4 Homemade Lickmat Recipes for Cats & Dogs: Japandi-Inspired, Simple & Healthy
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Time to read 6 min
Imagine stepping into a Japanese garden — a place so still and beautiful that your body just decides to relax. That was the feeling I had the first time I visited a Karesansui garden in Japan. Complete calm. A sense of peace that stays with you.
When I began designing the first Hokuō® lickmat, I explored many ideas. But none felt truly right. I wanted to create something original — something that reflected my love for Japanese culture, and at the same time, honoured my Scandinavian roots.
A Memory That Became a Moment
One Saturday night, I woke up with that garden memory fresh in my mind. I knew that was it. That was the feeling I wanted to recreate. I called my graphic designer, and together we worked through the night. By morning, the Hokuō® Karesansui Lickmat was born.
The depth: the lines, the texture — it’s all created to help your pet calm down. To gently activate the nervous system through licking. Because as the tongue follows the soft ridges of the Karesansui, something shifts. Calm begins to settle in. Just like the feeling I had walking through those quiet gardens in Japan.
A Ritual Rooted in Care
If you know the brand, you know nothing is left to chance. I had a clear vision: a product that didn’t just look beautiful, but felt purposeful. Designed with texture and depth to gently stimulate your pet’s nervous system — a tool for calm and enrichment.
And I knew this launch had to go deeper. It had to include my passion for pet nutrition. So I reached out to a Dutch pet nutritionist and shared my idea. I asked if she’d like to collaborate and bring it to life — and here we are.
A Journey in Four Recipes
So I’m very proud to introduce you to four homemade lickmat recipes, Japandi inspired:
The calm of green tea, the comfort of ramen, the new life of cherry blossom and the warmth of shiitake.
Each one is created for both cats and dogs, using whole ingredients that nourish gently — and beautifully.
Experience the texture and the flavours of each recipe to find calm — just like I did the first time I walked through a Japanese garden.
This space is yours to be present, to nourish your cat or dog in a calming and intentional way. No rush. No pressure. Just the joy of sharing a peaceful, beautiful moment together.
Ready to create something meaningful? Let’s dive into the 4 original homemade lickmat recipes we created just for you and your pet!
Explore the Four Recipes
What You'll Need
- 1/4 leaf green cabbage
- 30g frozen peas
- 50ml water
- 1 tsp Hokuō® Nagomi
- 1 tsp Hokuō® Organic Alaria Esulenta (seaweed)
Inspired by the calm of a Japanese tea moment.
I wanted this recipe to reflect some of the tea experiences I’ve had in Japan — quiet, grounding, and full of intention. Using green cabbage and peas for gentle digestion, the Hokuō® Nagomi blend for calm, and Hokuō® Organic Alaria Esculenta for its natural minerals and antioxidants, it’s a simple way to help your pet slow down — and feel good doing it.
How to Make It
Boil the cabbage (set aside two pieces for decoration) and the frozen peas (save a few for topping) in gently boiling water until soft.
Blend the cabbage and peas with 30 ml of the water until smooth.
Mix 1 tsp of Nagomi with the remaining 20 ml of water .
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Place everything onto the lickmat — just like in the photo, or in your own way.
Did you know: Green cabbage is a source of vitamin C. Peas contain fiber, iron, zinc, vitamin E, and vitamin C. Nagomi is made from chamomile, passion flower, lemon balm, and valerian root. Alaria Esculenta is a freeze-dried seaweed full of minerals, fiber, and vitamins.
What You'll Need
1/4 leaf green cabbage
2 pieces Hokuō® Red Deer Heart
2 quail eggs (or 1 chicken egg)
A sprinkle of Hokuō® Organic Alaria Esulenta (seaweed)
Inspired by one of Japan’s beloved comfort foods.
Ramen is often one of the first things you truly feel when arriving in Japan — warm, deep, and full of care. I wanted to capture that same feeling here, especially with cats in mind , using nutrient-rich Hokuō® Red Deer Heart. This recipe is a nod to that unforgettable moment when you taste the best ramen of your life — comforting, satisfying, and made to be remembered.
