The holiday season is almost here, and it’s time to start planning your festive meals and parties. But why leave your furry friends out of the celebrations? Including your dog or cat in your holiday feast is a great way to make them feel included during this busy and sometimes stressful time of year. Plus, these healthy recipes made from organic ingredients are not only good for your pets, but you can enjoy them too!
Simple Savory Soup
Ingredients
- 1 cup home prepared or store-bought onion-free stock (organic soup bases are readily available at grocery and health food stores)
- 2 cups pureéd red apples, with skin
- 1 tablespoon first pressed/extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
Instructions
This recipe can be served “raw” or “cooked”.
Raw: Combine all ingredients and use as a topper for regular meals. You can also pour the raw soup into ice cube trays and freeze for future use.
Cooked: Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer for 30 minutes. Cool before serving.
Note: You can also enjoy this soup yourself by adding a tablespoon of local honey and a dollop of yogurt for extra kick!
Feline Fish Fondue
Ingredients
- 1 can wild salmon
- ¼ cup first pressed/extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh catnip or parsley
Instructions
Finely chop catnip or parsley. Whisk in olive oil. Arrange salmon on a special serving dish for your kitty, then drizzle with catnip/parsley and olive oil.
Poached Fish Bits
Ingredients
- ¼ pound pollock, tilapia, cod, or other fish of your choice
- 1 cup onion-free stock or filtered water
- 3 sprigs of fresh catnip or 1 teaspoon dried catnip
- 2 sprigs of fresh parsley, flat or curly
Instructions
Place 1 cup filtered water in a saucepan. Add parsley and catnip and combine well. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes. Add pieces of fish to the simmering broth and cook for 15 minutes. Remove fish from the saucepan, break it into tiny pieces, and cover with broth. Cool before serving.
Turkey and Sweet Potato Loaf
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey thigh
- 1 cup shredded sweet potatoes or yams
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- ½ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- ½ cup fresh cranberries, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup homemade onion-free chicken or vegetable stock
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a loaf pan or special holiday cake pan. Line with shredded sweet potatoes or yams. Add stock and pour lightly beaten egg on top. Sprinkle parsley and cranberries, then distribute ground turkey evenly. Sprinkle sea salt over top. Bake for one hour. Cool before serving.
Carob Liver Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 cup home prepared or store-bought onion-free stock (organic soup bases are readily available at grocery and health food stores)
- 1 cup goat yogurt or Balkan style yogurt
- 1 cup fresh liver, pureéd (chicken, turkey, beef, or try a novel protein, like ostrich)
- ½ cup hemp seed flour
- 1½ cups whole oat flour
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon carob powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a square cake pan or line with parchment paper. Combine whole oat flour and hemp seed flour with water. Add yogurt and liver and mix well. Add remaining ingredients and blend thoroughly. Pour into cake pan and bake for approximately 25 minutes. Cool before serving.
For extra holiday cheer, ice the cake with low-fat cream cheese or yogurt, and decorate with fresh cranberries and parsley.
Carob Truffles
Ingredients
- 1 cup peanut butter or almond butter, with no added salt or sugar
- 1 cup oatmeal
- ½ cup carob powder
- ½ cup goat milk or goat milk yogurt
- Oatmeal and/or unsweetened coconut for rolling
Instructions
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Combine peanut butter, oatmeal, and carob powder. Form into small balls. Lightly dip in goat milk or yogurt, and roll in oatmeal and/or coconut. Place on the cookie sheet and refrigerate until serving. For extra holiday flair, top each truffle with a sun-dried cranberry.
These recipes are not only delicious but also packed with nutrition for your furry friends. The ingredients used offer a wide range of health benefits. For example:
- Carob: Contains essential vitamins and minerals, including calcium, phosphorus, and iron.
- Catnip: Rich in vitamins and aids digestion.
- Cinnamon: Helps treat gastrointestinal problems and has antibacterial and antifungal properties.
- Coconut: Rich in digestible oils and provides fiber.
- Cranberries: A powerhouse of antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory properties.
- Ginger: Effective anti-nausea herb and aids digestion.
- Goat’s milk: An alternative to cow’s milk, easier to digest.
- Hemp: A nutritious food packed with essential fatty acids and vitamins.
- Oats: Soothes the digestive and nervous systems.
- Olive oil: A rich source of vitamins A and E, good for the heart and skin.
- Parsley: Concentrated in vitamins and aids in diuresis.
- Red apples: Rich in antioxidants and phytochemicals.
- Sweet potatoes: Stabilize blood sugar levels and have anti-inflammatory properties.
- Yams: Rich in vitamins and minerals, good for the heart.
Make this holiday season special for your pets by preparing these healthy and delicious recipes. They will not only enjoy the feast but also reap the health benefits. For more pet-related articles and information, visit Pet Lovers Diary.