Cooking Exceptionally With Gin Lee

Homemade Turtle Food Recipe: Simple Ingredients for a Healthy Pet I have shared my recipes for creating homemade dog and cat food, and chicken feed, but just realized that I haven't ever shared any turtle food recipes. So, that's what I will be making today. My turtles really love it! Most store-bought turtle pellets sit on shelves for months and lose their nutritional value before they ever reach your pet's bowl. Making your own meals ensures your turtle gets fresh vitamins, clean protein, and fiber every single day. This easy homemade turtle food recipe uses common pantry staples to create a nutritious, balanced meal for your aquatic pet. By taking control of the ingredients, you avoid the mystery fillers and preservatives often found in mass-produced food. This approach gives you the freedom to customize the diet based on your specific turtle's preferences and age. Aquatic turtles like Red-eared Sliders or Painted Turtles are natural omnivores, meaning they require a...

Growing Chick Grass Seed Mix Although I call this chick grass mix, it can also be fed to wild birds, goats, and sheep. The chick grass is simply a mixture of tetraploid ryegrass, flax, alfalfa, and red and white clover seeds. The chick grass mix can be grown in planters, chicken runs, or wherever else that you might want to grow it in your yard. The seeds will generally sprout within 7 to 14 days. When it's fed to chickens, it will help increase the level of omega-3 in their eggs. So, that's a win-win for both you and your hens. The mix that I prepare will make one 12-pound bag of chick grass mix. I plant this mix in planters and grow it indoors. You can plant as much or as little of the seed mix as you need. The chick grass can be planted inside your chicken run, chicken coop, outdoor plot area, greenhouse, and greenroom. The chick grass seed mix will germinate fairly quickly. Keeping the seed mix on hand makes it simple to continue growing a supply of healthy food for your ch...

Why Homemade Chicken Feed Might Be the Secret to Healthier Hens (And Better Eggs!) If you've ever wondered about the true quality of the store-bought chicken feed, why your hens suddenly stop laying eggs, or why they seem less vibrant, then you're not alone. As an avid homesteader I’ve faced these questions myself. Sometimes, that pricey bag of feed isn't all it's cracked up to be. But don't fret! Making your own chicken feed can be a game-changer, cost-effective, healthier, and tailored to your flock's needs. Let us walk you through our favorite homemade chicken feed recipe, and share tips on how to keep your chickens happy and productive. Table of Contents Why Consider Making Your Own Chicken Feed? What Goes Into Homemade Chicken Feed? Our Custom Homemade Chicken Feed Recipe Tips for Successful Homemade Feeding Final Thoughts: Nourish Your Flock Naturally Why Consider Making Your Own Chicken Feed? While store-bought feeds are convenient, they often contain hig...

Wholesome Homemade Chicken and Sweet Pea Dog/Cat Chow: A Nourishing Treat for Your Furry Friend As pet owners, we all want to provide our beloved animals with the best nutrition possible. While store-bought pet foods are convenient, making homemade meals can ensure your pet gets fresh, wholesome ingredients without unwanted additives. Today, we'll walk you through a simple yet nutritious recipe for homemade chicken and sweet pea chow, perfect for dogs and cats alike, crafted with love and care to keep tails wagging and purrs roaring. Table of Contents Benefits of Homemade Pet Food Ingredients Needed Step-by-Step Preparation Helpful Tips & Variations Conclusion Benefits of Homemade Pet Food Opting to prepare your pet’s chow at home offers several advantages: Fresh ingredients: Control over what goes into your pet’s diet. Customization: Adjust ingredients based on dietary needs or preferences. Transparency: No hidden preservatives or fillers. Bonding: Cooking becomes a caring act...

