Last updated on August 22nd, 2016
GREAT NEWS! Lily the Beagle recently lost a few unsightly (and unhealthy) pounds. How’d she do it? Well, by giving up commercial dog food. According to her vet, all such “convenience foods,” regardless of brand, are high in calories. So she’s learned to cook for herself now. Here’s her low-fat version of Arroz con Pollo:
Hi everyone! I’m Lily the Beagle. Today I’m making a classical Spanish dish called “Arroz con Pollo.” I love it so much that I eat it twice a day!
To start, put some cooked rice in a green and white bowl.
Then add a little diced, boiled chicken breast.
Okay. That’s probably too much chicken.
Now add lots of healthy green vegetables, as pictured above.
Love vegetables? Add more of ’em.
I hate peas.
But I love steamed Brussels sprouts!
Moisten the works with some salt-free chicken stock.
And to make the dish extra wonderful, heat it in the microwave for 30 seconds.
Finally, eat this low-fat deliciousness as fast as you can!
For dessert,consider a multi-vitamin that’s intended for a pooch.
And definitely go for a walk with someone you love.
The end.
Note from Kevin: In the comments field below, feel free to talk about your own pet(s). Or, just say “Howdy.” As always, Lily and I both love hearing from you!
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Lisa Grandstaff says
Love it! Thanks, Lily and Kevin! Muchas gracias… but do remember to eat your vegetables. Lily, I would think that BSprouts would give you some, uh… gaseous emissions? But your people love you so much that I’m sure they don’t mind! Bwah hahahahaha!
Nancy says
I have 6 dogs they are on Grain free food, but cooking for them like this would not be so bad..They love vegetables, and rice and of course chicken.. and I uess you could change up the veggies… ..thanks for the idea Lily…. stay healthy pretty girl… and eat your peas !!!
Heidi Haas says
Lily- you make me laugh! Chewbacca says to tell you he feels you have FAR too many peas. (He is an expert. He also is highly skilled in spitting out any green beans that mistakenly fell in his bowl)
Susan says
Hello Lily .. Guess what? Our dog Tilla (chow) won’t eat anything but chicken! ahahahha. I’m sure you two would get along splendid. Never thought of the Brussel Sprouts, so thanks for that. Tilla, is 13 years old (almost 14) and her and I would be ever so greatful if perhaps you could share more healthy food meals for her. Way to go on the weight loss pretty one.
MaryAnn Quinn says
This posting struck my humor bone. I laughed, and then I laughed some more :-))))). I especially liked the photo with the pea.
And now in all seriousness, there’s a lot of domestic animals having sickness that never used to be. I’m thinking it’s all in the food.
Thank you Kevin and Lily for bringing some attention to feeding our loved ones good food.
Martha says
Thank you, Lily. I have been a fan of yours for some time now, but had no idea you were such a great cook and photo-journalist to boot. Or perhaps you persuaded Kevin to help. Either way, I appreciated this recipe very much, and so will my dogs, Asha and Alice.
Gillian McM says
Thank you, Lily, I don’t happen to belong to a dog, but that looks like a yummy lunch for ME. I’ll just substitute brown rice for white, if you don’t mind. Another recipe next week? I think you are looking svelte and elegant, by the way.
Rebecca says
We are lucky to have a dog join our family tomorrow. He is one of those exotic breeds. From his appearance, we think he might be half Irish Wolfhound and half, um, squirrel. Guess that would make him an Irish Squirrelhound. 🙂
I have always believed real food is better for our four legged buddies than some processed chemical compound that’s dried and shoved into a bag. And this sounds like a great meal! I’ll be sure to try it for Murray “the Squirrel” O’Flaherty.
Denise in NJ says
Hi Lily. DJ here. I’m a Boston Terrier that had terrible problems with gas and other forms of intestinal distress that are just too nasty to talk about. I had awful ear infections, too. Then Denise put me on a grain free diet and now I have no more problems! I especially like when she boils some ground beef to put on my rice but I don’t get rice very often now that I’m eating no grains. I’m not a fan of green veggies either, but I like orange ones. Sweet potato and pumpkin are my favorite, but carrots are good, too. I don’t know why those cans have grains in them anyway. When is the last time you’ve seen a dog in the wild eat a grain? Silly humans. Oh, and when I’m really good, she makes me these meatball treats that are simply fabulous. Tomorrow I’ll be 6. I hope she makes me some meatball treats for my birthday.
