Puppy Recipes: Flavor and Fun

My first blog is inspired by my chihuahua, Tiny. Tiny is so intelligent, well-behaved, and generally sweet, how could I not want to pamper my faithful and constant companion? Unfortunately, I have recently come to terms with the fact that she is no longer a puppy at seven years old.

In addition to walks and park visits (and toting her along to dinner or errand running whenever possible), pampering Tiny has involved giving her 'people' food - clearly not the most responsible behavior. Out of concern for her health and an investment in her future, I have committed to a more conscientious approach to the maintenance of her health. Halo dog food and vitamins have become our staple, but I do not want to deprive her of the foods that bring her so much joy. Consequently, I my endeavor is to research and test dog -healthy and -friendly recipes that I can incorporate into her diet.

The purpose of this blog is simply to create a forum for healthy dog recipes.

As the blog evolves, I will mark recipes that I have tried and found to be Tiny-approved (and include pictures and personal notes). Eventually, I will strive to post primarily vegetarian recipes but, for the time being, I will begin by posting recipes that look interesting.
*Warning: As a chihuahua, Tiny is somewhat particular.

Recipe 1: Macaroni and Cheese for Endurance Dogs
source: Small Dogs Paradise: Holistic Approach to Pampering Small Dogs
Tiny tested: Not yet
vegetarian: No - incorporates chicken

Servings: Approximately 8 small-sized or 3 medium-sized dog meals.

Ingredients:
* 1 box of elbow macaroni
* 1 cup of non-dairy cheddar cheese shreds
* 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
* ¼ cup of non-fat milk
* ¼ cup of peas or diced celery
* ¼ cup of carrot, diced
* ¼ cup of ground chicken breast or any lean meat of your dog’s choice except pork
* Pinch of garlic powder to taste

Method:
1. Cook the macaroni as the box instructed, al dente. You might want to give the salt a miss when boiling the macaroni. Your dog will be very thirsty after the run, so don’t make him yelp for more water for every 10-minutes run! :
2. Heat oil in a saucepan, sauté the ground chicken breast and vegetables for 3 minutes.
3. Add in the cheese and milk over medium heat unit it melts. Stir often.
4. Pour over the drained pasta and mix well.
5. Add a pinch of garlic powder and allow it to cool.
6. Serve what is needed for that day and refrigerate the leftovers.

Special notes:
For dogs who love to crunch on carrots and celeries, add them when the creamy sauce is about done.

Limit this meal to twice or thrice weekly if your dog is a beginner daily jogger. Most beginners don’t have the stamina to run for 30 minutes or more hence the stored carbohydrate will turn to fats very easily if not “used.”

Remember this is a supplement meal; it should not be replaced over his regular kibbles. You may want to reduce his daily kibbles intake whenever you feed him macaroni and cheese.