Whisker-Approved! Homemade Cat Baked Dry Chow Recipes They'll Purr For There’s nothing quite like the joy of spoiling our feline friends with homemade treats that are both tasty and nutritious. If you're looking to give your kitty a special upgrade from store-bought dry chow, you're in the right place! Today, we're diving into some exciting recipes for homemade dry cat chow, featuring delectable whitefish, beef, and liver options. These recipes are simple, wholesome, and guaranteed to make your cat's tail wag with delight. Ready to roll up your sleeves and cook some meow-licious goodness? Let’s get started! Table of Contents Why Make Homemade Cat Chow? Key Ingredients for Your Homemade Dry Cat Chow Step-by-Step Recipes Tips & Tricks for Perfect Results Final Thoughts Why Make Homemade Cat Chow? Homemade cat chow isn’t just about being fun in the kitchen—there are real benefits! Crafting your own dry cat food allows you to control the ingredients, avoid unnecessa...

Chickpeas for Pooches I'm not that crazy about the flavor or texture of chickpeas, but my pooch sure loves them mixed in with her dog food. I also make her homemade chickpea dog chow and treats that she truly enjoys and begs for. Today, I will be going over why chickpeas are healthy to cook for your pooch and how to cook them simply for your loyal companion. When dried chickpeas are cooked plain, with no additives, such as salt, chickpeas are highly nutritious for dogs to eat.  Chickpeas are quite often used in several natural brands of commercial pet food, such as Taste of the Wild, Boss Dog, Paw Tree, Nulo Freestyle, Nutro Limited Ingredient, Nutro Max, Halo Holistic, Rachel Ray, Dogswell, Zignature, Grandma Lucy's, Canidae Grain Free Pure, Tiki, and so many more. One cup of chickpeas has 14.5 grams of protein, 12.5 grams of fiber, and 45 grams of carbohydrates. They also contain calcium, magnesium, folate, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin B, and vitamin C. Feeding your dog chic...

Peanut Butter Dog Biscuits If pet food prices have you skipping away from the dog treat aisle, then read on. Today, I will walk you through how I prepare simple puppy (dog) peanut butter biscuits. The recipe doesn't require very many ingredients and the treats take about twenty minutes to bake. Your pooches will be so excited that you're making delicious peanut butter treats for them that they'll even try to help you prepare them. Well, maybe not, but I betcha they'll try to give you a bunch of doggy smooches! Ingredients: 2 cups of all-purpose flour 1 egg ½ cups of creamy peanut butter ¼ cup of warm water Instructions: In a bowl, add the all-purpose flour, creamy peanut butter, eggs, and water. Using a mixer or fork, combine until the ingredients are incorporated together. Lightly dust your countertop with flour and transfer the peanut butter dough to it; roll the dough out. The dough should be kind of stiff and not sticky. Use cookie cutters to cut out cute shapes, o...

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Dog Treats Today, I am super excited to share my techniques for making another truly wholesome dog treat with you. After-all, your furry companions deserve healthy food, so that they can be their best selves. These pup treats are the perfect snack to make ahead of time for your cuddly pooch as a reward for their love and companionship, obedience, potty-training, or for any other training in general.  My fur baby seems to think that the treats taste better when they're made in different cute shapes. So, I use three different cookie cutters when I make these dog treats. Plus, using different cookie cutter sizes also allows me to make good use of the leftover dough pieces. The three shapes that I am using for this recipe are a gingerbread man, a star, and a flower-shaped cookie cutter. (I use regular cookie cutters to make mine.) If you don't have any cookie cutters, that's okay too. After rolling out the dough, cut it into squared-shaped pieces, or use a...

Nutritional Chickpea Dog Treats This is a healthy dog treat that's packed with nutritional benefits. The dough in this dog treat recipe can be prepared in two ways, baked or dehydrated. I am baking mine today, but I will also include the instructions (towards the end of my article) on how you can dehydrate the dog treats.  The chickpeas are super easy to smash once they're cooked. Ingredients: 1 cup of chickpeas, cooked ½ cup of sweet potato, cooked and peeled ½ cup of carrots, cooked 2 tablespoons of oil 1 cup flour ¼ cup water Instructions: If you need the cooking instructions for chickpeas, go back to read my article "Chickpeas for pooches". In that article I went through all the steps to show how I cook them specifically for pet food. To cook the sweet potato, place it into a pan of boiling water and cook it until it's tender. Boiling a sweet potato usually takes about thirty-five minutes. Drain the water off, allow the sweet potato to cool; peel it and mash i...

