Our pets need the same special attention we do if you want to avoid high vet bills and unhappy, unhealthy pets. I’ve been promising my dog food recipe for quite some time, so today here it is!
My dogs, Sunshine and Floyd are like my children these days, and I take care of them just like my children. I think it’s funny when people say, “I don’t feed my dogs people food.” I’m always so curious about that because most dog food contains very unhealthy ingredients. No surprise there.
And what works for dogs, can also work for cats.
My little dog Sunshine suffers from allergies. She had a rough start in life – 2 puppies at 9 months old – so I have had to give her extra special care. Her ears get sore and inflamed if I don’t. And Floyd, the handsome Boston Terrier on the left, has sensitive digestion. They are both rescue pups and so sweet!
Dogs and cats need the same care we do. They need vitamins and minerals, and healthy fats, proteins and carbohydrates. Many dogs have the same chronic conditions we do like arthritis, teeth, vision and skin problems. By watching their diet and giving them a great multivitamin like this one, your dog will feel great and not have so many vet visits.
Did you know that if you slow cook a chicken (300 degrees or lower), your dog can eat the whole thing, bones and all? That’s because the bones are soft, not all dried out and splintery. See my book suggestion below.
Here’s my dog food recipe. I feed about 1.5 cups am and pm and then they get 1/2 can of sardines in water for lunch – sometimes I split an avocado between them. Yes, I feed them 3 times a day to help them manage blood sugar. Can you imagine if you ate only once or twice a day on a regular basis?
Robin’s Homemade Dog Food
Feeds one 20 pound dog 2x/day for 1 week. I purchase everything at Trader Joe’s – it’s all organic – but if you don’t have a TJs then get it all at your local store.
Ingredients
- 2 cups lentils + 4 cups fresh water
- 6-7 small to medium sized sweet potatoes sliced in rounds
- 1 bag carrots (about 10), cut in chunks
- 5-6 medium-sized zucchinis cut in large rounds
- 1 bag green beans
- 1 bag green peas
- 1 bunch celery chopped
- 4-5 granny smith apples or a lower sugar apple
- 2 bags spinach – about 20 cups
- 4 tablespoons sea salt
- 3 packages white cod pieces (fish) – about 3 pounds of fish
- 1 cup olive oil (extra virgin)
Directions:
Place everything in a large pot except the fish and olive oil. Put lentils in first and then layer the food in the order it is listed above so the longest cooking veggies are on the bottom. Bring to a boil and then simmer covered for about an hour or until all food is soft. Then add cod and cook for another 15-20 minutes. Place in containers and divide the olive oil evenly and mix well. I use a large spoon to cut up the bigger pieces. Put one container in the refrigerator and the other two in the freezer to pull out as needed.
I’ll bet that you’re tempted to eat this. Well you can of course. There’s nothing wrong with dining with your pets.
One of my good friends, Dr. Greg Martinez, helped me along this path. He’s a regular veterinarian turned more holistic, and wrote the book The Dog Dish Diet.
Here’s a video that Dr. Greg and I made a long time ago that will help you with making food for yourself and your pet. This recipe is not grain free but I am a big believer in grain free for my dogs. You’ll notice Dr. Greg doesn’t worry too much about organic or not either. Funny video, huh?
Enjoy and I look forward to hearing how everything works out.
