Canine Nutrition: 6 Dog Food Recipes

There’s really no evidence as to whether making your pet’s food from scratch is better than getting store-bought kibble, but we can’t exactly trust something we didn’t see made with our own eyes. Kibble may be dried pellets of minced meat, but that’s only because we’ve been told it is.

There are a number of other reasons you might want to make your own dog food. We suggest consulting their vet before getting into it.

Once you get the go-ahead, try the following recipes.

1.    Beef Stew

Let’s start with some much-needed protein for your meat lover.

Ingredients:

• 1lb beef stew meat diced at about 2cm each.
• 1/3 carrots
• 1/2 cup diced green beans.
• 1/2 cup peas. (optional)
• 1 sweet potato. (small to medium-sized)
• 1/3 cup flour.
• 1/2 cup of water.
• Vegetable oil for frying.

Instructions

1. Microwave the sweet potato for five to ten minutes until it’s tender.
2. Pour oil in a frying pan on medium heat, and toss in the diced beef. Cook until you’re sure it isn’t raw.
3. Set aside the cooked cubes and oil drippings separately.
4. Get back to the now cool potato, and dice it.
5. Put the drippings back on, this time on a lowish flame, and stir while gradually add in the flour and water. Keep at it until you get a thick consistency.
6. Next, incorporate the beef, potato, and other vegetables into the gravy.
7. Be sure to cover everything with the gravy and let it cook until the carrots get soft.
8. Rest it for a bit before letting your drooling daisy dig in.

Note: Leftovers can be frozen and reheated for up to a week.

2.    Easy Veggie Mix

We recommend going vegetarian on this, but you could always add in some turkey or chicken if it’s required in your specific canine’s diet.

Ingredients

• 2 cups brown rice.
• 3lb minced turkey or chicken. (optional)
• 4 cups chopped spinach.
• 2 small to medium carrots.
• 1 zucchini
• 1 cup peas. (fresh or frozen)
• Olive oil for cooking

Instructions

1. Cook the rice in two to four cups of water.
2. Pour in the olive oil in a medium-size pot over medium heat.
3. Start with the mincemeat, if you’re including it in the recipe. Cook and separate the mince until it goes brown.
4. Incorporate the vegetables and rice, and cook until the spinach has withered.
5. Rest and serve.
   

3.    Slow-cooked Chicken

You might want to do a slowcooker on a weekend, preferably after your day ends.

Ingredients

• 3lb boneless chicken breasts and thighs.
• 1 cubed sweet potato.
• 2 cups peas. (fresh or frozen)
• 1 cubed apple. (minus the seeds)
• 2 1/2 sliced carrots.
• 1 can of kidney beans.
• 2 tablespoons Olive oil

Instructions

1. Put the uncut chicken in a slow-cooker and cover it with water.
2. Add the vegetables, beans, and apple, but leave the peas out.
3. Set it on low, and settle in for an eight to nine-hour simmer.
4. During the last hour, add in the peas as well.
5. After the time’s up, you can drain any extra water from the pot.
6. Incorporate the olive oil, and stir until you’re sure it’s covered all the ingredients.
7. Run the mix through a food processor until it’s your desired consistency.
8. Rest and serve.

4.    Best of Both Worlds

There’s quite a debate around whether dog food should be raw or cooked. We tried both since we don’t want that to be a point of conflict within our dog lovers’ community.

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown rice.
• chopped beef or mutton.
• 1 cup chopped apple.
• 1 cup chopped carrot.
• 1/2 cup fresh peas.
• 1 cup chopped pumpkin.
• 5 teaspoons sunflower oil.
• Your doggie’s prescribed supplements.

Instructions

1. Prepare the rice first, but also add in the pumpkin.
2. Mix in the rest in their raw form after the pumpkin rice has cooled.

Note: Leftovers can be frozen for up to a couple of weeks.

5.    Canine Loaf

Bananas might be getting a bit old. How about a good old bread loaf filled with all the necessary nutrition your dog needs?

Ingredients

• 1lb minced turkey
• 1/2 cup oats
• 1/2 cup diced carrot
• 1/2 cup fresh peas
• 5 eggs

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven at about 300ºF.
2. Bring three of the eggs to a hard boil in a separate pot or machine.
3. Toss the meat, carrots, and pea in a bowl, and mix them up.
4. Introduce raw eggs and oats to the mixture, and mix some more.
5. Polish a baking pan with a bit of olive oil, and toss in about half the mixture.
6. Arrange the hard-boiled eggs along the center, cover with the rest of the mixture.
7. Bake for about 30 minutes or until it’s ready.
8. Let it rest and serve a slice to your hungry puppy.

Note: Also suitable for felines, although we would recommend a smaller slice.

6.    Low Sugar Food

We bring you the best dog care for diabetic canines through the stomach.

Ingredients

• 4lb chana dal. (A yellow bean from India.)
• 5lb chicken breast. (Deboned and cubed.)
• 2lb green peas
• 2lb black-eyed peas.
• 2lb brown lentils.
• 1lb barley
• 1lb minced turkey.
• 1 canned pumpkin.
• frozen broccoli.
• frozen green beans.
• frozen carrots.
• frozen spinach
• 30 cups water.

Instructions

1. Pour all the water in a pot for boiling.
2. As it comes to a boil, bring the heat down to a medium, and add dal, lentils, barley, and peas. Stir the whole thing at regular intervals.
3. Next, introduce chicken and turkey to the simmering mixture.
4. While stirring, add the canned pumpkin, all the frozen vegetables.
5. Bring the heat down further, and keep stirring at frequent intervals.
6. Reduce it until you can hardly see the water.
7. Rest and serve.

Note: This dish can be frozen for up to a week.

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