an easter basket for the fur child ...

*** this post was sponsored by kroger. all opinions are 100% my own. ***

since eleanor joined the gang back in january, ms hattie our english bulldog graciously accepted her new role playing 2nd fiddle. so when kroger approached me with the challenge to create an easter basket for a loved one exclusively from items purchased at their store - i decided to spoil our pup with an easter basket of her own. after all, hattie is much more excited about goodies than our little one at this stage.




this was also a great opportunity to visit the new kroger marketplace®! along with the huge variety of the fresh food i've come to expect from my neighborhood kroger, the kroger marketplace® is a one-stop shop for everything else for your home - including home decor, linens, small appliances and more. and when it came to items for hattie's easter basket - it did not disappoint. i filled her basket with pup essentials:

- a little lamb doll (with sewn on features as a safe choice) + bunny ears from the easter selection
- a rubber ball from their amazing selection of pet toys
- a water bottle wrapped in a sock from the $1 bins (which of course is her favorite from the basket!)
- from their home goods section, i picked up a jar to fill with homemade dog treats!

... and even a little gift for me - a lint brush!

kroger has a great big natural section loaded with the gluten free products that we love as well! when we adopted hattie a year ago, we weren't entirely familiar with the bulldog breed. we knew they were super squishy, loud snoring, crazy loyal lovebugs. but we didn't realize that they are also one of the most unhealthy breeds. you can help with their allergies and breathing issues by keeping them on a gluten free diet. so yes - in this household even our dog is gluten free!

here's a super easy recipe for gluten free dog treats:

• 1 banana, mashed
• 1/4c natural peanut butter*
• 1/2c bacon, chopped
• 1 egg
• 1 3/4c gluten-free oat flour*
• 1/3 cup gluten-free oats*

* peanut butter is a good source of protein + it contains healthy fats, vitamin b, niacin and vitamin e. and oats are a great source of fiber which is especially beneficial as your dog ages. 




preheat oven to 300º F.

1. combine wet ingredients and dry ingredients (except the bacon) separately. then mix the wet with the dry ingredients. finally fold in the bacon bits. 
2. transfer the dough to wax paper. if the dough is sticky, use additional oat flour. roll the dough to a 1/4" thickness and use cookie cutters to shape each treat. transfer the the treats to a non-stick baking sheet. 
3. bake the treats for 35 minutes until golden brown. allow them to cool at room temperature before storing them for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container. 

you might not be able to tell - but the treats are hattie approved! she's pretty excited about the basket as a whole! :)



of course kroger has everything you need to fill up an easter basket for your human counterparts too! for more easter basket ideas including great DIY easter projects - check out the kroger pinterest board and their Facebook page.