Denise in NJ says
DJ told me I had to tell you how I make his meatball treats (and yes, he is getting some for his birthday). Really easy. I mix some sweet potato and egg into ground beef, roll it up into little balls, drop them into boiling water and cook until done.
Denise in NJ says
Oh, the sweet potato is pre-baked, and the egg is raw to help bind it all together.
Vicki says
DJ and Lily: Hi, this is Wizard the cavalier King Charles spaniel! My humans feed me chicken every day, and have my whole life, but I love your recipe for meatball treats. Maybe my humans will make them for me…. I also get a few natural treats from local places that make things like peanut butter treats for canine family members. I wonder if my humans will try brussel sprouts for me? I’m not so sure of that one…. Thanks to DJ and Kevin for posting the good advice on food. I hope my humans are listening….
Terry says
Hello Lily, Jack (as in Jack Russel terrier) here. I love chicken and rice, yum yum yum! My mom usually adds in shredded carrots or zucchini and a bit of spinach to mine. I HATE peas also!! And green beans, I don’t think I would like brussel sprouts. Any unwelcome vegetables are licked clean and placed back into the bowl. Unless I am feeling rowdy, then I spit them on the floor.
Cary Bradley says
Sweet! Kevin, my husband reminds me that before the convenience of commercial pet food became mass produced, our grandparents fed their animals whatever they were eating. Sooo good for them. Thanks to your vet for suggesting it! We had a dog that LOVED tangerines off the tree. Poor girl would have eaten the whole crop if we’d let her! Our Honey and Olive say “Good day” to Ms. Lily. 🙂
Erin says
You are so creative! I enjoyed reading this very much.
Pauline says
After being told that my 7 year old cat would need surgery to remove a bowel obstruction, I went home and did some research on my own. My conclusion was that dry cat food was killing my cat and greatly hurting the other cats in my home. According to everything I read, dry cat and dog food is strictly a convenience and budget thing for humans, and not at all good for the animals. I changed my cats over to all wet food with no chicken (as chicken is one of the main allergies held by cats) and no more dry food. My one old fat cat lost weight and gained muscle, all 4 cats suddenly had more energy and were playful again after years of sleeping through their lives and the dying one that supposedly needed $1000.00 or more in surgery? He changed completely and started going to the bathroom again, stopped barfing and became like a new cat. Previously, he had shriveled to half his size and had crud in his eyes and no energy and threw up every day. Now he could be on the cover of “Cat Hunks” magazine ;0) All have the shiniest coats and clearest eyes. The dry food dehydrates the animals and causes their little systems to be operating with about half of the moisture they actually need. It is the number one cause of kidney disease in cats (the number one cat killer) and diabetes (the number two cat killer). And my vet could not wait to sell me a bag of it………Kind of like causing the problem and then offering to fix it for a fee.
Erin Brady says
Hi lily! I’m Fenway and boy do I need to lose a few pounds. It’s looks delicious and nutrious! I’ll ask my mom to make it for me! She would love to know if you have any more yummy recipes for us 4 legged friends!
Carolyn Contois says
Don’t forget to add a supplement… Dr Pitcairn’s Book has the best (and easiest) recipes… you are on the right track…. good for you..C. Contois, Doctor of Animal Naturopathy
mike says
Mashed brown rice….never white! Steam the chicken and use the de-fatted broth to moisten the dinner. I buy family-packs, steam, then put single servings into baggies and freeze. Add a tablespoon of yogurt or cottage cheese to food about twice a week for calcium. Steam chicken livers, then freeze each individually in a baggy…add one mashed liver to food about once a week for iron. Pork loin is lean and the most non-allergenic of all meats for dogs and can be roasted or steamed…sliced-diced, then single servings put in baggies and frozen. My veterinarian says that the vegetables help to keep them feeling full, as well as fiber and minerals. A can of raw pumpkin pulp can be frozen in individual serving sizes. A big help is to mix the brown rice, chopped chicken, broth, vegetable choice, then put single dinner servings into baggies and freeze.
