Free Balanced Recipe!

I don't know how long this promo code will work, so if you want to do this, do it fast! Go to BalanceIt.com, select their pet lovers page and formulate a recipe. You have to choose a protein source and a starch source; their only vegan protein source is tofu. Then you choose a recipe option. Check the details on each one, it will tell you the ingredients (some have added chicken broth for flavor, but some are totally vegan.) Then you have to fill out your name and email, your pet's name, breed and age, etc. It will give you the option of getting the recipe formulated using normal human vitamins, or their own BalanceIt supplements. Go ahead and check off only the one with "normal" vitamins, unless you want to pay for their supplements. Then on the order page, you must fill out the contact info, but you do NOT have to fill out any credit card/payment info. Enter "homemade" (without the quotes) in the "Promo code" box on the right. This will retally your price to $0.00. At that point, you will be able to view your recipe. I recommend printing it out immediately. I just did this 5 minutes ago, so I know it works as of today. The recipe will be balanced for your dog's size, age, and breed!

A Collection of Recipes

If you haven't checked out the Yummy for Dogs site, you should do so right now! They are providing vegan recipes for dogs free of charge. They even encourage you to sell their treats, as long as you give all the profits to animal rescue. This would be a great fundraiser for your local animal shelter, or you could even bring some of the cookies to the shelter to treat the homeless pups.

Their recipes are organised into the following categories: Biscuits, Entrees, Desserts and, for our non-doggie friends, Wildlife Food, Bird Food, and Rat and Mouse Food. There are also a couple of recipes for Grooming Products! It is recommended on the site that you use a supplement, such as Vegedog, with the entree recipes, as they are not formulated to be "complete and balanced".

You can also purchase the Yummy for Dogs cookbook through Lulu.com. All proceeds are donated to animal charities! (I'm not sure if the cookbook has the same recipes as the website, but Sable and I are definitely purchasing it. The money goes to help doggies, so I recommend you purchase it too.)

P.S. Sorry for the lack of updates lately, I've been a bit too busy!

UPDATE: I got my Yummy for Dogs cookbook in the mail today. It has lots more recipes than the website, even recipes for holidays and other special occasions. All recipes are vegan, with the exception of honey in a few recipes. If you avoid honey, it would be fairly easy to replace with other natural sweeteners, most dogs aren't picky! There is also a section in the back of the book on starting your own Yummy for Dogs program to raise money for animal shelters. Two paws up!

Vegan Dog Food Recipe #4

This recipe comes from Halo, Purely for Pets. They manufacture non-veg dog food, but this recipe happened to be vegan. You may even want to share this with your dog, if she'll let you!


HEALTHY CORNUCOPIA FOR DOGS
Yield: About 8 Cups

1/2 cup brown rice
1/2 cup celery, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup carrots, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup acorn squash (or yellow squash), coarsely chopped
1/2 cup zucchini, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup tofu
1/2 cup portabella mushrooms, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon tamari (or natural soy sauce)
Dash of oregano
Dash of rosemary
4 to 6 cups spring water

Combine all the ingredients in a stainless steel pot with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil then lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour, or until the rice is tender. Remove from the heat and let cool. Serve at room temperature topped with one or all of the following condiments: a sprig of parsley, 1 teaspoon crushed garlic, and/or 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger. Using ziplock bags or plastic containers, make up meal-sized portions and freeze whatever you won't use within 3 or 4 days.

*Remember to rotate recipes frequently! (Are you sick of me saying that yet?)

Vegan Dog Food Recipe #3

This sample diet is from the Animal Protection Institute (API). They note that the diet has not been formulated for daily feeding over a long period of time. (I'd like to stress again, no recipe should be fed daily for a long period of time. "Variety, Variety, Variety" is essential for a balanced diet.) Please read their full instructions for feeding using this recipe. I've provided the recipe utilizing their vegan food options only to simplify it for you. Be aware that the taurine and carnitine dosage suggestions they list on their page are much much lower than usually recommended, and are not (I feel) high enough for vegan dogs.

DIET FOR ADULT DOGS:

Amounts given are adequate for one day’s feeding of a 20-35 pound dog (depending on age & activity level). Adjust amounts proportionally for your dog’s weight. Starches may be decreased or omitted in case of digestive problems or for weight loss.

