Homemade Dog food

Our beloved pet Nicky has battled hot spots and skin infections his whole life.  I've watched our family's diet so carefully over the years that it was just instinctual to watch Nicky's too.  I noticed he would get more scratchy and inflamed with certain commercial dog foods over others.  Eventually he seemed allergic to all of them.  Our vet recommended keeping him on Benadryl. Nicky hates Benadryl!  I started researching homemade dog food about a year ago, but to be quite honest, it intimidated me.  I am even hesitant to share my recipes, because I know how delicate a dog's system can be and know how some foods are even toxic to dogs.  I've learned that giving your dog commercial food is like you living on a diet of Doritos and Eggo waffles.  If you wouldn't be healthy on highly processed food, why would your pet!

I encourage you to:

READ...A LOT!  And from many sources.

AVOID at all costs:

Chocolate

Xylitol

Onions

Avacodo

Garlic

Yeast dough

Raisins

Macidamia Nuts

Cooked bones of any kind

Candy and gum

Be cautious of:

Grapes (some say they are safe, some say no)

Bananas (again some say yes, some say no)

Dairy (can cause diarrhea, yet they need calcium....more on that in a minute)

Here are some good reputable links to begin your reading:

http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-behavior/foods-are-hazardous-dogs

 

http://www.m.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/ss/slideshow-foods-your-dog-should-never-eat

http://m.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/foods_poisonous_to_pets.html

Be aware of a dog's dietary needs.  A general rule is 1/2 meat, 1/4 puréed vegetables, 1/4 rice or other starch carbohydrate.   Check out multiple recipes and sites that recommend a dogs's dietary needs.

Here is where there is a big debate....carnivore or omnivore?  Depends on who you read.  Paleo type people really push all meat and bone diets.  I'm balanced more evenly in my own family's diet so I prefer (as well as my doggie) a more varied approach.

I read so many different opinions my head was spinning.  One thing everyone seems to agree on is commercial dog food is overall bad bad bad.  It's chock full of fillers, by products and super high in salt.  Mealtime for my (used to be overweight) Nicky was dull and boring.  Now he chases his tail in circles whenever I go near the fridge.

So what does it cost and how much time is this going to take, I'm sure your thinking.  Well, anything I do homemade has to make sense for me to keep doing it and I believe this does.  Cost wise, it is about the same, because I use high quality ingredients.  Time wise, it takes me about an hour, tops (fit inBetween our family dinner time and clean up) ONCE per month.  

Here is the recipe I currently feed our dog:

5lbs browned ground beef (or mixture of ground beef, turkey, chicken and pork of your choice)

2-3 cups brown rice, after steamed or boiled it's more like 4-5 cups 

5 cups steamed and puréed veggies, mostly greens (I steam carrots, peas, celery, and tons of Kale in the top of my steamer and the rice in the bottom of my steamer at the same time).* I purée them in my ninja blender with some beef or chicken broth and add them to the browned meat.  Then, add the cooked rice and 1 can puréed pumpkin.

*It's important to finely chop or purée the fruit and veggies you give your pet to help them digest and absorb the nutrients.

This makes approximately 30, 1-1.5 cup servings.  I store them plastic containers in the freezer holding about one week's worth in each container.  I keep one in the fridge and the rest in the freezer, pulling out one container at a time as he is ready for it.  He gets a chopped apple or pear for lunch and 1-1.5 cups of homemade dog food with a raw egg (crushed shell and all) for dinner.  The shell provides needed calcium as well as the Kale.  I vary his lunch snack depending on what we have available and is safe.

His skin is looking so much better, he's at a healthy weight, finally, and he is one happy dog!

So don't be afraid!  Educate yourself, talk to your vet and get in that kitchen.  Remember,  a zoo doesn't order wolf, monkey, lion or giraffe food!  Our animals can eat real food too!

