Vegedog Recipes
START WITH FRESH INGREDIENTS
 |
TRANSITION GRADUALLYMix a small amount of the new food in with the old food and adjust the proportions over a week or longer. You can start with up to 25% new food on the first day. Digestive enyzmes, like lactose-free Enzyme Miracle, are especially beneficial during the transition, while the digestive tract makes adjustments. |
|
DIGESTIVE ENZYMESAlmost every process in the body requires enzymes. and raw foods. We recommend adding plant-derived enzymes (lipase, amylase, protease, and cellulase) to any cooked food. Enzyme Miracle maximizes the absorption of valuable nutrients by up to 71% and greatly aids digestion. Adding digestive enzymes to the diet can decrease the food requirement by 25%! |
 |
ADD VEGETABLES Vegetables add few calories, but add variety, vitamins, and minerals. Dogs are appreciative of “people” food such as raw cauliflower florets, asparagus spears, and celery stalk chew toys. It is best to keep the amount of veggies in the diet to about 10% or less to ensure your dog is getting enough protein from the protein sources in the following recipes. |
 |
VEGEYEASTFood yeast adds high quality protein, B vitamins, and flavor while helping deter fleas. Our VegeYeast is a modified brewer’s yeast. It is more acidic than other yeast powders, thus beneficial for the urinary health of dogs. Stir yeast powder into the food so chunks are uniformly coated. |
 |
EFAs ARE IMPORTANTThe omega-6 fatty acid, linoleic acid (LA), is crucial. Dogs can produce the other fatty acids they need with enough linoleic acid in the diet. This includes the production of arachidonic acid. Omega-3 fatty acids are provided by the flax ingredients in the recipes. Flax ingredients provide the omega-3 fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). |
About VegeDog Recipes
Recipes are based on a 44-lb. (20 kg) adult dog. Vegedog™ is for adult dogs (over 10-12 months old.
The Vegedog™ supplement needn’t be cooked or heated. It can be added after meals are prepared, but it is best to mix the supplement into warm food.
Ingredients can be prepared separately, then all mixed together, or you may come up with your own method.
Prepared meals may be stored in the refrigerator or freezer, with or without the supplement added.
Recipe: Soy Kibble
Use this recipe to make kibble or biscuits. To make biscuits for treats or snacks, form the dough into larger pieces and/or use your favorite cookie cutter.
Kibble and biscuits help keep teeth and gums healthy. We recommend including wet food in the diet to add moisture and improve urine concentration. If you primarily feed kibble, add pureed veggies, sauce, or water to increase the moisture content of the diet.
Ingredients |
Instructions |
|
- Preheat oven to 300°F (150˚C) - Mix the dry ingredients together. - Add the liquid ingredients to the dry mixture. Slowly add water as you determine how much is needed. - Stir with a large strong spoon to form soft dough. - Flour hands and counter top to keep dough from sticking. Empty the bowl onto the counter top. Knead the dough by folding it on itself several times until smooth, proceeding as if making a pie crust. - Roll dough to no more than 1/2” (1.25cm) thick, and smooth in place on a cookie sheet, kneading into corners. - Prick the dough with a fork to prevent bubbles. - Bake for 30 minutes. Don’t bake so long that the edges get brown and brittle. - With a large chef’s knife or pizza cutter, cut newly baked slab into 9 (or 12) parts (on a cutting board). Cut twice horizontally, and then cut vertically 2 or 3 times. Cut each of the resulting rectangles into kibble sized pieces by cutting first in one direction, and then the other. Piece sizes are determined by the size of your dog. - Separate kibble pieces onto two or more cookie sheets and place in a warm oven (at its lowest temperature) for two or three hours until crunchy dry. Direct sunshine makes an energy efficient drier. Kibble is dry enough when you can’t compress pieces with finger pressure. |
Notes: You can flavor kibble or biscuits by using marinara sauce or vegetable broth in place of some of the water used to make dough. Alternatively, you can add nut or seed butter for flavor. These extras are certainly not necessary, as kibble is tasty as-is. Be sure any ingredient you add for flavor is low in sodium and be certain nut and seed butters DO NOT contain xylitol. Xylitol is toxic to dogs.
Properly dried kibble can be stored in a closed container for up to 3-months. Refrigeration is not necessary or desirable.
Recipe: NO Soy Kibble
Like the Soy Kibble recipe, this recipe can be used to make kibble or biscuits. To make biscuits for treats or snacks, form the dough into larger pieces and/or use your favorite cookie cutter.
Kibble and biscuits help keep teeth and gums healthy. We recommend including wet food in the diet to add moisture and improve urine concentration. If you primarily feed kibble, add pureed veggies, sauce, or water to increase the moisture content of the diet.
Ingredients |
Instructions |
|
- Preheat oven to 300°F (150˚C) - Mix the dry ingredients together. - Add the liquid ingredients to the dry mixture. Slowly add water as you determine how much is needed. - Stir with a large strong spoon to form soft dough. - Flour hands and counter top to keep dough from sticking. Empty the bowl onto the counter top. Knead the dough by folding it on itself several times until smooth, proceeding as if making a pie crust. - Roll dough to no more than 1/2” (1.25cm) thick, and smooth in place on a cookie sheet, kneading into corners. - Prick the dough with a fork to prevent bubbles. - Bake for 30 minutes. Don’t bake so long that the edges get brown and brittle. - With a large chef’s knife or pizza cutter, cut newly baked slab into 9 (or 12) parts (on a cutting board). Cut twice horizontally, and then cut vertically 2 or 3 times. Cut each of the resulting rectangles into kibble sized pieces by cutting first in one direction, and then the other. Piece sizes are determined by the size of your dog. - Separate kibble pieces onto two or more cookie sheets and place in a warm oven (at its lowest temperature) for two or three hours until crunchy dry. Direct sunshine makes an energy efficient drier. Kibble is dry enough when you can’t compress pieces with finger pressure. |
Notes: Properly dried kibble can be stored in a closed container for up to 3-months. Refrigeration is not necessary or desirable.