CHOOSE ONE PROTEIN SOURCE:

• 1/2 cup tofu, firm
• 1 cup soybeans, cooked
• 1 cup lentils, cooked

CHOOSE ONE STARCH SOURCE:

• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• 2 cups cooked potato, with skin, chopped or mashed
• 2 cups cooked macaroni
• 1 cup cooked rice
• 1 cup plus cooked black-eyed peas
• 2-1/2 cups rolled oats, quick, cooked (1-1/4 cup raw)
• 1-1/2 cups cooked brown rice plus 1 cup cooked kidney beans

SUPPLEMENTS:

• puréed veggie mix (up to 1 cup)
• 1 Tbsp olive oil, or 1/2 Tbsp olive and 1/2 Tbsp flaxseed oil
• 400 mg calcium (elemental, as calcium citrate or carbonate)
• 1/4 tsp salt substitute (potassium chloride) — give 3 or 4 times a week
• 1 multiple vitamin-mineral supplement (human quality)
• 1 probiotic/digestive enzyme supplement

Vegetarian dogs should get Vitamin B12, carnitine , and taurine supplements.

Vegan Dog Food Recipe #2

This was the second dog food recipe I tried. It is great for breakfast or a mid-day snack (for your dog, silly!) In case your computer is like my mom's and has a stroke at the mere mention of adobe acrobat, I will post the version of the recipe that I make here.

Vegetarian Dog Food Recipe by Asians for Humans, Animals, and Nature (AHAN)

1 Cup Quick-cook oats
1/4 Cup smashed, cooked Pinto Beans
1/4 Cup Wheat Bran
1 Tbs Soy Lecithin
1 Tbs Nutritional Yeast
1 Tbs Wheat Germ
1 Tbs Ground Sunflower Seeds (unsalted)
1/6 Tbs Blackstrap Molasses
1 tsp Ground Flax Seed
1/2 Tbs Oil (Canola, Coconut, Hemp, etc)

Combine all ingredients. Add hot water to form an oatmeal-like consistency and let sit for 20 minutes. Serve.

You can add in any healthy veggies and fruit you have on hand for a little flavor. The soy lecithin I was able to find in the vitamin/supplement section of my local Whole Foods. The sunflower seed I purchased (already shelled) and ground myself. I don't always have wheat bran on hand, so I do leave it out occasionally (its main purpose is providing fiber, which most vegan dogs get plenty of.) I usually double the recipe, you can keep leftovers in the fridge for a few days, or freeze them in meal-sized portions.

Remember, variety is important to your dog's diet, so don't just make the same recipe over and over. Don't be afraid to experiment with different recipes and food!

Yummy For Dogs Birthday Cake

Every year, I bake Sable a cake from this recipe. (Yummyfordogs.org has tons of vegan doggie treat recipes. Bookmark their site!) It's super easy and a big hit with the dogs! Carob chips can be a bit tricky to find, try your local health food store, or order from an online store. *Do not replace the carob with chocolate!* These are photos from Sable's 7th birthday last June. I tried to make the number 7 with Mr. Barky's dog biscuits. It didn't work out too well.

Meals to Share with Your Dog

We all have days when we hardly have time to cook for ourselves, never mind our dogs. Here are a few "Sable Tested/Sable Approved" healthy meals and snacks that the both of you can share.

Oatmeal (the real kind, not instant), mixed with fresh fruit and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Mini Pita Pockets filled with hummus, sprouts, and veggies.

Pasta tossed with olive oil, minced garlic, and lightly steamed veggies (whole grain pasta is preferable to the "white" kind.)

Stirfried Veggies (no onions please!) and tofu served over brown rice.

Fruit smoothies (freeze some in ice cube trays to make individual "pupsicles" for the summer months.)

Natural Peanut Butter spread on whole grain toast.

Baked Sweet Potatoes make a lovely side dish for humans and dogs alike.

Popcorn (air popped) sprinkled with Nutritional Yeast is a fun snack for when you're watching movies together. (You do have movie nights with your dog, don't you? Sable prefers cheesy 80s comedies.)

Happy eating!

Vegan Dog Food Recipe #1

Mable's Veggie Loaf was the first vegan dog food recipe I ever used, and it's a good one to start with. The ingredients can all be found at your local health food store. I use pinto beans, lentils, or chickpeas generally, and usually green beans, peas, carrots, and a little bit of broccoli for the vegetables. I always use brown rice, as it is considered more nutritious than white rice. Please note, I have never used the optional ketchup, since I have not been able to find a ketchup that doesn't contain onion powder- a big no-no for dogs (and cats). I don't have loaf pans, so I use my glass baking pans, and it comes out just fine.

Here's what my loaves of Veggie Loaf generally look like when done:


And here we have a slice of Veggie Loaf, a Sam's Yam, and a couple of Mr. Pugsly's peanut butter biscuits.