Mash, blenderize, or food process the food for very old dogs that can’t chew well.
mike says
A mashed or chopped hard-boiled egg on occasion, too.
mike says
And take the skin off the chicken prior to chopping!
mike says
@Pauline: if you’re making your own cat food, make sure that you supplement with TAURINE. It’s available in health food stores. Taurine is required in feline diets and is highly suggested for some dogs (spaniels, retrievers, and particularly Newfoundlands), but I suspect all dogs will benefit. Do an online search about taurine supplementation for pets, if you have doubts.
Dana says
Hello Lily! My name is Phoebe and I live in Memphis,TN. I am part pit bull and part Boston terrier but I’ve never known which part of me is which! Anyway, my mom cooks for me once a week (chicken or roast) and she feeds me whatever she cooked mixed with rice and veggies for the week. I love green peas the best! I wonder why you snub them, they are so yummy and quite cute. Even though I am kind of macho looking I am very sweet and love cute things. I am fond of dressing up in my pink tutu and silver tiara. My dad rolls his eyes but mom and I know I am adorable. Lily I think you are beautiful and I asked for a play date but apparently you live up north and mom says it’s too far. Oh well, I look forward to seeing on your dads website. take care! Your friend, Phoebe
Tracy says
To an earlier poster who suggested substituting brown rice for white– Please reconsider. Remember that dogs GI tracts are not really evolved to digest grains and while hulled rice can be broken down pretty easily, brown rice, which still has its hull, cannot.
anita says
Thank you Lily, for the recipe and today’s morning chuckle with my breakfast coffee. You’re looking good, and may inspire me to lose some of my own unsightly and unhealthy pounds.
mike says
@Tracy: I’m one that suggested brown rice. I’ve discussed my dog’s homemade diet with my veterinarian…he preferred brown rice rather than white. White rice provides only starch carbohydrate. The brown rice bran provides vitamins, minerals, and fiber, which isn’t meant to be digested. My vet suggested vegetables, too, which keeps them full longer, mainly due to the indigestible fiber. The fiber will assist their digestive tract and bowel movements. My dog has had no problems eating brown rice, but discuss this with your veterinarian and follow his/her recommendation.
Beverly, zone 6, eastern PA says
You’ve outdone yourself again, Kevin !!
Jasmine the Blue Eyed Wonder Dog, magazine cover girl and consummate ratter says to Lily, “Let’s Do Lunch – you cook the first time around.”
Carol M says
Lilly is looking so good that you need to share more of Lily’s recipes …
Anne says
I love this ! Kelsey the cavalier says”I am jealous” . Make sure there are no onions
Joy says
My Weimaraner is also grain free. Weims tend to have delicate stomachs, and I’ve gone through the mill with my other ones in the past. One vet wanted to open up my 6 yr old and I refused until he did an allergy test – she was pooing blood. Came back she was allergic to ALL carbs. So they really don’t need them. I feed my dog some dried grain free food, only because I live on a small island and can’t get what I would like. But she gets meat and veg too, (for treats loves raw squash, zucchini, carrots and broccoli stalks, but peel the apples first please Mom!) and I always always give plenty of water with the dried which goes in there too. Lily’s weight looks good, but if she tends to put it on easily I would skip the rice and see what happens. Lots of veg in its place if you think she will get hungry. Love your page, look forward to it every Sunday!
Helga G says
Hi Lily!
This recipe looks good, even to a Human, wonder if it would HELP ME shed a few pounds. I am with you on the Peas, but load it up with plenty of Brussels for me.
Love you, you are adorable.
Maureen says
Hi Lily,
My name is Mr. Hobbs and I am a Rat Terrier rescue. My mom feeds me a raw diet and, yes, I like pumpkin, sweet potatoes and raw carrots. Yummm!! I have never had to have my teeth cleaned and I celebrated my 13th birthday in October. Enjoy your dinner but don’t eat too much rice.
