Is it alright to share meals with your dogs? There are certain concerns about giving dogs the same types of foods that humans eat, as it may lead to obesity and other health problems. Human food can be high in fat, sugar and calories, but for someone with a vegan lifestyle, sharing the same food with your furry best friend may be healthier.
Yes, dogs are known meat-eaters, but they can also have a vegan diet. "Dogs can be healthy and in fact, thrive on a vegetarian or vegan diet, as long as all necessary nutrient requirements are met. Dogs are biologically omnivorous, but can adapt well to a plant-based diet which meets all their nutritional needs. It's important that the food be digested easily as well as have good palatability," according to veterinarian Dr. Armaiti May via Vegan Health.
Below are simple recipes for humans that dogs may also enjoy.
Vegan Neapolitan Banana Ice Cream
from Food Network
This dessert treat will be safely and healthily enjoyed by both dogs and humans, but there's an added incentive for humans to enjoy this treat more.
Ingredients:
3 ripe bananas, large and peeled
1 vanilla bean seed or 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Chocolate, strawberry syrup (optional, for humans)
Procedure: Slice the banana into chunks and then freeze this overnight. The next day, add the vanilla bean or extract to the frozen bananas. Then, use a food processor to cream the mix. Transfer into another container and then put it back in the freezer.
When it's solid, cut and scrape the homemade banana ice cream. This can be served to your dogs already, but for humans, maybe adding chocolate or strawberry syrup will make it more appealing.
One Pot Wonder
from Cookie Monster Cooking
Sweet potatoes are rich in fiber and vitamins and dogs have an easy time digesting them, according to One Green Planet. This recipe has been modified to remove spices and herbs like cumin, paprika, cilantro and hot sauce that could be harmful to dogs.
Ingredients:
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
3 medium sweet potatoes, cut into ½ inch chunks
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
½ cup freshly grated vegan cheese. Shredded cheese in packs are available at Pangea https://www.veganstore.com/product/daiya-shreds-5lb/vegan-cheese-and-dairy-alternatives or locate a store that sells vegan cheese at Go Veggie. https://goveggiefoods.com/where-to-buy/
Procedure: In a large skillet, pour the olive oil. When it is hot, add the sweet potatoes. At this point, the spices are supposed to be cooked with the potatoes, but as these have been omitted, a few pinchs of salt and pepper will do for flavor. Stir and cook for five minutes. Then pour in the vegetable broth and let this cook for another 10 minutes, while occasionally stirring. The mixture may turn dry, so add more vegetable broth when needed.
As soon as the sweet potatoes are soft and tender, add the grated cheese. Cover the skillet and let the cheese melt, after which, it's ready to serve.
Red Lentil and Vegetable Soup
from Good Housekeeping
Beans, legumes and lentil are rich in protein, according to Nutrition Data, and can be a healthy and delicious meal for the dogs, especially for those with diabetes, according to Can I Give My Dog. This recipe has been modified to omit onions, diced tomatoes and cumin that are bad for dogs, but you can add them in for yourself, if so desired.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 medium carrots
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 can vegetable broth
1 cup dried red lentils
2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 bag baby spinach
Procedure: Using a saucepan, heat some olive oil and then add the carrots. Cook for at least eight minutes. At this point you may add onions or cumin, if desired. Then add the vegetable broth, lentils, water and salt and pepper. Cover and let it boil for 10 minutes. Reduce heat and add the spinach. This yields at least seven cups, so you can adjust the ingredients for smaller servings.