Homemade Lil' Soup Cups for Cats: A Delicious and Nutritious Treat As passionate cat owners, we’re always on the lookout for ways to spoil our feline friends with healthy, delicious treats. What could be better than homemade, personalized soup cups designed specifically for cats? Not only do these tiny cups offer a delightful culinary experience, but they also allow you to control the ingredients, ensuring your kitty gets only the best. In this blog post, we'll explore how to craft these adorable homemade lil' soup cups for cats , sharing tips, recipes, and stories to inspire your next pet-friendly kitchen adventure. Table of Contents Why Make Homemade Soup Cups for Cats? Ingredients and Supplies Needed Step-by-Step Guide to Making Lil' Soup Cups Creative Recipe Ideas for Your Cat’s Soup Cups Tips and Tricks for Perfect Results Final Thoughts and Cat-approved Fun Why Make Homemade Soup Cups for Cats? Many commercial cat treats and foods contain fillers, preservatives, o...

Homemade Sweet Potato Dog Chewy Treats/Sweet Potato Jerky To make this dog treat recipe, you'll need sweet potatoes, a sharp knife, a dehydrator, and time. The hardest part is slicing the sweet potatoes. For this recipe, I do not peel the potatoes, because the peels have so much goodness in them for my fur baby. Contrary to some beliefs, the skin of sweet potatoes is not poisonous. My dog loves sweet potato chewy treats and I love that she does, because they're so healthy for her. They're not only high in fiber, but they're also loaded with vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B-6, calcium, potassium, riboflavin, magnesium, and iron. Vitamin A alone helps build healthy muscles, eyes, skin, and fur.  One sweet potato makes several treats, but when I make these treats for my fur baby, I generally slice at least six to eight (depending on their size) sweet potatoes at a time to dehydrate. Ingredients: Sweet potatoes (the amount depends on how many trays that you have to fill) Ins...

Homemade Cat Food: A Nutritious and Loving Choice for Your Feline Friend As devoted cat owners, we all want to provide our feline companions with the best possible care — and that includes nourishing, wholesome food that supports their health and happiness. While commercial cat foods are convenient and formulated to meet nutritional standards, more pet parents are discovering the benefits of preparing homemade cat food. Not only does it allow for complete control over ingredients, but it also provides a heartfelt way to express love for your feline friend. In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore the ins and outs of homemade cat food, offering practical tips, nutritional insights, and a step-by-step approach to making nutritious meals tailored specifically for your cat. Table of Contents Why Choose Homemade Cat Food? Essential Nutrients Your Cat Needs Choosing the Right Ingredients Sample Recipes to Get Started Safety and Storage Tips Conclusion: A Loving, Healthy Choice Why Choo...

Easy Holiday Cat Treats The holiday season is a time of joy and indulgence, and why should our feline friends be left out? In this article, I'll show you how to make easy homemade cat treats that will have your furry companion purring with delight. Whether you want to spoil your cat with a special holiday treat or simply enjoy the satisfaction of making something from scratch, these recipes are the perfect way to spread some cheer for your beloved pet. Choosing Cat-Friendly Ingredients Not all human foods are safe for cats, so it's important to know which ingredients are suitable for our furry companions. Stick to cat-friendly options like lean meats (chicken, turkey, and fish), vegetables (pumpkin, sweet potatoes), and fruits (berries, bananas) that are safe and delicious for your feline friend. Simple Homemade Treat Recipes for the Holidays Now, let's dive into some easy and delightful homemade cat treat recipes that will have your kitty begging for more: Turkey and Sweet...