Recipe: Basic Garbanzos
Soak garbanzo beans in water until doubled in size. Change water as necessary to keep from fermenting. Soaking overnight is recommended. To soak overnight, the water level should be a few inches over beans to allow for expansion. Cover the soaking dish in a clean towel.
A method of quick soaking is to boil the legumes for 5 minutes, then allow them to sit in the hot water for 1 hour. Change the water before cooking.
Legumes can be cooked with a potato or piece of kombu to increase digestibility. A crock pot is the most convenient way to cook legumes.
(Image note: There’s no rice in the garbanzo recipe, but a small amount of leftover rice and spinach is added here. It’s my favorite lunch, and easily blended or mashed with Vegedog™ and flaxseed or hemp oil to become the perfect meal for your pup.)
Ingredients |
Instructions |
|
- Drain water from soaked beans. - Cover with fresh water and simmer with the lid on until legumes are soft. (60-90 minutes.) - Drain thoroughly and crush warm beans with a potato masher, fork, or food processor. - Mix in other ingredients. - Refrigerate leftovers portion in a covered container or freeze in portion size containers.
|
Recipe: Basic Lentils
Soak lentils in cold water for 2-4 hours before cooking. You may also sprout lentils for 24-hours, then drain. Sprouted lentils need to be broken up in a food processor or blender for dogs. Sprouting lessens the protein content but increases other nutrients.
Legumes can be cooked with a potato or piece of kombu to increase digestibility. A crock pot is the most convenient way to cook legumes.
DO NOT cook lentils with bay leaves. Bay leaves are toxic to dogs.
Ingredients |
Instructions |
|
- Drain water from soaked beans. - Cover with fresh water and simmer with the lid on until legumes are soft. (30 minutes.) - Drain thoroughly and crush warm beans with a potato masher, fork, or food processor. - Mix in other ingredients. - Refrigerate leftovers portion in a covered container or freeze in portion size containers.
|
Recipe: Tofu & Oats
Extra-firm tofu is preferable. The protein content in tofu increases slightly with firmness. We highly recommend using only organic soy products.
Various types of oats may be used. The most accurate way to measure oats for the recipes is to use a kitchen scale and the gram measurement. That said, there is flexibility in the recipes and a kitchen scale is not necessary.
Simply prepare the oats and mix in the additional ingredients. You may add tofu into the cooking oats to warm the tofu.
Ingredients |
Instructions |
|
- Water to oat ratio should be 2 to 1 for cooking. More water can be used if desired. - Simmer oats until soft. Cook time varies depending on thickness of oats. - Add tofu to warm oats. - Mix in other ingredients. - Refrigerate leftovers portion in a covered container or freeze in portion size containers.
|
Notes: * The tomato paste in this recipe is primarily to add potassium. If you are omit the tomato paste, cooked sweet potato and carrots are good sources of potassium.
You can also season and bake tofu with your favorite sliced veggies. You’ll end up with components of a meal for everyone in the family. Use a sheet pan and cook at 400 degrees F. for about 30 minutes. Use some of the veggies and 3 cups of tofu for this recipe. Tofu does not need to be cooked, but it’s certainly best heated; your dog will likely agree.
Recipe: TVP & Oats
TVP – Textured Vegetable Protein
TSP – Textured Soy Protein can be used in place of TVP.
We highly recommend using only organic soy products.
Various types of oats may be used. The most accurate way to measure oats for the recipes is to use a kitchen scale and the gram measurement. That said, there is flexibility in the recipes and a kitchen scale is not necessary.
TVP needs to be reconstituted with hot water. Use a scant cup of water for every cup of TVP. Add water and stir.
Ingredients |
Instructions |
|
- Water to oat ratio should be 2 to 1 for cooking. More water can be used if desired. - Simmer oats until soft. Cook time varies depending on thickness of oats. - Reconstitute TVP with just under 2 cups (500mL) of boiling water. - Mix in other ingredients. - Refrigerate leftovers portion in a covered container or freeze in portion size containers.
|
Notes: This recipe requires very little preparation time.
Quick-cooking oats are easy to prepare; just add boiling water. You can pour water on the textured soy protein at the same time.
Don’t add so much liquid that the food becomes mushy.
Great additions to this recipe include (1) nut butters (2) banana, berries, and cinnamon (3) purees like pumpkin or sweet potato.
Recipe: TVP & Rice
TVP – Textured Vegetable Protein
TSP – Textured Soy Protein can be used in place of TVP.
We highly recommend using only organic soy products.
TVP needs to be reconstituted with hot water. Use a scant cup of water for every cup of TVP. Add water and stir.
Ingredients |
Instructions |
|
- Cook rice as indicated on rice packaging or on bulk bin. This is usually a 2 to 1 ratio of water to rice. It is beneficial to use a little more water than called for (ie. 2.25 to 1 ratio) and cook for the maximum amount of time suggested. - Simmer oats until soft. Cook time varies depending on thickness of oats. - Reconstitute TVP with just under 3 cups (710mL) of boiling water. - Mix rice, TVP, and remaining ingrdinets. - Refrigerate leftovers portion in a covered container or freeze in portion size containers.
|