Homemade Grain-Free Dog Food

My dog is getting older and his health has become more of a priority. I worry about how many nutrients kibble may lose through the cooking process. So, I developed this homemade dog food recipe to include all of the vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids that my dog needs. It took me a bit of research to figure out what foods in what proportions to use. The protein ingredients include liver and poultry (dark meat poultry is best), sunflower oil for linoleic acid, and 10 other essential amino acids that dogs must get in their diet.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 30 mins
• Total Time: 50 mins
• Calories: 291 Calories

Ingredients

• 6 eggs
• ¼ cup water
• 2 apples - peeled, cored and chopped
• 4 cups baby spinach leaves
• 3 tablespoons sunflower seed oil
• 4 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
• 3 pounds ground chicken
• 6 ounces chicken livers, chopped

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 2

Place carrots, apples, and water into a pot. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until soft, 10 to 15 minutes.

Step 3

Crack eggs and whisk together in a bowl; place eggshells onto a baking sheet.

Step 4

Bake eggshells in the preheated oven until dry, 5 to 7 minutes.

Step 5

Remove eggshells from the oven and pulverize using a mortar and pestle or a coffee grinder.

Step 6

Place ground chicken, chicken livers, eggs, ground eggshells, and sunflower oil into a large skillet. Heat over medium heat, mixing occasionally, until ground chicken is browned and crumbly and livers are no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes.

Step 7

Place spinach on top of meat mixture in the skillet and cover with a lid to steam until soft, about 5 minutes.

Step 8

Mash softened carrots and apples using a potato masher and add to meat mixture; mix together.