Hi Humans,
I hope you had a great weekend.
The holidays are just around the corner, so I want to start by inviting you to DOGTV’s “Dogsgiving” week – a full week of programs for you and your dog, free on DIRECTV, starting Monday, 24th.
Lots of great new shows are waiting for you over there, so don’t miss it. DIRECTV, channel 354.
Speaking of the holidays, I bet you, like everyone else, will be spending lots of time in the kitchen. Correct? But what about your dogs? What will they eat this holiday season? Well, according to Lisa Hennessym they are going to eat really delicious meals!
Lisa is the owner and creator of Your Pet Chef.
She has been making food for her dogs for more than 5 years and now shares that love of food making with her customer’s dogs. Check out yourpetchef.com for more info.
I’ve asked Lisa to share with us her thoughts about feeding your dog the right stuff this holiday season. Here you go:
We include our dogs in every holiday celebration. We make them special dishes so they are part of the festivities and have their own traditions. I’ll share a couple of those recipes later. Most dogs will eat anything that is put in front of them, so we need to be careful during those holiday dinners. Here are some quick tips to help keep your dog healthy and happy during the holidays:
- Stay away from sharing the dinner rolls with your pet. Grains aren’t part of their natural diet and can cause skin irritations and digestive issues. I love a buttered crescent roll on Thanksgiving – who doesn’t? We just need to be sure our 2 legged guests are the only ones enjoying the bread and rolls.
- Steer clear of dishes with lots of fat. My mom makes a great baked mashed potato dish that has a couple of sticks of butter in it. It’s fabulous. While my dogs would love this dish too, it’s what comes out on the back end that can be a problem.
- Not sure what to do with that bag of goodies inside the turkey? Drop it into your dog’s bowl and watch it disappear! If you don’t have the stomach for that, lightly baked the contents for about 15 minutes at 350 degrees, allow to cool and serve. You’ll make this Thanksgiving the best ever for your dog!
- Green bean casserole is a staple at most holiday gatherings. Most dogs enjoy green beans, but some need to have them pureed a bit prior to eating. A little bit of bread crumb topping won’t hurt them. Put a couple of spoons into your food processor and give it a quick mix. This makes a great treat on top of your dog’s kibble.
- Cranberries, a holiday favorite, are a great addition to your dog’s diet. They are packed with vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, and can help prevent urinary tract problems. I’m talking about real cranberries here, not the stuff that is jellied in a can as that has way too much sugar. Most grocery stores carry fresh cranberries during the holidays for about $1 per pound. Grab a pound or two, add a couple of spoonfuls of plain yogurt, puree in your food processor, fill up an ice cube tray and freeze. Now you have “Canine Cranny Cubes” that you can drop into your dog’s food as often as you’d like!
Here are a couple of recipes that are sure to become a tradition at your holiday gatherings.
“Collieflower Chip and Dip”
Equipment needed: Food processor, slicing knife, 4 quart saucepan, cookie sheet, measuring cup, measuring spoons, spatula, spoon, 8” x 8” square baking dish
Canine and Company Chips
3 sweet potatoes, cleaned, peeled, and sliced into 1/8” slices
3 rutabagas, cleaned, peeled, and sliced into 1/8” slices
Spread chips on cookie sheet and bake at 250 degrees for about 3 hours. Set aside to cool.
Collieflower Dip
½ head cauliflower, sliced into florets
1 bunch fresh spinach, washed, dried, and chopped
½ cup Monterey jack cheese
½ cup Parmesan cheese
½ tsp. garlic powder
Place the cauliflower in the sauce pan with 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes or until soft. Remove from heat and cool. Combine the cauliflower, spinach, cheeses, and garlic powder in your food processor and puree until creamy. Take mixture and spoon into greased baking dish. Bake at 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool slightly and serve with chips.
This recipe contains 915 total calories.
“Turkey Gobbler”
Equipment needed: Food processor, slicing knife, 4 quart saucepan, measuring cup, measuring spoons, spatula, spoon, cupcake pan to bake or freeze
3 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced into quarters (or 8 oz. of fresh cranberries)
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1 lb. ground turkey (or leftover Thanksgiving turkey)
1 cup peas
½ cup carrots, washed, peeled, and sliced into 1” pieces
Place the apples and cinnamon in the sauce pan with 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes or until apples are soft. Remove from heat and cool. Combine the turkey, peas, and carrots in your food processor and puree until creamy. Take mixture and spoon into greased cupcake pan and fill to about 2/3. Transfer the contents of the sauce pan into your food processor and puree until smooth. Top off the meat mixture to fill.
To bake, cook at 350 degree oven for 35-45 minutes. Allow to cool, remove from pan with a small spatula, and store in a plastic container or bag. They will last about a week in the refrigerator and 3 months in the freezer.
This recipe contains 980 total calories.
We hope you enjoy preparing these quick and easy recipes for your 4 legged family members (your 2 legged family members will love them too). For more recipes, check out our new holiday books. Your Pet Chef Presents the 12 Days of Christmas and the 8 Days of Hannukah share recipes for our dogs based upon traditional holiday dishes. These recipes are all grain and gluten free. Recipes include Muttzo Ball Soup, 4 Collie Birds, and many more. Go to yourpetchef.com to get your copy today. $1 from the purchase of each book goes back to the animal rescue of your choice. Enjoy!!
