Authors: Paris Permenter,John Bigley
The Healthy Hound Cookbook: Over 125 Easy Recipes for Healthy, Homemade Dog Food--Including Grain-Free, Paleo, and Raw Recipes! (18 page)
Chicken liver and eggs make an inexpensive base for this meal.
YIELDS: 6 muffins
1
⁄
4
pound chicken livers, rinsed and cooked
3 eggs
1
⁄
4
cup diced, cooked green beans
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease muffin tins or line with parchment cups.
- Use the back of a fork to mash chicken livers, chopping any larger bits. Whisk eggs in a medium bowl, then fold in chicken livers and green beans.
- Fill muffin tins with mixture
3
⁄
4
full, then bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes, depending on the size of the muffins. - Cool completely before serving; refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.
These cute, protein-rich little goodies make a great way to start Rover’s morning, although they will be welcome any time of day.
YIELDS: 16 mini-muffins
8 eggs
1
⁄
2
cup cottage cheese
1
⁄
2
teaspoon baking powder
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1
⁄
2
cup shredded cooked chicken
1 (5-ounce) can tuna in water, drained
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line mini-muffin tin with parchment cups.
- Whisk eggs in a large bowl, then add cottage cheese, baking powder, cheese, chicken, and tuna.
- Fill each cup
2
⁄
3
full with egg mixture. Bake for 30 minutes. - Cool before serving. Refrigerate; egg cups last about 3 days.
Want to make a nutritious breakfast for you and your dog to share? Prepare this dish at night and refrigerate overnight. You’ll wake up to a yummy dish that uses chia, a superfood packed with omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, and more.
YIELDS: 4 cups
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 cup old-fashioned oats
2 tablespoons chia seeds
2 apples
2 tablespoons raw honey
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
- In a medium bowl, pour almond milk over oats and chia seeds. Set aside.
- Peel, core, and grate the apples, tossing with honey and lemon juice. (Be sure to discard apple seeds.) Add apples and yogurt to chia seed and oats mixture.
- Stir to mix well, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Chill at least 12 hours so the chia seeds will plump up. Refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Chia seeds date back to the Aztecs and Mayans but came to everyone’s attention with Chia Pets, terracotta figurines that rose to popularity in the 1980s due to their sprouting chia “foliage” and “fur.” Today, chia seeds are lauded for their nutritional properties, including the fact that they are a superior antioxidant, more than any other whole food.
Who doesn’t like to start the day with an omelet? This simple recipe adds spinach for color and added nutrition.
YIELDS: 1 omelet
2 eggs
1 cup baby spinach leaves, torn
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
- In a small bowl, beat the eggs, then add spinach and cheese. Pour into a nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray.
- Cook over medium heat until partially set, about 5 minutes, then flip with spatula to cook to desired doneness.
- Cool before serving. Refrigerate unused portion up to 3 days.
This easy breakfast can be served to your dog—or you can start your day off right by making a portion for yourself, too!
YIELDS: 1 cup
1
⁄
3
cup cottage cheese
1
⁄
3
cup plain yogurt
1
⁄
3
cup mashed blueberries
Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl and serve. If you have a small dog and only need a portion of this dish, you can store the remainder in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Along with blueberries, other good options for this easy breakfast include puréed or finely chopped apple (discarding the core and seeds), puréed carrots, bananas, mashed blackberries, and other favorite fruits and vegetables your dog enjoys.
Ahoy, mateys! This seafood-inspired recipe will have all hands on deck at mess time, even for landlubber dogs.
YIELDS: 2 cups
1 (3.75-ounce) can sardines in water
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
4 eggs
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat an oven-safe 8" × 8" casserole dish with nonstick spray.
- Drain sardines (reserve water for another recipe or a tasty topping for your dog’s food). Chop sardines and mix with parsley.
- Line the prepared dish with the sardine mixture, then top with eggs. (Either beat the eggs and pour over the sardines or crack each egg individually on a different portion of the mixture.)
- Bake until eggs are cooked to desired doneness, about 15 minutes.
- Cool before serving to your dog. Refrigerate for 3 days or freeze in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
Salmon or shrimp make tasty substitutions for this dish; you can also add your dog’s favorite vegetables to the sardine layer. Carrots, sweet potato, green beans, pumpkin, celery, peas, and other vegetables can create different versions of this canine favorite.
