Kale Chip Dog Treats

Ingredients

1 handful of kale, stem removed
Parmesan cheese, the kind with the green lid (optional ingredient)

​Directions

1. Wash the kale in cool water and pat dry.
2. Place the kale in a microwave safe dish.
3. Sprinkle with just a little bit of parmesan cheese.
4. Microwave on high for 30 seconds at a time, keep an eye on it and check to see when it's crunchy and dried out.

That's it!!!

According to some experts, many dogs do not tolerate dairy foods (our recipe features a tiny bit of parmesan cheese).  Many dogs do tolerate a very small amount of cheese or yogurt likely due to the lower lactose content compared to other dairy foods.  Our dogs love it and have not shown any signs of intolerance.  If you're unsure, just check with your vet first before feeding your dog dairy products.

What does your dog think???  Our dogs love it!

I needed a good reason to recycle this blog post.  It's one of my winter go-to recipes.  Let's celebrate "Drink Wine Day" by pairing wine with African Rice (or quinoa) and Peanut Stew.  If you search the Internet you'll no doubt find a handful of recipes for this dish, all varying a little bit but all high in fiber, filling ingredents, and warm spices.  This is my version of the well-known dish.

This meatless stew is high in fiber and phytonutrients from all the different plant-based ingredients!  It's super filling, loaded with flavor and it even freezes well so you can make it once and enjoy it for several meals.

Blend It!  Push It!  Sip It!
This stew can be blended for a drinkable soup or for bolus tube feeding.  I love that our whole family can enjoy the same meal together.  Download the Cooking For Tubies on Kindle for more blenderized tube feeding recipes!

Consulting our trusty wine guide - Wine Folly
According to the fancy diagram in Wine Folly: The Essiential Guide to Wine, a Rosé or Medium Red wine would pair best with African Rice and Peanut Stew.  That is, if we even read it right.  To be straight, I'm a dietitian and not a sommolier.  I've gone wine tasting once and took a wine pairing class once.  It was loads of fun and really interesting but I'm just not that fancy.  You can drink any wine you want, really, with whatever you want however I do recommend staying at or below the recommended level of alcohol for adult males or females.

We don't drink much alcohol in our house but I do like to keep around a variety of wines.  You never know when a recipe might call for a wine reduction or a splash in some pasta sauce to enhance other flavors of the dish.  My go-to wine to keep on hand is Winking Owl wines from Aldi.  They are CHEAP and delicious.  Well, I only really like sweet wine but sweet wines don't work well in some dishes so if I'm cooking with it, it's not always gonna be a sweet wine. When you venture out to get your groceries, grab some Winking Owl Merlot or White Zinfindel from Aldi or if you're a big spender unlike me, pick out whatever tickles your fancy.

For all the people out there who are either too busy, tired, or terrified of all the germs lurking in public spaces during cold & flu season there's Shipt.  Shipt is an amazing and affordable personal grocery shopping service. Saying that "I LOVE SHIPT" is an understatement.  It saves me so much time and reduces my chances of contracting contaigens that put my medically fragile child at risk.

Follow my affiliate link to save $50 on a Shipt membership and I'll get $50 too! --> ​Share the love and save $50

RECIPE
​Spicy Vegetarian Quinoa and Peanut Stew
1-3 tbsp. Canola or olive oil
1 large sweet onion, diced
1 large sweet potato, diced
2-4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. cumin
4 cups chicken or veggie broth
1-2 cups cooked quinoa (you can use cooked brown rice instead if you'd like)
2 14-oz cans Mexican style diced, crushed or stewed tomatoes
1 14-oz cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
3 medium zucchini, cut into ¼ inch pieces
½ cup of chunky or creamy peanut butter
*cilantro
*greek yogurt

1. heat oil, cook sweet potato, zucchini, and onion
2. add garlic and cook for 2 minutes
3. stir in broth, thyme and cumin and bring to a boil
4. reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes or until veggies are tender – stir often
5. stir in tomatoes and garbanzo beans
6. simmer another 5 minutes to heat thoroughly
7. stir in quinoa (or rice)
8. stir in peanut butter until melted evenly
9. serve and garnish with cilantro and a dollop of greek yogurt (or sour cream if you must).

Did you make it?  Do you plan to make it?  Do you also love Shipt?  Will you blend it?
Please comment below, pin the recipe, and share with your friends!  Small businesses like mine rely on our fans and follwers to stay in business!  Really though, I need your support to keep doing the work I love and that I'm so passionate about.

Happy Cooking!  Savor it!
​~ Courtney

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