthy soluble fiber and tons of beta-carotene, pumpkin puree is a hit in both taste and health benefits for dogs.

Frozen Yogurt Cups for Dogs Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup of unsweetened goat’s milk (use low-fat if necessary)
• ¼ cup water kefir (I use this one as the directions are very clear & it’s fairly easy to make)
• 1 ripe banana
• ½ cup fresh raspberries, chopped
• 2 Tbsp. canned organic pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1 Tbsp. raw honey (use maple syrup for puppies, as they cannot eat raw honey)
• ¼ tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

1. Start by adding the banana to a large mixing bowl and mash.
2. Next, add the chopped raspberries, goats milk, and prepared water kefir. Stir well.
3. Add the raw honey, pumpkin puree and cinnamon and whisk well until smooth.
4. Pour the mixture into 1-2 ice cube trays and freeze for about 3 hours.
5. Remove 2-3 ice cubes depending on your dog’s size and add them to a food processor or high-speed blender with ½ Tbsp. of extra goat’s milk. Blend until a frozen yogurt consistency forms.
6. Scoop the mixture directly into your dog’s bowl or into smaller serving cups. Try giving your dog these cooling and refreshing treats after a trip to the dog park!

I hope your dog enjoys these tasty – and gut-friendly! – Frozen Yogurt Cups for Dogs treats this summer. Please let me know in the comments section below this post!

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