These healthy peanut butter popsicles for pups (pawpsicles, if you will) are a frosty treat both you and your dog can enjoy on a hot day.
My meditation master, I guess you could even call her my “guru,” has a way of seeing the good in people. She doesn’t need to know someone by name. She merely follows the positivity she senses, or steers clear of a negative vibe. She’s sweet. She’s playful. She’s about 60 pounds and has four legs. My meditation master is my dog, Julep.
It’s not that Julep and I sit in a field and say “om” over and over again. Julep does not go to fields to sit still by any means. I say Julep is my guru because her needs are so simple, and when I’m not meeting them, it means my life is not simple enough. When she whines, it means I’m too consumed. When she’s restless, it means we’ve been cooped up and inactive for too long.
Julep brings a balance to my life, but above all, she brings me a lot of good, pure fun. I’m a big fan of Marie Forleo, and she recently wrote about a quote by Dr. Stuart Brown, which I try to keep circling in my brain. “The opposite of play is not work. It’s depression.”Left to my own devices, I tend to take on too much, stress about nothing and put immense pressure on myself.
“The opposite of play is not work. It’s depression.”
– Dr. Stuart Brown
Couple internal stresses with heartbreaking current events, and things can get bleak. But Julep doesn’t see any of that. She sees groundhogs she needs to chase, softballs she needs to save from the foul-ball territories, and oh how I wish everyone could watch the great lengths of rolls, tumbles and somersaults she goes to, just to fetch a ball. Julep snaps me from my head and puts a big, dopey grin on my face. She’s a damn good guru!
To thank my little guru for her dedication to my happiness, I’ve really started to consider what I feed her. I want her to be her healthiest and her happiest, and the idea of kibble for life seems like the proverbial bread and butter prison diet (let alone all the recall scares). I’ve switched Julep to a homemade diet (more on that down the line!) and am always excited when there are treats we can share. These popsicles for pups are simple, healthy and totally shareable. They’re also an efficient way to put meaty bones to use again.
Meaty marrow bones are an important staple of a dog’s diet and their dental hygiene. If your dog is anything like Julep, those bones are practically sparkling by the end, leaving her pearlies look pretty sparkly too. On the flip side, our apartment can look like a creepy graveyard, but I’d hate to fill a landfill with bones. These popsicles for pups repurpose those old bones with a new frozen filling. Once Julep is taken care of, then I can have fun “decorating” the popsicles for the Urban Farmer and me.
To Recap:
I love Julep.
Julep brings me joy.
I love to treat Julep to express my love (did you see Julep’s birthday cake?).
Watching Julep enjoy treats makes me happy.
Decorating popsicles makes me feel like a kid again.
Eating popsicles makes me feel childish in the best possible way.
In conclusion:
POPSICLES FOR PUPS & PEOPLE ARE FUN FUN FUN!
To Dr. Stuart’s point, popsicles are seemingly the antidote to depression. So start blending, freezing, drizzling and sprinkling!
(Btw… If you like this Propolis Popsicle, try sprinkling propolis on your pancakes too.)
Peanut Butter Popsicles for Pups & Humans
Yield: Approx. 10 popsicles & 3-4 dog “pawpsicle” bones
Ingredients
6 ripe bananas
1 cup organic creamy peanut butter
2 cups plain Greek yogurt
4 Tablespoons honey, optional
Directions
Combine the bananas, peanut butter and yogurt in a food processor or blender. Process until very smooth.
Taste test the mixture, and add honey according to taste.
Pour/spoon the mixture into popsicle molds, add sticks according to your instructions and freeze until hardened (preferably overnight).
For the Pawpsicles
Clean leftover marrow bones (raw soup bones). Add tin foil to one end to prevent spilling. Fill with peanut butter mixture, and freeze overnight.
Dark Chocolate Drizzle (NOT FOR DOGS*)
*Never feed chocolate to a dog. This drizzle is for human consumption only.
Ingredients
1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
1 Tablespoon coconut oil
Directions
When ready to drizzle, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the dark chocolate and coconut oil, stirring constantly, until combined.
Remove the popsicles from the molds, and place each popsicle on the baking sheet. Drizzle the chocolate over the popsicles, then sprinkle with toppings of choice. Freeze for a few minutes until the drizzle is hardened. Serve immediately, or freeze until eating.
Suggested Popsicle Toppings (for Humans):
Unsweetened coconut flakes
Propolis
Chopped nuts
All natural sprinkles
Disclaimer: Always consult with your veterinarian when adding whole foods to your dog’s diet to make sure they are dog appropriate.