Linda Stone says
HUGE WARNING: Giving cruciferous veggies to large chested dogs may result in gastric torsion–commonly known as “bloat”–which is frequently fatal and very expensive to surgically treat in those rare instances when caught in time. Safer veggies are steamed carrots, cooked pumpkin (right out of the can, but pure pumpkin, not pie filling), steamed zucchini all initially given in very small amounts to test for tolerance.
Pam says
So cute! Lucky Lily, eating so good. She looks wonderful! Love the pea(s) visual. LOL!
Sylvia says
Do you ever wonder why our dogs should not have grains, but we are still eating them. Our golden was needing to lose weight so I cut her dry (grain-less) food in half and added half a can of (no added salt) green beans and she loves it. I sometimes switch pumpkin (which I canned) and she loves that also. She has lost over 10 lbs and she is feeling pretty good. She has a blown knee and the weight loss has really helped her. Now I will have to try the sprouts.
Kathy mcmanus says
Our Bernese Mountain dog has had digestive issues so we put her on a rice, boiled chicken and pumpkin diet! She loves it! We feed her twice a day and she lets us know when it’s time to eat (You could set your watch by looking at her)! She will be 8 years old very soon and she has always acted like a 2year old puppy! She is a delight! Best dog we’ve ever had!
B. Masters says
Your site is the first one I look for each Sunday PM. Every subject is of interest to me and I have tried to keep each one for future reference. Now, you have suggestions for our pets. I have 4 female cats, 10 years old, and have fed them dry vet suggested food for that time, but fight the weight on one and look forward to suggestions and recipes. They are litter sisters. Many thanks for great articles!!
Sheila Sayles says
I have a cat named Joe…..no dogs anymore. I remember making rice dishes for my dog when he was sick……….I guess rice is calming for the stomach. umm maybe I should start with cooking, not buying, dinner for Joe……I love your recipes, for people soooooo.
KellyinBoston says
Dogs shouldn’t have brown rice. Its really unhealthy for their GI tracts. Not to be gross, but prehistoric dogs were secondary predators–They ate muscle, fate, and stomach contents. Whole grain rices are very dangerous for dogs. They just can’t handle them.
Denise in Colorado says
Dear Lily! Very interesting recipe! I think my Pom Tazzy would love this except for the veggies. Maybe sweet potato! My Rottweiler Moses would eat anything that resembles people food. My 4 cats might like Pauline’s cat food recipe! Hmmmmm! Food for thought… Have a very yummy and happy Thanksgiving! Thanks! 🙂
micron the cat says
Hey Kevin and Lily,
We have been making our dog Maggie’s food for about 2 years now. In fact, today is “dog food day” at our house. I get a turkey size baking bag, and put black beans and rice in the bottom (raw, not canned), then add chopped fresh greens (turnip or collards or kale, whatever is around at the time), one large sweet potato, cubed, a large Irish potato, a few chopped carrots, and some fresh green beans. Then either a whole chicken, or a jumbo pack of boneless, skinless thighs go on top. Sometimes also a carton of livers and gizzards. Close it up, in the oven for an hour at 350º. When it’s cool enough to handle I debone the chicken, and put all the meat and gristle plus all the veggies in the food processor until it’s dog food consistency. Voila! Dog food for about a month (for an 18lb. Rattle dog, YMMV).
Maggie loves it! She has lost some weight, plus she has stopped barfing, which is why we started making food in the first place.
Verna says
Hi Lily. Moxie here (Mom says I have a whole lot of it, whatever moxie is.) I’m an eight month old Shorkie and the Vet told Mom to give me frozen peas when I was teething. They are still a great treat, just be sure not to let them escape and people step on them. Thanks for the great recipe and all the good advice everyone. Happy Thanksgiving all
Nikki G says
Hi Lily and Kevin! Please Google Dr. Karen Becker. She teaches us about species appropriate diets. Dogs are supposed to eat meat. Raw meat. Not grains, and especially not corn! No wonder our pets are starting to have the same medical problems and obesity that humans are having. How sad for them that are at our mercy for their lives! Love to Lilly from Chester (our Schnauzer)! Be blessed. Happy Thanksgiving!
