We had a scare this past week with Pet Diamonds dog food recall. Kirby eats a variety of foods including dehydrated brands, top kibble brands, and homemade. I felt compassion for the pet parents who purchase the recalled foods but wasn't worried about Kirby until Taste of The Wild was added to the list! Absolute panic set in! Since I hadn't kept the original bag I rushed the Kirbster to his vet.
He had been lethargic and not eating much which we had attributed to the heat. He had even eaten grass and vomited a few times which I pushed aside as normal for dogs. His symptoms were scarily close to mild salmonella so we chose to have him tested. Poor baby didn't much care for Dr. Rita scooping you know what from his rear but he was a good little trouper.
The good news is his tests came back negative. The bad news was he started feeling better after about four days on an antibiotic so we knew he had gotten a touch of something! Unless I know not only what ingredients are used but also where the product is manufactured Kirby will not be eating their kibble. Hence, I am now foraging into new territory as we discover easy, healthy homemade meals Kirby enjoys.
Please, before I get comments about how his meals may not have all the nutrients his body needs, let me say I have discussed this with his veterinarian. He will be taking a vitamin supplement daily! I'm not an expert so I really can't measure and add all the ingredients the experts say he must have. Common sense, on the other hand, tells me a variety of healthy, good foods can supply his nutritional needs quite well! Heck, my children were healthy eating balanced meals with a daily vitamin. I also know there are different foods I crave which is my body telling me it needs a little of this or that.
Ingredients
- 3 cups beef stew
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tsp sea salt (No table salt)
- 2 tbsp light olive oil
- 3 cups beef broth
- 3 tbsp coconut flour*
- 2 cups potatoes, peeled**
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 1 cup baby carrots
- 3 small yellow squash
- 1 red apple, peeled and cored
Directions
Cut meat into 1 inch cubes and place in crockpot.
Add garlic, sea salt, and olive oil. Whisk the flour into the beef broth and add to pot. I use Savory Choice beef broth concentrate but you can use water.
Stir and cook on high setting for one hour.
While this is cooking prepare the remaining ingredients. Chop the vegetables to desired size keeping in mind that dogs have a harder time digesting these foods. For Kirby I like them to be somewhere between finely chopped and shredded. The apple gives a nice sweetness but I have also seen where an orange is used instead. Either would work.
After the meat has cooked for 1 hour, remove the garlic. A small amount is considered to be very good for repelling fleas but a bite of pure garlic would be deadly! You can omit the garlic if you prefer.
Toss in the veggies and apple and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or until the stew reaches the desired texture. Let cool and serve.
This smells so good, why not feed Fido his then grab some thick crsty bread, ladle a bowl for yourself, add some seasonings, and enjoy a hearty meal with your fluffy furiend!
Preparing homemade food is time consuming. However, once a batch is cooked it can be frozen in serving sizes for quick and easy feedings. This recipe made eleven 1 cup servings. I freeze Kirby's food in 2 cup containers (1 cup per meal) so in the morning I can set one container in the fridge to thaw. He is spoiled so I heat his dinner for twenty seconds in the microwave.
* the flour is used to thicken the stew broth. I like coconut flour for the health benefits but you can use any flour you have on hand.
** I used Honey Gold potatoes but any white potato will work. Once I peel them I place them in a bowl of cool water. As I chop each one I place the pieces back in the water. Reason one is to keep them from turning brown. Reason two is so I can drain the water which removes some of the starch.
Note: I purchased 2 lbs of stew meat so I had enough to prepare his favorite treat for training!
]]>
