Dine with your dog on meatballs and goujons
Some 3.2 million households have welcomed an animal into their homes during the pandemic.
But while lockdown sparked a surge in the number of people buying puppies, supermarkets are now warning of a pet food shortage due to unprecedented demand.
So lay an extra space at your table, as we show you the easy meals which are suitable for both you and your four-legged friend.
Smoothie
Serves: 1 plus dog
Ingredients
Handful of kale9 chunks of pineapple (tinned or frozen)200ml coconut water1 banana
Method
1. Place all of the ingredients into a blender and mix until smooth
2. Enjoy in a glass, and drizzle a small amount on the dog's meal if you wish
Lady and the Tramp meatballs
Ingredients
500g beef mince 10% fat1 hen’s egg, beatenSunflower oil400g passata 100g courgette
Optional
4 leaves fresh basil, finely chopped
Optional (for the dog)
5g ground eggshell30g crude wheat germ2ml grizzly salmon oil
Method
1. To make the meatballs, in a large bowl, mix together the mince with the egg, and the basil, the ground eggshell and wheat germ, if using. Roll the mix into balls using your hands.
2. Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat and brown the meatballs slightly, remove from the pan and set aside to cool
3. Keep the pan on the hob and add the passata into the pan and bring to a simmer. Drop the browned meatballs in and add a little extra water if needed - at least half the meatball needs to be sat in the sauce. Place the lid on and simmer for 20 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through.
4. Meanwhile, use a spiralizer to spiralise the courgette or any vegetable your dog enjoys - carrot, aubergine are all good options
5. When the meatballs are cooked, toss your spiralized vegetables into the sauce and cook for a further 2 minutes to soften the vegetables
6. Sprinkle the top with a sprig of basil and the salmon oil, if using, then serve
Taste of summer yoghurt
Ingredients
1 pack strawberries, washed100g plain yoghurt
Alternative fruits
1 pack blueberries1 pack raspberries1 mango, cut into chunks
Method
1. Cut the greens off the strawberries (or if feeding to a dog, keep them in and hold the stalk when you feed)
2. Place the yoghurt in a bowl
3. Take a fork and place into the strawberries, and one by one, dip the strawberries into the yoghurt until coated and then place them on some parchment paper and freeze for 1 hour
4. Slice as many as you’d like when ready to eat. Your dog can have up to 1 strawberry per day. The rest can keep in the freezer.
Low-fat chicken goujons
Ingredients
½ hen’s egg80g bread, toasted400g chicken breast200g sweet potato
Optional (for the dog)
5g ground eggshell2ml grizzly salmon oil
Optional, to serve
Sliced tomatoesPumpkin seeds
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180C
2. Line two baking trays with parchment
3. Slice the sweet potato into wedges, and then place on a lined baking tray and place in the preheated oven for roughly 30 minutes or until soft on the inside and browned on the edge. - check
4. Crack the egg into a low, wide bowl
5. Put the toasted bread with the crushed eggshells, if using, into a food processor and blitz to make breadcrumbs. Place the breadcrumbs onto a flat baking tray.
6. Cut the chicken breast into slices, then dip into the egg and cover fully, allowing excess to drip off. Then take the chicken and place onto the breadcrumbs tray. Turn the chicken to cover both sides, making sure it’s fully coated.
7. Place the chicken onto the second lined baking tray and then into the preheated oven. Cook for roughly 20-25 minutes, and until the chicken is cooked all the way through.
8. Serve the chicken goujons with the potato wedges. Drizzle in the salmon oil, if using.