Skins of veggies

    • Gold Top Dog

    Skins of veggies

    Hey guys... I know that Callie and a few people told me I can just chop up veggies like potatoes, carrots and all complete with skins ( washed of course ) on.....it that also true with squash, does anyone know?

    • Gold Top Dog

    What kind of squash?  Summer squashed I don't peel even for humans.

    Winter squashes tho.....those hard shelled squashes, I can't see being able to break those down enough for anyone to eat.  Maybe butternut, but.......

    • Gold Top Dog

    Hehehhe....I don't know Glenda....I HATE squash....ANY KIND....but figured Gibby might like it.  Its yellow...... about 8 or 9 inches long.      I cooked it with skins on in chunks.

    • Gold Top Dog

     Yellow squash with skin hasn't killed me yet, so I say go for it.

    • Gold Top Dog

    glenmar

    What kind of squash?  Summer squashed I don't peel even for humans.

    Winter squashes tho.....those hard shelled squashes, I can't see being able to break those down enough for anyone to eat.  Maybe butternut, but.......

    Actually they DO, Glenda!!

    Try sometime cutting an acorn squash in 1/8 (1/4 and then in half lengthwise) or even a bit smaller  ... and put it in a POT ROAST.  YUM!!!  It retains it's shape but definitely yummy and edible.  If you ever go to a Lebanese or Mediterranean restaurant -- the place we go to puts acorn squash and butternut and other kinds of squash in his lamb and veggie couscous -- TO DIE FOR!!!

    When I do the veggies for the dogs I simply cut them up in smallish pieces -- or you can put it thru a food processor if you'd rather.  But I cook all my squash, potato, etc. in water in a big electric roaster.  Once it's tender enough to mash, I lift out with a sieve and put in the next batch of veg to cook.  I do the meat last and by then most of the water has reduced down to a thick broth.  No waste.

    OCCASIONALLY with pumpkin you will find a variety that doesn't get tender when cooked -- instead it will get like leather.  THEN you have to scrape the flesh out after it's cooked. 

    But even in that event -- it's WAY easier to scrape out the flesh after it's cooked than to peel it before.  WAY easier. 

    But I just mash everything up after it's cooked/tender.  Literally a few seconds with an old fashioned masher and it's DONE. 

    dyan

    Hehehhe....I don't know Glenda....I HATE squash....ANY KIND....but figured Gibby might like it.  Its yellow...... about 8 or 9 inches long.      I cooked it with skins on in chunks.

    Dyan, I **hated** squash until I was 50 years old.  What my mother did to squash .... well, it's no wonder I hated it.  But once I learned to cook it so that it didn't turn out like orange gooey salve??  All of a sudden I realized it wasn't squash I hated -- it was how my mother cooked it!! LOL

    I'm actually very serious there -- my mother only made butternut and she would peel even that.  She cooked it into oblivion and then puts it under the mixer!! So it's totally "smooth".  UGH.  slimey stuff.  gag me. 

    But it's been since I have been cooking for the dogs that I've learned there are other ways to fix it -- and as long as it's more the consistency of baked potato -- hmmm, it's right tasty.  And then my buddy at the Lebanese restaurant taught me to put it in with other veg and meat so all the flavors mingle and man .... YUM!!!

    But yeah -- you can do acorn, butternut, calavah, spaghetti squash, zucchini or summer squashes and they're all different with different nutrition.

    (PS -- Glenda and Dyan -- try cutting zucchini or summer squash up in chunks, unpeeled -- and then just gently saute it in a bit of butter/margerine.  YUM.  That too is something my mother never had a clue how to cook.)

    • Gold Top Dog

     I give my dogs slices of veggies with skin on, they love it. lol. also I think its awesome that Zoey like Broccoli and carrots! yay.

    • Gold Top Dog

    I make sure while I am doing food prep for their homecooked food that I let them 'tease' for slices of sweet potato and other veggies.  They KNOW it's going into their food, and it just increases their range of what they will eat and not be picky. 

    The other day, Tink went into the kitchen and STOLE a raw sweet potato out of the bin -- I found her laying next to her Nylabone -- chewing furiously on the sweet potato ("chewing GOOD Mom!!!";) -- I've taught them to "chew it GOOD" (you hold onto the piece as they nibble it) -- I don't want her theiving all the time, but man -- how can I complain hugely about her chewing on THAT. 

    • Bronze

     If you want to feed your dog vegetables, I would puree, boil, steam, or cook them first because dogs don't naturally absorb raw vegetables. But it definitely doesn't hurt to offer raw veggies! They clean your pets' teeth and make wonerful chews.

    • Gold Top Dog

    LOL Callie!  One of our fav vegges around here is summer squash!  I cut it just like you mentioned, sautee in a little butter (and ya gotta use BOTH yellow and zuc) and when its allllmost finished, drop in a diced tomato.  Never leftovers!

    • Gold Top Dog

     Paula Deen, has an awesome recipe for a squash casserole. Zucchini and yellow. I love squash!

    • Gold Top Dog

    calliecritturs
    try cutting zucchini or summer squash up in chunks, unpeeled -- and then just gently saute it in a bit of butter/margerine.  YUM.  That too is something my mother never had a clue how to cook

     

    Well....one of those things my DH won't eat either.....so for sure Gibby gets fed better than us.

    BUT I think I am going to put him back on dog food....this all is not helping in his stomach issues at all..... a whole lot of work and expense and I am just never thinking he is getting all the nurtients he needs and balanced.........today we found that his urine is really high PH with crystals....... just wondering if I am making things worse.     For sure...not better. Besides he is getting skinnier and skinnier.

    • Gold Top Dog

    Ando
    I would puree, boil, steam, or cook them first because dogs don't naturally absorb raw vegetables

    Ando that's what the thread is about!  The various ways to break down the veggie skin TO be absorbed.  My post was a follow on -- I only offer the veggie chips raw WHILE I AM COOKING for that express reason.

     

    • Gold Top Dog

    dyan
    BUT I think I am going to put him back on dog food....this all is not helping in his stomach issues at all..... a whole lot of work and expense and I am just never thinking he is getting all the nurtients he needs and balanced.........today we found that his urine is really high PH with crystals....... just wondering if I am making things worse.     For sure...not better. Besides he is getting skinnier and skinnier.

     

     Dyan, leaving the peels on veggies adds more fiber, which may not be good for a dog with a sensitive stomach. I'm sorry he has crystals and hope you find a way to clear them up soon. I know you used to feed Eagle Pack, and the target pH of their foods is about 6.4.

    • Gold Top Dog

    MMMMM squash!  Love the stuff...except for that darn spaghetti squash...that type shouldn't even be considered squash!  I cook it several times a week for myself and for in Tessy's liver cleansing diet.  Good to hear about the skins....haven't tried leaving them on yet.

    The only dog here that'll eat raw potato is Charlie!  He'll sit, beg and cry till I give him some!  Actually he'll eat just about any type of raw veggie.

    Tessy....she'll jump head over heals for broccoli.