Pet-friendly family recipes

Do you have special recipes you make for your family and Snoopy? PetFinder.com, the largest online database of adoptable pets, is calling all chefs to share recipes that they prepare for their families — including the family pet. Here are some healthy recipes, courtesy of PetFinder.com, and a list of foods you should never let your furry friend eat.

A pet-friendly lifestyle includes diet and exercise

No doubt you have seen overweight dogs at the park or tubby cats lounging on neighbourhood porches. The pet obesity problem, like with humans, is part diet and part inactivity. Rest easy — there are ways to ensure your pet doesn’t gain weight, particularly if you are feeding it people food.

Betsy Saul, co-founder of PetFinder says, “A serving size of food for pets depends on the animal’s age, size and even activity level — just like humans! Pet food bags and cans often recommend that you feed your pet a certain amount of food per day. Remember that this guide is not absolute. You should monitor your pet’s weight carefully. If he gains weight, you should feed him less, and vice versa.”

Portion control

Regarding home-cooked meals, Saul suggests feeding your pet about the same amount as you would pet food. She adds, “170 grams for an average-sized dog is a good estimate. [And] if you are mixing ‘people food’ into your pet’s dish, keep it to bite-sized portions.”

Some dogs don’t know when to stop eating, while others stay trim on a free-feed diet. Still, some pets that don’t overeat pet food will overeat people food. Be cautious about your pet’s overall diet, making sure to monitor portions for both people food and pet food. Saul warns, “You don’t want to overfeed your pet – -animal obesity is just as dangerous as [obesity] for humans.”

Another key in keeping your pawed pal healthy is to take the time to keep your pet active. You can work out with your pet to keep you both fit.

Simple Scrambled Eggs

Ingredients:

• 5 eggs
• 5 tablespoons milk
• 1 pat of butter
• Salt
• Ground pepper

Directions:

1. In a small mixing bowl, combine eggs and milk with a fork.
2. In a non-stick fry pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat until it bubbles.
3. Stir a pinch of salt and pepper into egg mixture then pour into pan, stirring slowly with a heat resistant rubber spatula.
4. Once the curds begin to form, increase heat to high and instead of stirring, use the spatula to fold the eggs over themselves while gently shaking the pan with your other hand.
5. As soon as no more liquid is running around the bottom of the pan, remove from the heat and serve.

Harvest Veggie Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 tbs. unsalted butter
•  450 gram skinless boneless chicken breasts, diced
•  5-3/4 cups chicken broth
•  1-1/2 cups of 1cm-diced sweet potato
•  1-1/2 cups of 1cm-diced red potatoes
•  2 zucchini, diced
•  2 summer squash, diced

Directions:

1. In a large stockpot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Cook chicken, stirring often, until no longer pink.
2. When chicken is fully cooked, add stock, sweet potatoes and red potatoes and bring to a boil, boiling for five minutes.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Add zucchini and squash and simmer for five minutes.
5. Remove the portion you will set aside for your dog (about a cup a day). You can even mix the soup with his dry food for a pleasant change.

Lean Mean Meatloaf

Ingredients

• 670 grams ground turkey
• 200 grams pound ground beef
• 2/3 cup peas
• 2/3 cup carrots
• 1 cup oatmeal
• 1-1/4 cups milk
• 2 medium eggs

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.
2. Mix all ingredients well.
3. Place in a loaf pan and bake for 1-1/2 hours.
4. Serve to your pet, and then garnish with garlic powder or other spices to your liking.

Foods to never feed your pet

“There are quite a few foods and beverages we can consume that our pets should not, including onions, garlic, mushrooms, macadamia nuts and alcoholic or caffeinated drinks,” says Saul.

“For instance, if you are using baby food in any meals for your pet, read the label first to make sure it doesn’t contain onion powder. That being said, whenever you are cooking a meal for yourself and your pets, you should substitute ingredients or reserve a ‘pet-friendly’ portion beforehand.”

Then you can add other ingredients and seasonings to the meal to make it palatable for you, your spouse and your kids.

There are a number of other foods and drinks you should never feed your pet.

PetEducation.com has a printable list of foods to avoid.

More pet-friendly information

• Holiday gifts for your pet
• Cool products to help your pet stay cool this summer
• Top apps for pet owners

Homemade pet food

How to make nutritious homemade dog food for your pooch