All Natural Applesauce

We were at Royal Oaks Apple Orchard recently and bought a bushel of windfall apples.  Today, I finally had a morning to turn them into applesauce.  The kids quickly took the slicing and dicing over and I did the dishes.  I forgot how easy....and delicious this is!

We sliced 30-35 apples with an apple slicer, we also left the skins on.  Then, we chopped them into chunks with a chopper.

Add them to a large pot with 2-3 cups of water, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar and 1/2 cup brown sugar.  

Cook on med-low heat until tender.  Add 2-3 Tbsp. of cinnamon.  Put in small batches through a food processor.  Pour into your sterilized jars and top with lids.

Our first jar didn't make it to the pantry, but was eaten by some sneaky monkeys ;)

I add 2 cups of blueberries to the last bit for blueberry-applesauce.  It was so good :)

This batch made 11 pints of homemade applesauce.  

Chocolate Almond Butter Cups with a Pumpkin twist!

Okay this recipe I have made dozens of times.  It saved me when I did my first round of the 21 Day Sugar Detox.  I've kept this recipe around and because they are not super sweet and the kids do not devour them.  I pretty much get them all to myself.  I made these this morning, but added a few modifications* for Fall.  

* I added 2-3 Tbsp of pumpkin purée and pumpkin pie spice to the filling and 1-2 Tbsp of maple syrup to the chocolate, because I am not currently on a sugar detox.

(From page 206-207 of the new 21 Day Sugar Detox book)

Ingredients:

Directions:

My first layer....

Second layer......

Third layer......

Finished product....YUM!!!!!!!

Veggie Pancakes OR Hamburger bun, What???

I am very excited to be testing out recipes in the new 21 Day Sugar Detox book.  You can join the health revolution and buy the book when it comes out Oct 29th, but until then I will share with you my results.  

I made sliders last night, one of my children's favorite meals.  It's probably because I make them homemade buns!  (That Recipe is here: http://naturallyhomemade.blogspot.com/2012/04/homemade-hamburger-buns.html?m=1)

For the meat I press 2 lbs of ground meat into a baking sheet (with sides), sprinkle garlic salt and onion powder.  Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.  Remove from oven and slice into squares.  

Well as the kid's rolls were rising I made the 21 Day Sugar Detox recipe for veggie pancakes for me which they recommend using as a bun.  I thought I'd try it.  I will admit I was a bit skeptical, but guess what???? I loved them!  You could use them as a crepe and fill them with anything really.  The possibilities are endless as well as the veggies you use to make them with.

Page 97 of the 21 Day Sugar Detox book

Ingredients:

Directions:

My version, (no modifications :) this is the mixture.....

I fried them in coconut oil....

My sliders with zucchini and carrot pancake-crepe-buns!  They were excellent :)-

Tomato Basil (Crust less) Quiche

I am reviewing the 21 Day Sugar Detox book that releases to the public October 29th and let me tell you....it is wonderful!!!!  I have been inspired to get back in that kitchen and cook again without wheat or sugar!  

The first thing I made was the Tomato-Basil Quiche with Bacon & Spinach (page 104-105).  It was wonderful!  The only modifications I made were I swapped out breakfast sausage for bacon (I was out of bacon :) I added broccoli, carrots and I topped it with shredded cheese.  You can't get any easier than this recipe and now I have breakfast for a couple of days all ready to go!!!!  

Keep watching for more posts.....I'm having a yummy time :)-

Tomato-Basil Quiche

Ingredients:

Picture of my breakfast :)

Easy Peanut Butter- Craving Kicker- Cookies

I was craving chocolate and just about every dessert I've ever eaten in my life this afternoon.  I decided to stop torturing myself on Pinterest and get up and make something before my next errand ends in a Dairy Queen drive through!  They turned out great and now I feel satisfied and NOT guilty. :)

Mix all Ingredients together:

1 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup whole rolled oats

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 egg

Pinch salt

Spoon onto baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or until crisp on the edges.  Makes 1 dozen cookies.

