Barkaritas

Barkaritas

What's better on a hot Saturday afternoon or a sultry night after a long day at Mr. Job? A slushy, cold margarita! My favorite summer drink par none.  Kirby always seems a bit miffed because he can't have one too but, well, there's alcohol in it which is a big no-no for dogs.

Enter the Barkarita! Same slushy coldness but with a flavor a dog can appreciate and no alcohol.  Safe, tasty, and a healthy way to satisfy a hot, thirsty dog.

Ingredients: 

• frozen homemade chicken stock

Preparation Instructions: 

1.  Crush two frozen cubes of homemade chicken stock.

2.   Place in glass, er bowl and serve.

Cheers!  

Check out how to make homemade chicken stock in out Tips & Tricks Section. 

I'll just take a taste...

Actually this pretty good...

Yep, this hits the spot!

Chicken Liver Meatballs

Chicken Liver Meatballs

Chicken livers are an excellent source of high quality protein and a rich source of Vitamins A, D and virtually all of the B vitamins. They are also relatively inexpensive so stock up and bake these easy meatballs.  I save a lot of time when making meatballs by using a cookie dough scoop.  They may not be perfectly round but Kirby doesn't seem to mind. 

Ingredients:

• 1.37  lb chicken livers*
• 1 green pepper, finely chopped
• 1 cup spinach, finely chopped
• 2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. light olive oil
• 1/4 cup parsley
• 1 egg
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp. ground egg shell
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup coconut flour

Preparation Instructions:

1.  Rinse and pat dry the chicken livers. Heat the olive oil in a medium size pan and saute the green pepper and spinach over medium heat.

2.  Add the garlic powder and chicken livers.  Cook until the outsides are a light brown.  Remove from heat and let cool.

3. Puree the cooked mixture in a blender and pour into a medium size bowl.  Add remaining ingredients and thoroughly combine.

4. Add more flour if needed to form small meatballs.  Coconut flour absorbs a lot of moisture so if using a different flour use only 1/3 cup. 

5. Place on lined baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes until crispy and browned. 

* Chicken livers are sold in small tubs ranging in weight. The one I used happened to weigh 1.37 lbs. Whatever size you get can be adjusted by the amount of flour.    

These will last covered in the refrigerator for about 4 to 5 days or in the freezer for several months.  Kirby likes them warmed for 30 seconds in the microwave. 

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Savory Turkey Muttloaf

Savory Turkey Muttloaf

This turkey muttloaf is chock full of flavorful and beneficial seasonings which you can read about here. The coconut milk gives these loaves a delicious moistness and nicely balances the flavors.

My but the kitchen smelled good while these were baking! The aroma kept Kirby's attention and he was already in his expected down position before I had set his plate on the floor.  I made him pose for a picture and, when I was done, he didn't even bother to get up but instead leaned his face into the plate to slurp up every bite. He then circled the plate licking every inch hoping to find a missed morsel. I actually felt bad I couldn't give him more but we are watching his weight.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup minced carrots
• 2 cups minced spinach
• 1 Tbsp coconut oil* 
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground eggshell**

Preparation Instructions

1. Heat coconut oil in a large pan.  Saute the veggies until very tender. Combine the seasonings and stir in. Remove from heat and let cool.

2. In a large bowl, add turkey, coconut milk, and cooled veggie mixture. Thoroughly mix using your hands. 

3.  Evenly spoon into lightly oiled loaf or muffin tins. 

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. 

5. Remove from oven and let rest on a rack for about 15 minutes to let the loaves firm up before removing. 

*You can use safflower oil if you don't have any coconut oil.  You can also add a cup of cooked brown rice if you need some carbohydrates.

** This is for calcium.  You can omit this if you don't feed homemade meals on a regular basis. 

These will keep for a few days in the refrigerator or several months in the freezer.  

This is called "inhaling the food"

This is called "more please"