Bone Appetit: Homemade Vegan Dog Food Recipe

Here’s some food for thought: Plant-Based, Vegan, and Whole Foods for your Dog.

I just recently switched my pup to a vegan diet, but I thought I would change things up a bit this week with a fresh homemade challenge.

I had a lot of fun creating this recipe for Link, so I’m hoping that some of you out there will be willing to give it a try! Trust me, your dog will absolutely thank you for the change in flavor.

Quick update: Link has been doing very well with the vegan dry food formula so far. His digestion is on point, and his excitement level is at an all time high during breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It honestly makes me laugh so hard – as soon as I fill up his bowl, he’s immediately there to empty it. Talk about enthusiasm.

It may seem contradictory to what we’ve always been taught; I mean, a dog eating “people food”? How could that possibly be healthy? Well, if you consider what a plant-based and whole foods diet can do in relation to human health, it’s not difficult to see the value in adding some of these super foods to your dog’s diet as well.

Since my own homemade meals are very scarce in terms of salt, oil, and sugar, I’ve found myself giving Link some well-deserved taste tests to see how he reacts to different foods. When you’re in complete control over the ingredients that you add to your own dishes, it actually makes you feel okay about providing your pup with some tasty table scraps.

Based on Link’s new found love of plant foods, I carefully selected each ingredient based on his preferences, and the health benefits that they can provide for him.

Please make sure you do some research first if you’re considering trying out your own dog food recipe, as there are definitely some not-so-safe things out there for dogs to consume.

I’ve included some solid points for each ingredient used, explaining why they were chosen for the recipe, and how they are beneficial for canines to consume. It was really cool to do some research regarding plant-based food options, so I definitely recommend learning more about appropriate canine food in general.

Dogs get excited about everything, so I’m not surprised that Link thoroughly enjoyed this concoction. I’m happy to continue challenging the food industry, even when it comes to pet food. If lessening the waste and animal cruelty in the world can be complimented with better health for my own dog, you can bet that I’m 100% behind this concept.

The measurements below provided enough food for 8 full meals for Link. He’s full grown, and exactly 12 pounds right now, so make sure that you tweak the amounts to ensure that you’re not overfeeding or underfeeding your dog.

Whole Food Flavor City – What’s on the Menu?

Baked Sweet Potato – Source of Fiber, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C (this list goes on) – a great binder for a homemade treat

Cooked White Rice – Healthy Carbohydrate, Low in Fat, easily digested – and great for keeping your dog full and energized

Pumpkin Puree – Source of Fiber, Vitamin A – and great for a dog who gets stomach issues from stress or anxiety

Steamed Sweet Peas – Source of Protein, Vitamin B – and great for flavor

Raw Cashews (Unsalted) – Source of Protein, Healthy Fat – much less salt, sugar, and chemicals than most Nut Butter options

Raw Carrots – Low in Calories, Source of Fiber – great for adding some crunch and textural interest

Fresh Parsley – Source of Antioxidants, and various Vitamins and Nutrients – also, I hear it’s great for freshening breath naturally

Alright, let’s get started!

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 8

Ingredient Measurements

1 Sweet Potato

1 Cup of Uncooked White Rice

1/2 Cup of Pumpkin Puree

1/2 Cup of Sweet Peas

1/2 Cup of Chopped Carrot

1/4 Cup of Raw Cashews

2 Tablespoons of Chopped Fresh Parsley

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

2. Slice the sweet potato in half, length-wise, and then place each half face down onto a baking tray (best to line with tin foil or parchment). Use a fork to poke holes all over the skin, as this will speed up the cooking process. Place the tray in the oven for about 30 minutes.

3. Measure 1 cup of uncooked rice, and 2 cups of water. Place both into a small sauce pan, and turn onto high heat. Once the water reaches boiling point, turn down to low heat, and cover until water is fully absorbed – roughly 10-15 minutes. When rice is cooked, set aside to cool.

4. Measure the frozen peas, and place them into a small saucepan. Cover with water, and cook on low heat for about 3 minutes – or until the peas have thawed all the way through.

5. While the other ingredients are cooking, slice the carrot and cashews into bite-size chunks, and dice parsley into very small pieces. Set these aside for now.

6. When the sweet potato is fork tender, remove it from the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes. Carefully begin to peel away the skin, and place the peeled potato slices into a bowl.