Cooking for Dogs
Oh, Dexter. My love and joy. I’ve been making Dexter’s dog food at home for over six years. I started out home cooking for him then slowly transitioned to creating balanced DIY raw dog food. He is a happy camper, and he is thriving on his fresh-food diet.
Dexter does love his daily dog treats and frozen filled rubber toys for yappy hour. Just because I happily dish out dog treats, doesn’t mean I’m going to ruin Dexter’s healthy dog food with garbage-filled pet treats. I either buy him healthy treats (typically 100% meat, fruit, or veggies) or make him homemade organic dog treats.
In 2020 I started my own personal blog, Life with Tonya. In that blog, I focus on “people” things, including recipes. While I was creating my own zucchini lasagna, I decided to edit the recipe for Dexter! Why not? A lot of the ingredients in my lasagna are dog-friendly and even nutritional for dogs.
Health Benefits of Lean Beef for Dogs
Before jumping in on this doggy lasagna, I wanted to go over a few of my food choices. I choose grass-fed, lean, organic ground beef for Dexter’s homemade dog treat. Lean beef is high in iron, which is important for healthy red blood cells. Lean beef is also a nice source of coenzyme coq10, which protects cells from free radicals. Looking at beef through Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), it is neutral in nature, benefits the spleen, stomach, kidney, and helps tonify QI and Blood.
Is Garlic Safe for Dogs?
I know, there are more sites stating garlic is toxic to dogs than toting the health benefits of garlic for dogs. If you are uncertain about giving your dog garlic, you can omit it from the recipe. 😉 Garlic has a healthy dose of manganese, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin C. Garlic is known for its ability to boost the immune system and contains antioxidants that help with brain and bone health. In TCM, garlic supports the stomach, spleen, and lung meridians. It is warming in nature and helps circulate QI and blood. Learn more about garlic and dogs.
Can Dogs Eat Tomatoes?
I am happy to say, YES! I should say, Dexter is happy that it’s a yes. Tomatoes are one of Dexter’s favorite snacks. That said, I’m only talking about a bite here and there, not chowing on a tomato plant. Do not give your dog any green tomatoes, stems, leaves, etc. as they contain solanine, which is harmful to dogs and people.
Tomatoes are a source of antioxidant lycopene, which may reduce heart disease and cancer. They also are a source of vitamin C, K, fiber, folate, and potassium. Tomatoes support the liver, kidney, and stomach meridians. It is cooling in nature and nourishes Yin.
| Prep Time | 30 Minutes |
| Cook Time | 45-60 Minutes |
| Servings |
Servings
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- 16 ounces Organic Hamburger Lean, Ground
- 2 whole Organic Zucchini
- .5 whole Organic Tomato I used Roma, chopped
- 2 whole Organic Basil Leaves Chopped
- 1 Clove Organic Garlic Chopped
Ingredients
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- Preheat oven to 375 degrees
- Stir the ground beef, garlic, basil, and tomatoes together and set aside.
- Cut and discard the ends of the zucchini. Stand the zucchini vertically and slice along the length into 1/8-1/4” thick strips. They will not all be the same size, and that's okay.
- Arrange 1/2 of your slices of zucchini along the bottom of your baking dish, slightly overlapping each other in a crisscross pattern.
- Evenly spread half of your meat mixture on top of your first row of zucchini.
- Repeat your meat and zucchini layers.
- Bake your lasagna uncovered until golden brown on top, approximately 45-60 minutes.
- Allow your lasagna to rest for 15 minutes, drain any grease, slice a small portion for your dog, and serve.
- Portion remaining dog lasagna and freeze for future snacks. Thaw before serving.
- You can also blend up the lasagna into a paste and fill in hollow rubber toys for a snack.
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