Vegan Fresh Breath Dog Biscuits

Ingredients

• 1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
• 1 Tablespoon Flaxseed Meal & 3 Tablespoons Warm Water (equivalent to 1 egg)
• 6-8 Sprigs Parsley
• 6-8 Sprigs Mint
• 1/3 Cup Unsweetened Plain Soy Yogurt
• 1/2 Cup Vegetable Broth
• 3 Tablespoons Coconut Oil
• 2 or 3 drops Peppermint Extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. In a food processor or blender, combine parsley, mint, and coconut oil until finely pureed
3. In a separate bowl combine yogurt, flaxseed meal, and vegetable broth
4. Add a drop or two of peppermint extract
5. Stir in coconut oil and herb mix into flour
6. Combine with hands, until mixed well
7. Roll dough on a lightly floured surface
8. Cut dough and roll into small balls or use a cookie cutter with shape of your choice
9. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or spray with nonstick cooking spray
10. Place cookies 1″ apart on sheet
11. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are golden brown
12. Let cool

*Can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week or refrigerated for up to 1 month

Vegan Pumpkin & Parsley Dog Biscuits

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoon Flaxseed Meal
  
• 2 Tablespoons Powdered Soy Milk
• 1/2 cup Canned Pumpkin
• 1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt
• 2 1/2 cups Brown Rice Flour
• 1 teaspoon Dried Parsley

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.

1. In a large bowl combine flaxseed meal and pumpkin to smooth. (Note: 1 Tablespoon flaxseed meal plus 3 Tablespoons warm water is equivalent to 1 egg)
2. Stir in dry soy milk, sea salt, and dried parsley
3. Gradually add brown rice flour, to form a stiff, dry dough
4. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface (if dough is still rough, briefly kneed and press to combine)
5. Use cookie cutter to cut shapes into dough, gathering and re-rolling scraps as you go. Dog bone cookie cutters work great .
6. Place shapes on an ungreased cookie sheet.
7. Bake 20 minutes
8. Remove from oven, turn over and bake additional 20 minutes
9. Allow to cool

*Makes about 50 small biscuits or 75 medium biscuits

Five Common Gardening Mistakes

Having a green thumb for gardening takes more than talent and a bit of creativity, it takes a lot of patience, knowledge, and hard work. If you are having trouble with getting your garden to thrive, you might be guilty of one or even a few of these most common gardening mistakes. Never fear, there is still hope for you and your garden, knowing where you’re going wrong is the first step to turning your dying garden into a successful one.

1.) Not Planting In The Right Spot/Not Getting Enough Sun
One of the first and easiest mistakes many beginning gardeners make when they first start out is not planting something in the right spot. It is important to educate yourself on different types of plants, and to read the little tags that they come with for further care instructions. If something says it needs 6 or more hours of sunlight, obviously planting it in a shady spot will kill it quicker than anything, and vice versa. So do yourself a favor, and before you start to plant, plan everything accordingly. See what you have room for, and where each type of plant would grow best, then go from there.

2.) Watering Too Much Or Not Enough
Another common gardening mistake many people make is overwatering their plants. Watering too much drowns plant’s roots, and causes them to rot. In the world of gardening, this is what we call root rot. On the other hand, not watering a plant enough can cause it to dehydrate and wither away. The best approach to fixing this problem is only watering when necessary. When soil looks very dry and is rock hard to the touch, its time to water! If you can grab a moist handful and squeeze it together to form a loose ball, then the soil is just right and there is no need to water. If you have a tendency to overwater or underwater your plants then you might consider investing in an irrigation system that automatically adjusts the water levels as necessary, and does the work for you. Looking for a more affordable way to tell if your garden needs to be watered? Try planting something that wilts quicker than other plants on a hot day, such as lettuce, hydrangea, or rosemary. If the indicator plant looks wilted or very dry on a hot day then its a good way to tell that your garden needs some water right away.

3.) Planting Too Close Together/Not Enough Space
Another common mistake in gardening is not having enough space to plant something or planting things too close together. Be sure to do your research on each plant before you put it in the ground, and always make sure that you dig deep enough around the plant, but also not too deep. Plants often die if their roots are not thoroughly covered by soil, or if they are buried too deep in the ground or pot. Always follow the directions on how far to space seedlings or plants from each other, and how much soil to dig up and cover with, this is very important, especially as the plants start to mature. Another important thing to keep in mind when planting is that some plant varieties are more invasive than others, so be sure to pay close attention to this when picking out seeds or plants for your garden. Words like “vigorous growth” “invasive” or “prolific reseeder” often indicate invasive plant types. Invasivespeciesinfo.gov also has a great list of which varieties of plants are invasive, if you need some help.

4.) Not Having The Proper Tools
If you are going to start a garden, then having the proper tools to do so is common knowledge. Your garden won’t be very successful if you don’t have the proper tools to garden with, or if you don’t know how to use them properly. Before starting your garden, take some time to familiarize yourself with important garden tools and techniques, this will help ensure the survival of your plants. A few important tools every gardener should have on hand include:

• Garden gloves
• Spading fork
• Shovel
• Hoe
• Rake
• Hand cultivator or trowel
• Garden hose
• Watering can
• Wheelbarrow or gardening cart
• Pruning sheers

5.) Not Preparing Your Soil Properly
Having good soil is key to keeping the plants in your garden alive and well. This means that knowing when and how to prepare your garden soil are also very important. If you aren’t sure how to prepare soil for a garden, then this step-by-step guide can help teach you the ropes. If your soil needs some help, here are a few tips for soil fixes or soil amendments.

