From pupcakes to salads boasting fresh veggies and juicy meat, the Bake and Bark doggy cookbook is filled with recipes for the perfect treat for your beloved pooch.
Curated by the Domestic Animal Rescue Group (DARG), Bake and Bark consists of tried and tested recipes by the rescue dogs and tweaked to suit their taste buds. Talking to the team behind the cookbook, Maryke van Rensburg, Marcus Viljoen and the managing director from DARG, Faustina Gardner, shared that each dog currently still available for adoption had the liberty to choose their favourite recipe, which was then named after them in the book.
Based in Hout Bay, Cape Town, DARG rehabilitates and rehomes lost, abandoned, abused and neglected animals. TThe organisation aims to educate local disadvantaged communities about caring for animals. Besides the 240 animals at the facility, DARG’s Community Programme also helps dogs and cats in the surrounding lower-income communities of Hangberg and Imizamo Yethu. Funding goes towards sterilisations, emergency veterinary care, basic pet care and general veterinary treatments. DARG does not receive any government assistance and relies solely on the goodwill of members of the public and fundraising events.
If you’re thinking of whipping up a little canine cuisine for your favourite good boy, you won’t have to search far and wide for the ingredients. According to the team, “We wanted to make sure that each ingredient is locally sourced from any supermarket and is safe for your dog to consume. There are many products out there that are harmful to dogs and it was very important to make sure that the recipes in Bake and Bark are not only nutritious and delicious, but also safe for your pooch to enjoy. There are many other ingredients that are harmful to dogs so it was essential that we avoided certain foods such as onions and raisins, for example.”
A food technologist provided the nutritional information for each recipe, so you can trust that what goes into each meal is safe for your fur baby to indulge in. “This is to ensure that the reader has a full understanding of what they will be giving to their pooch. Animal behaviour therapist and expert nutritionist Jo Scott reviewed each recipe to make sure that they are safe for consumption, balanced and delicious for your dog.”
With the recipes bound to be loved by your dog, it’s important to remember that they should not be considered a meal replacement, but something to spoil your pet with on special occasions. “The recipes in Bake and Bark should be added to an existing healthy diet. It is important to remember that roughly more than 10% additives to a complete diet will cause an imbalance for a dog,” said the team.
By purchasing DARG’s cookbook Bake and Bark on DARG’s online store (www.darg.shop), you will be supporting animals in need and at the same time spoiling your best friend. Funds raised from this cookbook will also ensure many more dogs and cats are sterilised in the informal settlements we assist.
To find out how you can help or if you are interested in adopting or volunteering feel free to contact them directly on 021 790 0383 or [email protected]
Three delicious recipes from Bake and Bark to make for your dogs:
Apollo’s Chicken Bowl
Servings: 1-4 (Depending on the size of your dog)
Cooking time: 50 minutes
Ingredients
1 large boneless chicken breast, shredded
2 cups water
1⁄2 cup rice, cooked
1⁄2 cup carrots, diced
1⁄2 cup green beans, sliced
1⁄2 cup peas
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Place the boneless chicken breast on a baking tray and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
Bring 350 ml of the water to boil, add rice and cook on a low heat for 45 minutes or until water is fully absorbed.
Peel and cube the carrots, slice the green beans. Add the peas, carrots and green beans to the remaining water in the saucepan and boil for 5 minutes.
Shred the cooked chicken breast.
Place the chicken, rice and vegetables into a dog bowl and mix until combined.
Cool to room temperature before serving to your pooch.
Nutritional information
Fat 10%
Protein 26%
Carbohydrate 64%
Tiger Iy’s Pooch Salad
Servings: 1-4 (Depending on the size of your dog)
Prep time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
1 cup lettuce, chopped
⅓ cup cucumber, peeled and cubed
3⁄4 cup carrot, peeled and grated
3⁄4 cup sweet potato, peeled and cubed ⅓ cup plain full-fat yoghurt with live cultures
Instructions
Rinse the lettuce, then peel the cucumber, carrot and sweet potato.
Chop the lettuce, then dice the cucumber, grate the carrot and cube the sweet potato,
measuring approximately 1 cm, and place it in a bowl.
Pour the yogurt over the vegetables and stir all the ingredients until thoroughly coated. Feed the salad to your pooch immediately.
The salad can be kept in the refrigerator for two days.
TIP: Consult your vet before serving yoghurt to your dog. Simply remove the yoghurt if your dog is allergic to lactose.
Nutritional information
Fat 16%
Protein 12%
Carbohydrate 72%
Ken’s Chicken and Cheese plate
Makes: 1 cup
Cooking time: 90 minutes
Ingredients
120 g boneless chicken breast
1⁄2 cup chicken liver
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp cottage cheese, smooth
Instructions
Place the chicken breasts in a large pot with enough water to cover completely.
Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-high and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until the chicken is no longer pink in the middle. Set aside to cool.
Chop the cooled chicken into bite-size pieces. You should have about 1⁄2 cup of chopped chicken.
In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter.
Add the liver and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, until lightly browned.
Add the chicken breast and sauté for a minute.
Pour the mixture into a food processor, add the cottage cheese and blend until a smooth pate.
Using a tablespoon or teaspoon, fill the centre with enough pate to coat the inside. Freeze it for 1 hour, then serve.
Refrigerate the leftover paste in an airtight container for up to three days or freeze for up to three months.
TIP: Consult your vet before serving cheese to your dog. Simply remove the cheese if your pet is allergic to lactose. Place this delicious pate in a hoof or Kong for your pet to enjoy.
Nutritional Information
Fat 44%
Protein 52%
Carbohydrate 4%
Kimmie’s Carrot Cake
Makes: 20-cm cake Cooking time: 35 minutes
Ingredients
2 cups carrots, pureed
2 large eggs
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup unflavoured canned sardines, drained 1⁄2 cup sunflower oil
1⁄2 cup warm water
2 cups full-fat cream cheese
Instructions
Preheat the oven 180°C. Coat a 20 cm ring pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Puree the carrots in a food processor.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs, add the carrot puree, fl our, sardines, oil, water and mix well.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and distribute it evenly.
Bake for 35 minutes, until golden brown on top. Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan.
Once the cake is cooled, ice the top with cream cheese and garnish with grated carrots.
Serve slices to your pooch.
Cover any left over cake with foil and refrigerate for up to three days or freeze for up to
three months in an airtight container.
Nutritional Information
Fat 56%
Protein 11%
Carbohydrate 33%
Disclaimer The recipes provided are for informational purposes only and should not be considered to be a meal replacement. Consult with an expert, feed your dog responsibly and in moderation.