So the ingredients include some of the usually culprits -
- Ground Beef
- Rice Pilaf (cooked)
- Peas, Green Beans, Carrots
- Pumpkin Puree
- Egg
- Rosemary
- Parsley
- Kelp Powder
- Pinch of Salt
So I squished together a pound of ground beef, 1 cup of cooked rice pilaf, 1/2 cup pf frozen veggie mix, 1/2 can of pumpkin puree, 2 eggs, and a small dash of all of the above spices. The kelp powder if you're wondering is actually great for regulating the pups thyroid - and really who can't use a little thyroid help these days? Also a note about starch - I really don't think that starch and gluten is bad for a dog unless you know your pet has a gluten intolerance. Basically the problem with carbs in some store dog foods is that - that is mostly what their food is made out of. Corn, rice and filler was not meant to be your dogs main source of food - protein is. Having a little binding starch in your dog food is great with making sure Fluffy stays regular and lets face it - whole... Just make sure that your starch levels are well balanced against the protein and vegetable content of your food and take a breath. A good proportion of carbs is not the enemy here - shitty food is!!!
So after it was squished together I molded the patties on the mixing spoon that I used (which explains the interesting shape...)
It's such a bright color from the combination of the beef and the pumpkin. I preheated the oven to 325 and then used a quick non-stick spray on the actual tray. I cooked them for about 20-25 minutes until the patties were golden brown.
I filled about 2 trays up with this recipe and fed about 1 and 1/2 of the patties to each of my kids for dinner. These patties are a little bigger than ones I've made in the past - mostly due to the spoon shape instead of molding them by hand.
Overall I would say it was a successful recipe and the ground beef was the most expensive part of the whole meal. I would say depending on the beef prices this whole shebang only cost like $12-$13 depending on what supplies you have on hand. My furbabies enjoyed them - I like to mix up the style of food sometimes from stew so they (and I) stay excited about what I give them. They kept in the fridge for a week and if you make large batches you can always freeze them in the amounts that you need for dinners!
I am a BIG proponent of making my own food (for dinner) - I personally think it does save money - BUT the best part of feeding them homemade is I know what's in the food (and what is not). Ever since the many past dog food scares I am very wary of store dog foods and encourage my friends to be picky of what they feed their kids as well. You wouldn't feed your human baby McDonalds every-night - why would you do that to your dog? There are of course many great pre-made dog foods in holistic pet stores and online that you can get - and with some research and taste testing by your furry friend you will find the right one for you both! I still feed my kids freeze dried meat patties for breakfast, I do alternate these days from Primal Brand and Stella and Chewys. I think the Primal is a little cheaper price wise but I always feel that the Stella and Chewys lasts longer in general. Either way both brands my kids enjoy - believe it or not they enjoy the exotic meats the most Turkey and Sardine from Primal and the Deer from Stella and Chewys!
Anyway I hope that helps and I will take more pictures for the next meal - which I believe will be another stew of sorts.
-Goodnight and warm noses
Hilary Chan
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