Garden Fresh Tomato Basil Soup

We reached the end of our tomato season and I had 2 large bowls left in the fridge.  I decided to try homemade tomato soup I just had to share the results.   It was delicious and so easy.  I will never throw out a bowl of tomatoes ever again! Here's what I did......

Ingredients:

5-6 cups cubed tomatoes

1 large onion, sliced

2 carrots, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups vegetable or chicken broth

Pinch of sugar and salt

Fresh basil

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar (optional)

Serve with 1 Tbsp. Greek yogurt

Sauté onion, carrots and tomatoes in olive oil in large soup pot.  (I did not peel the tomatoes, the blender puréed them just fine).  Add garlic and cook for 5-7 minutes stirring constantly on med heat.  Add broth, sugar and salt.  Simmer for 30 minutes, turn off heat.  Add balsamic vinegar.  Let cool until you ready to put small batches through a blender or food processor.  Reheat.  Serve with fresh basil and a dollop of Greek yogurt.  Enjoy!

Ice Cream Cake

Every year I have at least one child asking for an ice cream cake.  I always agree, but find them too sweet and too expensive.  This year I convinced my now 10 yr old to let me tackle his birthday request.  Luckily I made two 'cakes', because we all keep going back for more!

Here is what we did: 

Crush 10-15 Oreo cookies and arrange on bottom of 9 x 13 pan. 

Spread 1 qt. of softened vanilla chocolate swirl ice cream over the crushed cookies and put in freezer for 20 minutes.

Mix 1 box instant banana pudding with 2 cups milk And 2 cups cool whip.  Put into fridge to set.

Layer pudding mixture on top of ice cream and crushed cookies.

Top with the rest of cool whip and freeze until firm, about 1-3 hrs.

Cut and serve very cold!!!

We all loved it!  One of the kids at the party cracked me up when he asked for a second piece and said, "I was in no way disappointed by this!"  I thought, 'ummmm okay!  Thanks????'  

The possibilities and combinations are endless, what flavors would you choose?

Homemade Pizza

As most of my readers know, I am the mom of seven amazing children.  I will admit that I haven't always been the naturally homemade mom you see today.   16 1/2 years ago I was a macaroni and cheese and chicken nugget kind of mom!  I'm not saying that's horrible,  I'm just saying deep down I always wanted to feed my kids healthy foods without being dependent on the box aisle or freezer section at the grocery store.  Add six more children and a decade (plus) of experience and I have slowly become the kind of 'from scratch mama' I hoped to become!  Tonight I was making homemade pizza with the kids and I overheard my five-year-old ask my seven-year-old why we couldn't just order pizza.  He told her that everything homemade is always better than anything store bought.  I did a little jig in my brain :). 

As soon as they noticed I was kneading dough, the twins came over to the kitchen island yelling "zi-za!!!!" After making two homemade pizzas I had the third lump of dough left, so I let the 2 year old twins make their own pizza.  They beat the heck out of that dough...it was as flat as it could get!  There was flour all over the kitchen, sauce all over the counter, and smiles everywhere I could see. 

" Yes," I thought, "this is the kind of mom I want to be."Enjoy!

Homemade pizza dough (makes 4 large so half it if you don't need to feed an army!) 

6 cups warm water

1 stick butter,melted

2 tbsp yeast

1/2 tsp salt

10-12 cups flour

2 tsp olive oil

Melt butter and add warm water into a bowl.  Sprinkle in yeast and stir.  Let sit until dissolved and bubbly, about 5 minutes.  Dump in the salt, add flour several cups at a time, stir well.  When the dough is starting to stick together dump a cup of the flour onto a clean counter or surface.  Knead the dough into a smooth ball adding flour a Tbsp at a time if too sticky.  Split into 4 equal sized lumps.  Let rest 10 minutes.  

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Put each lump of dough onto pizza pan and press flat with your hands (or let your kids go to town :)  Top with pizza sauce, your favorite toppings and cheese.  Bake for 15-20 minutes.  