Morgan says
Hi Kevin! I eat a lot of fresh kale and collard greens. My dogs love the raw stripped stems for treats! Lily probably would too.
PatinVT says
We use a very good quality, limited ingredient, grain free good for our rescue (Border Collie Mix Ross). We had a lot of trouble getting him settled because of reactions to commercial dog food. He had everything from digestive issues to skin reactions until we found the right things to feed him with our Vet’s help. We share some family meal items and he gets home made treats made with rice flour, banana, peanut butter, egg and a little oats that work well too. There is so much advice out there about what to feed our companions that its very confusing. Once you read about the ingredients in the supermarket brands, you’ll think twice about feeding it to your pets! It’s great that you found a good formula for Miss Lilly! She is a beautiful girl!
Peejay says
My dog Charlie just got defined as clinically obese. I put his measurements into the BMI calculator and discovered he’s one of the missing Black Holes in the universe.
Paula Wolff says
Princess Penny the Brown Newfoundland, who rules our small domain, has been served homemade meals since she took to her throne here. She gets ground beef and green veggies, but I’m sure she thinks never enough to suit her. Luckily she has lost a few pounds, and hopes to lose a few more in the months ahead. Penny says GOOD LUCK ON YOUR DIET, Miss Lily!
Gretchen says
Dear Lily, You have no idea of how wonderful it is to read these messages about home-cooked food for our four-legged fur-people friends. I used to make the food for our pair of Samoyeds and Siberian Husky and was regarded as a full fledged nut. I would get packages of chicken necks and backs and slow-cooked them until the bones were soft enough to crush with my fingers. Mix this in with the basic rice wnd pumpkin base and stand back – eager eaters incoming! What was just as important to their really enjoying the food, they kept it down and thrived on it.
From my heart to yours – a very Happy Thanksgiving to you and your Human companions.
Hilary says
Lily’s story has warmed the cockles of my heart–thanks Lily! Now, maybe this recipe could help me lose a few pounds.Sincerely your friend, Henry the cat. (Mom says I also need taurine and that kind of stuff as well.)
Maggie says
at age 7 my Seal Point Birman girl, Kitty Fisher (after the character in the English nursery rhyme) was diagnosed with “old cat colon” following a bout of bleeding. We located a holistic oriented Texas A&M trained vet who suggested a natural diet and her prognosis otherwise was not good. I rotated ground chicken, ground turkey, and ground lamb, stewed in a crock pot for long hours. When the meat was ready I steamed a small potful of minced zuccini, carrots and celery, sometimes a little broccoli or other greens, and another small potful of rice, sometimes brown, sometimes white. When all was ready the meat, rice and veg were mixed up and frozen in portions sized to feed them 2-3 days so the refrigerated food wouldn’t get old. Kitty Fisher lived to ripe old age of 15. We were forever having guests ask what smelled so good in the crockpot. My nephews (early 20s) told everyone look out or Aunt Maggie will feed you cat food. 🙂
Maggie says
I just wanted to encourage Lily in her cooking adventure. She’s off to a wonderful start.
Really Kevin, you are an amazing person and your blog is such fun. Means a lot to me. Oh, Does Lily still get to have a little cheese?
Dee says
I feed my dog a raw diet. Raw meat, raw bones. Vegetables and are fruit included but they are chopped very fine as it is my understanding that dogs cannot digest vegetables. Some would say “gross” but if our pets lived in the wild they would be eating raw. I also learned that these carnivores (wild dogs, coyotes, wolfs) will instinctually eat the stomach and stomach contents of the animal because it is already predigested. Commercial dog and cat food has only been around for a little over 100 years and it’s the worst thing we can feed our pets.