How to Make It
- Boil the green cabbage in gently boiling water for about 10 minutes. In the same pan, boil 2 quail eggs for 4 minutes (make a small hole at each end to prevent cracking).
- Rinse the eggs with cold water and peel carefully . Slice them in half, lengthwise.
- Cut the cabbage into small strips.
- Slice the red deer heart into bite-sized pieces.
- Pour the elk bone broth evenly across the lickmat.
- Sprinkle the red deer heart over the upper half of the mat.
- Place the cabbage and eggs as shown in the photo.
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Finish with a sprinkle of seaweed over half of the eggs.
Did you know: Elk broth is made from slow-simmered elk bones and is full of natural collagen and nutrients. Green cabbage is rich in vitamin C. Red deer heart contains iron, vitamin B12, zinc, and omega-3s. Quail eggs are packed with protein, vitamin B, iron, and potassium. Alaria Esculenta is a freeze-dried seaweed with minerals, fiber, and vitamins.
What You'll Need
50ml kefir
40g raspberries
40g shrimp
1 tsp dried flower petals
Inspired by the cherry blossom season — a time of new life.
Every spring, Japan turns pink. The cherry blossom bloom is one of the biggest events of the year, and if you’ve been there, you know why. For me, it’s always felt like a fresh start — soft, light, and full of new energy. That’s the feeling I wanted to bring into this recipe. With ingredients like Hokuō® Duck & Raspberry, shrimp , and edible flowers, it’s light, nourishing, and perfect for the change of seasons.
How to Make It
Boil the shrimp in gently boiling water for about 10 minutes. (Never feed raw shrimp!)
Blend the kefir and 3 raspberries until smooth.
Chop the cooked shrimp and the remaining raspberries into small pieces.
Pour the kefir and raspberry mixture evenly over the lickmat.
Sprinkle the shrimp and raspberries across the mat.
Crumble one duck/raspberry cookie over the top.
- Finish with a light scattering of edible flower petals.
Did you know: Kefir is packed with probiotics and supports digestion. Raspberries are rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, and compounds that support heart health. Shrimp are a good source of protein, omega-3s, and antioxidants. Duck & Raspberry combine high-quality duck meat with freeze-dried raspberries.
What You'll Need
2 small to medium sized potatoes
- 1 tbsp Hokuō® Organic Shiitake Powder
- 20ml water
- 30ml Hokuō® Reindeer Bone Broth
- 40g shimeji mushrooms
- 2 Hokuō® Taste Sprats & Beetroot
Where shiitake meets childhood comfort.
Japanese food culture is really my thing — simple ingredients that somehow create deep, unforgettable flavour. I knew shiitake had to be part of this journey. And being Danish, mashed potatoes were a regular at the dinner table, especially at my grandma’s. So this recipe is a mix of my two food worlds: my love for Japanese mushrooms, and the comfort of something I grew up with.
How to Make It
Boil the potatoes in gently boiling water for about 15 minutes, until soft.
Boil the shimeji mushrooms in a separate pan for about 15 minutes. (Never feed raw mushrooms!)
Mash the potatoes with shiitake powder and water until smooth and combined.
Chop the cooked shimeji into small pieces.
Spread the potato mash over the bottom half of the lickmat.
Place the shimeji mushrooms in the texture circles, and pour the broth over the top half.
Finish with the sprats placed gently in the middle.
Did you know: Potatoes are rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6, iron, and potassium. Shiitake powder is full of antioxidants and amino acids. Reindeer bone broth is slow-simmered and packed with natural collagen and nutrients. Shimeji mushrooms contain vitamin B, iron, and powerful antioxidants. Sprats with beetroot are loaded with omega-3s, vitamin D, and B12.
Make It Your Ritual
I truly hope this inspires you to explore new ways to nourish your pet — or even to create your own version of these nutritionist-developed recipes.
Every ritual is different. Share yours with us on social media.
Tag @hokuo.pet on social media and use #KaresansuiMoments to join the journey towards homemade lickmat recipes.