*Sources:

Vegetable Garden Planning for Beginners almanac.com

List of Invasive Plant Species invasivespeciesinfo.gov

10 Must Have Books For Cat Owners

1.) Catification: Designing a Happy and Stylish Home for Your Cat (and You!)
This nifty book featuring the hit star of Animal Planet’s hit television series My Cat From Hell, Jackson Galaxy, shows cat owners how to make their homes cat-friendly and chic at the same time! Having difficulty creating an ideal living space for your feline friend? Never fear, this book offers some of the most functional, and stylish solutions for catification, and is even available on the Nook!

2.) Cat Sense: How the New Feline Science Can Make You a Better Friend to Your Pet
For any cat owner that is still having trouble understanding the feline language, or what really goes on in a cat’s head, this book is a must have! Cat Sense: How The New Feline Science Can Make You a Better Friend to Your Pet will help you be the best cat parent around! In this informative and eye opening book, renowned anthrozoologist John Bradshaw takes proud cat owners further into the mind of the domestic feline, than ever before! Bradshaw writes using an urgency of informative information and cutting-edge scientific research that even traces the feline’s evolution far back, from lone predator to the domesticated feline companions we know and love today!

3.) Get Out of There, Cat!
This entertaining book based on the popular blog of the same name, Get Out of There, Cat! is a hilarious read featuring humorous captions paired with 150 full-color photos of cats where they don’t belong. Need a good laugh? This funny book featuring cats hanging out just about anywhere you can imagine, is sure to do the trick! Whether its the cat lounging in the pizza box, or hanging out in the dryer, these hilarious and mischievous cats are sure to provide tons of page-turning fun for cat owners everywhere.

4.) I Could Pee on This: And Other Poems by Cats
Cat lovers are sure to laugh out loud at this hilarious little book, which features humorous tongue-in-cheek poetry paired with highly entertaining full-color photos of house cats. The poems featured in this book, featuring titles like “Nudge” and “Who is That on Your Lap” perfectly capture the inner workings of the cat’s mind as well as their quirky and curious personalities. Cat owners everywhere are sure to enjoy this whimsical, funny, and creatively written book of cat poetry.

5.) Why Cats Paint: A Theory of Feline Aesthetics
Cat owners and artists are sure to love this unprecedented photographic record of cats getting creative! This artsy fartsy and rather intriguing book discusses the theory of feline aesthetics and other unexplained aspects of cat behavior. When paired with full-color photos of artistic cats and their masterpieces, Why Cats Paint makes for an interesting and entertaining read. If you love cats, or are really into art, then this book is a must have for your shelf!

6.) Grumpy Cat: A Grumpy Book
What cat owner hasn’t grown to know and love the internet sensation, Grumpy Cat? This book perfectly captures the personality of the epic feline who can usually be seen wearing her famous frown and reveling in the fine art of grouchiness. Grumpy Cat: A Grumpy Book features new and full-color photos, plenty of bad attitude, and even some great grump-inspiring activities and games that cat owners are sure to love!

7.) The Meowmorphosis
Cat owners who have a taste for bizarre things or literature are sure to love Cook Coleridge’s nightmarish tale based on the work of Franz Kafka, who became obsessed with the idea that cats were stalking him. In The Meowmorphosis, cat owners and readers everywhere are taken on a strange journey as they are told the tale of a man named Gregor Samsa, who wakes up one morning to find that he has turned into an adorable kitten. This bold, startling, and rather bizarre masterpiece based on Kafka’s disturbing work, is a surreal page turner from beginning to end. The main character’s fate is a sad one, and his family’s treatment of him is even more inhumane. This book is a must read for those who love a compelling, bold, dark, story featuring cats.

8.) Cat Daddy: What the World’s Most Incorrigible Cat Taught Me About Life, Love, and Coming Clean
Cat owners and fans of the Animal Planet’s hit television show, My Cat From Hell, featuring cat behaviorist and star, Jackson Galaxy, are sure to love his personal story of how he first connected with some of the world’s most troubled felines, not to mention his ugly past with drugs. Galaxy “comes clean” in this heart warming and true tale of his life caring for cats, including his relationship with his thirteen-year-old short-haired feline companion, Benny. This page turning and sometimes tear jerking book offers some of the best insight and advice into Jackson Galaxy’s life, and profession, as well as some helpful advice for how cat owners can properly live with, care for, and love the felines in their own home. If you are looking for a great book to help you understand and appreciate your cat all the more, then this is it!

9.) Cat Vs. Human
Cat owners and comic fans are sure to love Yasmine Surovec’s first installment in her hilarious collection of over 100 four-color cat cartoons which include hilarious and snarky commentary about the joined life of cats and their humans. This book was inspired by the widely popular Cat Vs. Human blog, which quickly went viral and now receives more than 6,000 pageviews a day. If you are looking for a fun way to spend your day, this book of cartoons is sure to help!

10.) Entertaining Your Indoor Cat: 50 Fun and Inventive Amusements for Your Cat
Is your cat suffering from boredom? Are you all out of ideas for how to amuse him or her? Then this book is just what you need! Entertaining Your Indoor Cat is a fun book for cat owners that features over 50 games, activities and simple projects designed to keep indoor cats active, engaged, and happy. This book written by proud cat owner and writer, Kevin P. Kelly, is sure to amuse both you and your cat!

 

Welcome to The Green Vegan Gnome!

Hello, and welcome to my blog– The Green Vegan Gnome! I’m just getting things started, but eventually I will get around to posting lots of interesting things, for all of you wonderful readers to enjoy.