Some of you may have noticed lately that I am not doing much cooking! Not even of the baking variety!!
I have to admit that I am going thru a dry spell, and my poor family is eating a lot of sandwiches lately. Thank the Lord they are keeping their comments to themselves. LOL!
I may not be doing a whole lot of cooking for my 2 legged family members, but I seem to be cooking up a storm for the 4 legged variety! Rudy owes a huge thank you to Gayle Pruitt, author of Dog-Gone Good Cuisine……..
Look at the cutie patootie dog on the cover. Seriously!!!
I have kicked around making Rudy’s meals for him, but never bit the bullet until his accident right before Easter this year. Just as I am concerned about the food that we put into our bodies, I am also concerned about what Rudy puts into his. I am not saying that the dog food market is bad, you just have to wonder at the list of ingredients on the back of the packaging……most of them I cannot even pronounce!!!!
I never knew that there were cookbooks geared towards pets, and I love that this landed in my lap at the perfect time in our lives.
When Rudy came home from the hospital, they requested that we feed him canned dog food, making it easier for him to digest while being medicated, and easier to hide his meds. Big problem……HE LOVED IT!
Not only was he scarfing it down, but we noticed a change in his “bathroom” habits. He was not straining to go #2….or as some would say……poop! Once again, PT and I are talking poop. 😉 Brings us straight back to the late 90’s!! Remember when your babies were young you could tell a lot about what was going on with them via their poop? Well let me tell you……the same is true about dogs!
I loved the fact that he wasn’t having to strain! I did not like the fact that the cans were so expensive. All I can say is WOW! We tried to switch him back up to the dry dog food, but the little dickens was having nothing to do with it…… {SIGH}!
Have you ever noticed that I use explanation marks…… a lot??
Bringing me right back to the idea of making my own dog food. I am not saying it is the right thing to do, but it is what we are doing at the moment. It makes me feel good to see him so excited when his dinner is defrosting in the microwave, and it smells amazing!! With the help of this cookbook, I believe that I am giving him all the nutrients he needs, but I would suggest doing your own research.
I am not saying that we have given up dry food altogether…..we mix in about a 1/4 of a cup in with his breakfast. He will eat it if it is mixed in, but not a bite if it is the only thing in his bowl. Can we say ‘diva’! That’s not right….he is a boy. What is the boy version of ‘diva’? Anyone?
What intrigued me about this cookbook is that it is not only for canine’s…. humans can eat it as well. What better way to share meals with your furry family??? I am not going to lie and say that we are sharing these meals with Rudy, but I love the thought that if we wanted to we could. Here are Rudy’s favorites so far:
- Turkey Meatballs
- Old-Time Turkey a la King
- Turkey and Quinoa Dressing
Dog-Gone Good Cuisine has over 100 corn, sugar, soy, and gluten-free recipes!! The beauty is that none of them seem overly time-consuming. I don’t spend a lot of time cooking for my family these days ….. I certainly don’t want to spend a lot of time cooking for Rudy.
I know for most of you, the thought of making your own dog food is overwhelming. It will not be for everyone! I can’t say I will be doing this forever, but it makes me feel like I am doing something important for his health right now. His little body had enough to contend with…..why shouldn’t I give him a little TLC with some awesome food?
What made me finally feel comfortable and confident that I could provide the nutrients Rudy needs by making his food? The 14 pages of tips and facts at the front of the book, ranging from what equipment and ingredients to always have on hand, what foods provide the crucial vitamins and minerals that he needs …. just about identical to what you and I need 😉
I know your furry family members will LOVE these turkey meatballs. I call them Italian Meatballs, but only because I added in a little tomato paste. They smell heavenly!!
Have you ever made your own dog food? What was your dogs favorite meal?
- 1 lb ground cooked turkey
- ½ cup brown rice, cooked
- 1 large egg, or 2 small eggs
- ½ green bell pepper, seeded and chopped fine
- Pinch of fennel seeds
- Pinch of dried oregano
- Dash of seal salt
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil, melted
- 4 Tbsp low sodium organic tomato paste
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
- Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl, and then form into 1 inch balls. Place the meatballs in a glass or ceramic dish, and bake for 25 minutes, or until done.
- Store leftover turkey meatballs in covered container in the refrigerator.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book to review, but all opinions are my own! Please talk with your Veterinarian first before preparing any of the home cooked recipes or adding any of the suggested supplements, herbs or spices to your dog’s diet.