Now, before you discount this blog as too much work and 'that family is so perfect'.....I'm adding this final picture of my son who got into the lipstick in my purse while I was blogging this post.  Yeah, I'm that kind of mom :)

 

Paleo Italian 3 Squash Casserole

I have been filling my freezer with as many healthy and quick meals as I can.  The other night I was tempted to eat the kids spaghetti noodles, but was able to resist by pulling out a two serving bag of chicken chili instead!  Worked like a charm.  This morning I got up and started making the kids breakfast.  I decided if I was going to be stuck at the stove cooking anyway, I should whip out a freezer meal too.  I love multitasking.  The result of my 'impromptu' recipe was wonderful.  I put 2 small casseroles In the fridge and ate a plate of the leftovers for breakfast too!

Here's what I did:

Brown 1/2 lb. Italian sausage

Chop one onion, small eggplant, yellow squash, zucchini and slice 1/2 cup cabbage.  Add to skillet and sauté.  Add 2-3 cups spaghetti sauce (I use marinara, because it is all I can find without added sugar and I love the taste).  Add 1-2 cups of water and cover.  Simmer for 20 minutes.  

Prepare your pans for the freezer.  I use 2 bread loaf pans.  They are perfect for two one serving meals.  Take aluminum foil and line the pans, with extra foil peaking out to cover the top when you close it.  Cross-cross the foil.  

Spoon the casserole mixture into the pans.  Let cool.  

Top with mozzarella cheese.  Cover with foil tabs and freeze in your freezer.  

After they are frozen, remove from freezer, and loaf pans.  Slip each foil packet casserole into a freezer storage bag and be sure to label it so you won't be playing a mystery meal game a few weeks from now!  Put back into the freezer.

When you are ready to eat it, remove from freezer, pop back into the loaf pan you made your mold from, and bake at 375 until bubbly.  Cook times will vary depending on much you fill your pan and if you cook from frozen or thawed.  Enjoy, you are planning ahead for your success!

Paleo Eggplant Pizza

One of ideas food gurus suggest to instill healthy eating habits in your kids is to let them pick our a few 'exotic' new foods to try each week while you're at the store.  Today's trip to Woodman's resulted in imitation cherry chocolate chips from my teenager and eggplant and Chinese cabbage from my 5 yr old.  I did a quick search on recipes for the eggplant and decided on mini eggplant pizzas. the 5 year old  helped me slice them, bake them, top them and then she tried it!   

Bottom line?  She was interested, involved and adventurous???? And I have an entire plate of eggplant Parmesan pizzas to eat tonight, but it's progress right????  Look at the Mother's Day Card in her hand.  It says in her handwriting, "thank you mommy for taking good care of me!"  I'll keep trying. ;)

Here's what we did:

Slice eggplant into 1/4 inch slices.  Lightly coat with olive oil.  Bake at 350 for 5 minutes.  Remove from oven, top each slice with sauce (I used marinara) and mozzarella.  Sprinkle on Parmesan cheese and bake or broil until cheese is toasted and bubbly.  Serve warm.

Sausage Breakfast Casserole

My son asked me today (he's 9) if I would teach him to make this recipe, because it is the best in the whole world! I love him!!!!! I have been making this recipe since before he was ever born (10 years before to be exact ) but who's counting? It is excellent on Christmas morning :)

10 slices bread (cubed)
10 eggs
1 cup milk of your choice
1 lb breakfast sausage
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 cup shredded cheese
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Brown the sausage in skillet, I don't drain the grease off, but you can if you want to. Cube the bread and place loosely in a greased casserole dish. Crack the eggs, scramble with the milk, vanilla and spices. Spoon sausage onto the bread, pour over the egg mixture, sprinkle the sugar and cheese. Bake at 325 for 45 minutes or until top is toasted. It is also great topped with maple syrup or ice cream!