My dog is very healthy, has a beautiful coat, her teeth are white, her breath is clean and no gas. Best of all the poops are very small because most of the food is digested and used.
myrtle miller says
Not too much rice because rice can constipate. If you do notice that’s she getting constipated pumpkin is good for that. I think it is so cool that your doing everything you can to keep Lily healthy. I have a dog (Gypsy) who is a genius and four cats Zorri, Bobbi, Hercules and Jewel.
John A. says
Our Chesapeake Bay Retriever also did well on ‘homemade’ food. we handled it this way…. first we held onto (in freezer bags in freezer) almost all vegetable scraps/cuttings that would make a nice stock-onion, celery, broccoli,cauliflower peels, string beans, etc., but left out potato peels. we then held onto and leftover meats and bones-chicken, turkey, beef, pork, even shrimp shells-whatever (but no fish). we then would boil down the bones , and when bones were sufficiently cooked through, added our cut up meat scraps (no fat trimmings !) and frozen bags of vegetable cuttings, cooking it all down together. we added rice to the meal that we stored in the fridge and ‘nuked’ him a warm meal of the combined vegetables and meats with stock, over rice. He loved it and lived to a very ripe old age for a Chessie.
maralee thompson says
I have always done this for our Border Collie. He loves it! Try some broccoli stems too…they love to chew on them. Then you can eat the tops!
Carol says
Hi Lily. I am Scout, a Peke-Pom mix, but I look like an Eskie. Go figure. Speaking of figures, I am on the borderline weight for my size, and my Mom is careful what she feeds me. I eat almost anything (if it isn’t green) that she gives me. But I like it best when she cooks up good things to eat just for me. I do like some leftover from her plate sometimes. You look very beautiful in your picture, and my Mom plans to try your recipe soon. You have a nice Dad who loves you enough to care about your health. AND he is a really good cook, so you are lucky. My friends’ Moms give them frozen green beans and strawberries, which they love for snacks.
Krista says
Hi All, for those of you who use microwaves for food, please, please do some research out the bad effects of nuking in the microwaves and how it alters the food, much better to heat on the stove … best wishes, love reading these articles.
Ginger Blymyer says
Hi, glad to read about your new type of feeing your doggie. I have changed my ways to. I was working with a vegan friend who was trying to get me to eat vegan, and I tired, but still supplement my food with dairy and meat now.
But the most wonderful thing has happened to my three doggies. Ramsey a Shiu Tzu, Belle a Westy and Harry a fat chiweenie.
They are not eating rice, brown with tumeric and garlic, topped with lentils and veggies. Their dishes are totally clean. I add some flax seed oil and nutritional oil. Sometimes they get a little chicken too. Their breath is so much better. They don’t itch so much. It is a miracle. I have added fresh sprouts to the cooked lentils. They don’t quite like the fresh sprouts. I am so happy that they are away from all the unknown stuff they tell us is so good for our best friends.
Ginger Blymyer says
Pardon my spelling in the last note. I should have checked. Even Harry who was a rescue eating only table food like pizza in a rehab is now eating Brussel Sprouts.
The interesting thing is Lentils are the highest in protein of all beans and so easy to cook up in the slow cooker.
they do get some treats too, which are supposed to have vitamins.
Casey Cavasher says
My rott, Sophie, used to have horrible smelling breath & saliva plus often would have gas. I talked to my vet about going to a home-cooked diet versus all of the dry dog foods I had tried feeding her, including the expensive ones from the vet himself. He told me that cooking and giving her some beef liver along with the other foods I was considering would be the best thing for her along with her fish oil added to the meal. Her fave foods are cooked colored bell peppers, pumpkin and squash (which is so plentiful these time of year), carrots, peas, chicken and on occasion a little beef roast. I just cook extra when roasting my root vegetables for her and freeze the overage which thaws overnight in the fridge. I haven’t tried other meats like lamb (too expensive). She still enjoys occasional treats like pizza crust and pie crust but that’s the only bread-type items she gets. She didn’t like the peas at first and, like one of the other posting dogs, would lick them and then spit them back into the food bowl. However, after my persistence in adding them to her food, especially when pumpkin, squash, carrots, or colored bell peppers were also added, she now cleans the peas right along with everything else. And, yes, she has lost 10 lbs and is much more frisky for a 13 yr old rottweiller!
