It’s almost Thanksgiving and my mind is already full with images of hot mashed potatoes and gravy, buttered dinner rolls, and savory stuffing and turkey. I remember my feast last year — provisions as far as my food-loving eyes could see. I approached the dinner table with joy as my family and friends all sat down, thrilled to finally eat the Thanksgiving food we had slaved over all day.
Then, from the corner of the room, I heard a small meow. I looked up, guilty, my hand freezing with a spoon full of cranberry sauce. My cat sat there, staring at me with reproachful eyes. The smell of meat filled the air, tempting my tiny pet, but all she had to eat was canned and dry cat food.
We all enjoy Thanksgiving feasts with our human family, but what about our furry friends? The ones who love us and cuddle with us after dinner while we lay down in a food coma?
This year, things will change. I propose: the Petsgiving feast. Kind of like Friendsgiving — or, of course, the original Thanksgiving — pet owners everywhere can show their thankfulness for their pets by making them a homemade meal or treat to enjoy while the humans have their dinner.
The four recipes below — two for dogs and two for cats — are easy to make and will definitely leave your furry friends feeling thankful.
Catnip Tuna Biscuits (Cats)
- Prep Time:10 mins
- Cook Time:25 mins
- Total Time:35 mins
- Servings:0
- Easy
- 5 ounces canned tuna drained
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 tbsp catnip dried
- 1 egg
- Sprinkle water
Ingredients
-
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper (don’t grease the pan).
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Step 2
Mix all of the ingredients together and blend them in a food processor until everything is smooth.
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Step 3
Mold the pieces of dough into biscuit shapes (or get creative!) and lay them on the baking sheet.
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Step 4
Bake them for 25-30 minutes until browned and crispy. Let cool before serving. (Store in an airtight container in the fridge for only a few days).
Sardine-Coated Chicken Cutlets (Cats)
- Prep Time:8 mins
- Cook Time:10 mins
- Total Time:18 mins
- Servings:2
- Easy
- 1 can sardines in olive oil
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup whole grain breadcrumbs
- 1/2 tsp brewer's yeast
- 2 cooked chicken without bones
Ingredients
-
Step 1
Combine the drained sardines (save oil for later), breadcrumbs, yeast and egg. Mash together.
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Step 2
Cover the drumsticks in this batter and fry them in a pan using the sardine olive oil.
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Step 3
Keep turning until they are brown. Remove from pan and rest on paper towel until cooled.
Sweet Potato Treats (Dogs)
- Prep Time:16 mins
- Cook Time:40 mins
- Total Time:56 mins
- Servings:10
- Easy
- 1/2 sweet potato
- 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 egg
- 1/8 cup unsweetened apple sauce
Ingredients
-
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350° and line baking sheet with parchment paper (don’t grease pan).
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Step 2
Cook sweet potato in microwave — use fork to make holes in it, then wrap in a damp paper towel and cook for 5-6 minutes.
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Step 3
Scoop out half of the insides and mix with the other ingredients, making sure everything is mashed and blended smoothly.
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Step 4
Roll out this dough on a floured surface and cut out the desired shapes of the treats. Put them on the baking sheet.
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Step 5
Bake for about 40 minutes and let the treats cool in the oven for several minutes. Lay on a wire rack until completely cooled before feeding to your dog. (Store in an airtight container for only a few days).
Turkey & Veggie Rice Bowl (Dogs)
- Prep Time:5 mins
- Cook Time:35 mins
- Total Time:40 mins
- Servings:4
- Easy
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 3/4 cup fresh or frozen veggies carrots peas sweet potato squash
- 1 1/3 cups brown rice
- 2 1/4 cups water
- Cottage cheese on the side
Ingredients
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Step 1
If using fresh veggies, mash them up a bit. Put all ingredients (except the cottage cheese) in a large pot and cook on medium high heat, stirring constantly for 5-7 minutes.
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Step 2
Reduce the heat to medium low and cover the pot, letting the mixture simmer for about 25 minutes. The liquid should all get absorbed.
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Step 3
Let it cool completely before serving to pets. Serve with some cottage cheese for calcium (unless your dog is sensitive to dairy)!
Remember: Though all of these recipes are vet and pet approved and use ingredients safe for your pets, they shouldn’t replace daily food. It’s fun to give them something tasty and different for the holidays, but pets need a lot of nutrients, just like people, and sticking to your regular dog and cat food is a good idea. Imagine if we ate Thanksgiving feasts for every meal!
My cat Bean and I wish you all a purr-fect Petsgiving! ;)