Deb says
Anytime there is a picture of Lily with her little head cocked to the side, it always makes me say awwwww. She’s a cute little one!
Lee McCann says
This is a late post but ….My precious doggy, a Chesapeake Bay Retriever, has passed on at
age 14 but she is the only dog I knew that loved all veggies. Broccoli, asparagus, tomatoes,
her favorite was green beans, cauliflower and I can go on and on. I never had scraps for the compost pile and I had to be very alert when a tomato ripened in order to beat her to it. My husband taught her to sit up (harder for a big dog) for a banana. Vet made him stop the bananas because of the sugar so he had to eat his banana outside. In the winter, I would find some fresh green beans for her and she was in heaven. And when food got too bland for her, I added some olive oil and Italian seasoning to her dish of veggies and whatever. No table scraps ever for puppy. She was much loved and so missed. She gives me pleasure just to
think about her. I have kitties now who are also loved but I sure would love to see Chessie, Queen of Hearts again. Merry Christmas to all.
Susie says
My Frenchies, Beau and Georgette, love coconut oil. They lick it off my fingers and I rub it on their dry noses. Might be good to lubricate dinner.
anita says
That sounds delicious, and Lily — you look marvelous!
Janet says
I feed my pups, all 3 of them, a salmon based kibble and Pate (as my husband calls it!). I too was worried about the commercial dog food, especially the canned variety. Since the writing is so small I could not see what was on the label even with my glasses! So my recipe developed from something I read on the internet is this: 1 1/4# chicken or beef liver cooked, 1 can low sodium peas drained, 1/2 C cooked mashed pumpkin, 2C chicken or beef broth. – always home made and frozen ahead of time in 2C containers, 1C fresh carrots. All goes into the cousinart and ground into a thick “sauce”. Refridgerate. They get the amount of kibble recommended by the manufacturer and the little Bostons get a heaping teaspoon mixed with the kibble and the Chocolate Lab a heaping tablespoon. They are fed 2x a day and their coats are beautiful and their poops are, shall we say… Perfect. And no nasty smells from the Bostons either……:)
Kate says
What a beautiful meal for Lily! An older veterinarian told a friend that when packaged kibble became the common animal diet, they had to start halving the life expectancy they quoted for patients. I cook for my itchy pooch and it helps a lot.
Thanks for all your loving and inspiring recipes, Kevin and Lily!
<3
Cheryl says
Lily is so cute, and what a lucky girl that she has her own chef! I’m going to investigate cooking for my own menagerie based on your post and all the comments. Love your site – you are a breath of fresh air, thank you so much for the always fun and informative information, great photos – love it all!
Susie says
Frenchie Beau de la Ferme recommends roasted diced butternut squash and sliced Brussels sprouts. Bon Appetit!
Faye says
I laughed out loud when I read this post. But, it brought back fond memories of my childhood many years ago. When I was a child we raised our own beef and chickens. We had Brittany Spaniels, a mixed special, and a German Short hair and multiple cats. My mom used to brown hamburger and put shredded carrots in it. Sometimes she would add eggs. She made other concoctions for them as well so that their diet was varied, their coats were shiny and their eyes were clear. Thanks for the short trip down memory lane!
Kim R says
Lily would like a low cal treat 🙂
Maggie says
Love Denise’s suggestions..do the same thing here with baked sweet potatoes and boiled meatballs. Boiling the meatballs makes a very tasty broth. I chill the broth to harden any fats so they are easily skimmed off, then use the broth for cooking the rice and topping off each dish.
Reminder: onions and garlic are potentially toxic to most dogs and cats.
ingmarie peck says
Love this. Seens Lily is a great cook to.
I have a short ,round pit bull mix (looks like English bulldog) and dear husband gives treats The Vet says NO NO put the dog on low calorie dog food.
She loves fruit and veggies so I bulk up her portions with those
.But I think I will try Lily’s recipe too.
Growing up we had several dogs, none of them had dog food ,table scraps ,bones ,fish and veggies. Darn healthy dogs too.
Thank you and Lily for sharing.
Tammy says
Lily, you are one lucky dog, that looks yummy!!!! Did you eat both of your peas? Lol
Bon Beagle Appetite!
Kip Morrissette says
Well, how about this! LOL
Lily, I see you have MORE comments on your recipe than your papa has received for his Summer Soup. LOL (but we won’t mention most Comments were from 2013)
I agree with Gillian McM …I don’t have a dog either but this recipe worked for you Lily, and I need to lose a ‘bunch’ of pounds so I just might make it for me! I like everything in your recipe. LOL. Good girl!!!
Sybil says
Lucky Lily…to have such well planned home cooked meals! I have given up on commercial pet food and evolved to this also, for the last couple years of my 2 beagles, Romeo & Dexter, lives and now with my little happy Jackie, Bandit. Occasionally Bandit also gets a breakfast of sardines (he LOVES them) or raw chicken necks, also a favorite.
Maranda Colins says
I love your newsletter and personality!!! My poor kitty cat, Whitney, a boy, got so sick from dry cat food. He’s two yrs. old. (we named him while he was still a kitten in our backyard) Whitney had a complete ‘blockage’ could not pee for a few days. He was in the hospital for 6 days!!! He is no longer allowed to eat dry cat food. We buy the expensive cat food “Merrick” by Chewy, on line and he still got very sick. Who knew? It gave him ‘crystals’ in his urine and he could not pee for anything and was not eating, lethargic, etc. Now he is on a special prescription canned cat food. I never had one problem with my two female cats, 11 yrs. old! He’s feeling a little better since we finally took him home. Sorry for just talking about my cat. I love your newsletters, thanks so much!!!!! I don’t care about what you call it, Kevin is fine!
Linda Willeck says
I love Lily the Beagle so much, & it’s nice to see her get healthier food; but I also have a fat cat problem. I have 2, & I love them dearly; but it’s so hard to control their eating. They absolutely will ONLY eat dry food – tuna or salmon? – turn up their noses & walk away. I’d love to get away from the commercial products & do homemade to help with their weight problems. Has anyone tried blending up the good-sounding “real” food & making it into a large cake/cracker that can be cut or crumbled into bits? Just curious to hear of experiments that others have tried with their finicky cats. Thank you.
Linda western Pa says
I have been making my dogs dinners for 4 years due to his stomach problems. I make it in bulk now and freeze it in 5 day freezer bags due to the time consumption of making the mix. I add Trader Joe’s salt free pink salmon and use a chicken with no hormones since chicken is a big allergy problem in dogs. I add apples and/or pears. He eats snow peas right out of the garden as we glean. No broth as the canned salmon adds moisture. A little sweet potato or yams is good too. He doesn;t loose weight unless he goes to doggie day care for run around time with the gang and limit his treat consumption which he does not like!
Lgb says
Hi lily. My name is Chance. I’m a 16 yr old beagle rat terrier mix. Full name is Last Chance, too long a story for my paws to type but love your diet plan. I hope my humans will indulge me in it. I must tell you though, I have lost 1/3 of my body weight. How you bark?? My humans moved to a 3 story house. So I follow them everywhere they go , living up to the “faithful companion “moniker. Anyway, everyone worried how I would survive the move , I overheard talks of zip lines and pully systems to get me up all the steps, all to realize the move has taken pounds and there fore years off my life. I’ve gone from fat and lazy to looking and feeling like a puppy. So, I’m happy you didn’t have to move to loose weight like I did. But I still want that chicken n rice dish!!!
Julie R says
Hi Lily, my name is Snickers and I am a little Dachshund. Congrats on loosing a few pounds, you go girl = ) I told my human mom about the yummy looking food that Kevin made for you, and she wants to make it for me too. Recently my mom has been thinking about making me some homemade dog treats and meals because regular dog treats seem to upset my tummy. So my mom thanks you for the great info and story. Me and my human mom think that you are just as amusing as Kevin. We were laughing at the funny picture of only one little pea atop a huge bowl of food = )