Summer dog food bowl: turkey, quinoa and cucumber
Summer dog food: a turkey and quinoa bowl with grated cucumber, celery and kefir, served cool for hot days. Step by step, plus how to store it safely.
- Time
- 35 min + 30 min resting
- Makes
- About 1.3 kg / 2.9 lb (2 days for a 12 kg / 26 lb dog; 4 days for a 5 kg / 11 lb dog)
- Type
- Main meal
- Difficulty
- Easy
- 37 % lean ground turkey
- 26 % quinoa
- 14 % cucumber
- 10 % plain unsweetened kefir
Follows THE RULE. All 8 ingredients are on our safe list: nothing that could harm your dog.
This summer dog food is made for the days when the heat takes away their appetite: ground turkey and quinoa, cooked and already chilled, with raw grated cucumber and celery and a little kefir on top. It's served cool, just off fridge-cold, and the cucumber adds extra water during the weeks when it's hard to get them to drink enough.
Cook the turkey and quinoa base early in the morning, before the heat sets in, or the night before. Grate the cucumber and celery right at serving time so they stay crisp and don't release water into the container. Plenty of dogs that leave a warm meal half-finished in August will clear this bowl without lifting their heads.
Why it works
Ground turkey provides complete protein and some fat for energy. Quinoa, with more protein than rice, is the carbohydrate. Cucumber, which is 95% water, and celery add hydration and fiber for very few calories. Kefir provides calcium, dairy protein and live cultures, and gives the dish a tangy, creamy touch. The eggshell balances the phosphorus in the meat and quinoa, and the salmon oil supplies the omega-3s.
Step by step
Cook the quinoa with the carrot
Rinse the quinoa in a fine strainer, rubbing it under the tap until the water stops foaming. Cook it with 380 ml (1½ cups) of water and the carrot in small dice, covered, over low heat for 15 minutes, until it absorbs the water.
Cook the turkey
Put the ground turkey in a large skillet with 150 ml (⅔ cup) of water and no oil. Break it up with a wooden spoon and cook over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring, until there are no pink bits left. Drain off the excess liquid.
Mix the base and add the calcium
Combine the turkey with the quinoa and carrot, sprinkle over the ground eggshell and stir well. This is the base: the part you store and freeze.
Chill the base
Spread it out on a tray so it cools quickly and, once lukewarm, put it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Don't leave it to cool at room temperature in a hot kitchen.
Grate the cucumber and celery at serving time
For each portion, wash the cucumber (you can leave the skin on if it's thin) and grate it coarsely. Remove the celery strings by pulling them off with a vegetable peeler and grate it finely. Divide the cucumber and celery in the same proportion as the base: if the batch makes four portions, grate a quarter for each.
Assemble the bowl
Put the cold base in the bowl, top with the cucumber and celery, its share of the kefir (if the batch makes four portions, a quarter of the glass; if it's your dog's first time, just a teaspoon) and the salmon oil. Stir lightly and serve right away.
How much should I feed?
Approximate daily portion for a "spayed or neutered adult" profile. Split it into two meals (three or four for puppies).
— g a day
| Weight | 3 kg | 5 kg | 10 kg | 15 kg | 20 kg | 30 kg | 40 kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grams/day | 215 | 315 | 525 | 715 | 885 | 1,200 | 1,485 |
Puppy, senior, very active or on a diet? Calculate the exact portion.
- Energy
- 120 kcal/100 g
- Protein
- 35 % dry matter
- Fat
- 18 % dry matter
- Calcium:phosphorus
- 1.3 : 1
Values estimated from the ingredients (BEDCA/USDA data). An everyday meal. To feed it daily as the only food, add a vitamin and mineral supplement for homemade diets.
Storage
Turkey and quinoa base: up to 3 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer, in portions. Cucumber and celery, grated fresh: grated in advance they release water and go limp within a few hours. Kefir stays in its container in the fridge. In summer, don't leave a served bowl out for more than an hour in the sun or on the patio: throw away whatever is left.
If you don't have…
- Your dog doesn't tolerate dairy
- Leave out the kefir and add 2 tablespoons of cold water to each portion
- You don't have quinoa
- White rice: 160 g (¾ cup) uncooked, boiled for 18 minutes and chilled
- Your dog doesn't like celery
- Grated raw zucchini in the same amount
- You'd prefer another meat
- Diced chicken breast in the same amount, cooked for 12 minutes
Cooking tips
- Cool doesn't mean ice-cold: take the base out of the fridge 10-15 minutes before serving. Very cold food, wolfed down, can cause some vomiting.
- If your dog has never had kefir, start with a teaspoon and increase it over a week.
- To feed it every day as the only meal, add a vitamin and mineral supplement made for homemade diets: the recipe covers protein, energy, calcium and omega-3, but not every vitamin and trace mineral.
- On the hottest days, walk and feed your dog during the cooler hours: first thing in the morning and in the evening.
Safety
- Remove the celery strings and grate it finely: in long pieces, its fibers can be a choking hazard.
- Plain kefir only, with no sugar, flavorings or sweeteners, and above all no xylitol.
- Ground turkey must always be fully cooked: raw ground meat carries more bacteria than a whole cut.
- If your dog is lethargic, panting heavily or vomiting on a hot day, it isn't a lack of appetite: it could be heatstroke, and they need a vet.
Frequently asked questions
Can dogs eat cucumber?
Yes, cucumber is safe and one of the best summer snacks: it's 95% water and has almost no calories. Serve it raw and washed, sliced or grated; thin skin can be left on. Pickles don't count, because they contain vinegar and salt. In excess, like any watery vegetable, it can loosen stools.
Can dogs eat celery?
Yes, raw or cooked celery is safe and provides water, fiber and vitamin K. The only thing to watch is its texture: the long strings can catch in the throat, so remove them with a peeler and cut the celery into small pieces or grate it. The leaves are fine too. Avoid large amounts at once, because it's a diuretic.
What should I feed my dog when it's very hot?
Cool food, not ice-cold, with water-rich ingredients like cucumber, zucchini or watermelon, and meals spread over the cooler hours. It's normal for dogs to eat a little less during a heat wave, but they must keep drinking. Put out fresh water in several bowls and never walk them in the middle of the day.
Can dogs drink kefir?
Yes, plain unsweetened kefir usually agrees with dogs, because fermentation uses up part of the lactose, so it has less than milk. It provides calcium, protein and live cultures. Start with a teaspoon a day and work up; if you notice gas or soft stools, cut back. Never give flavored, sweetened or artificially sweetened kefir, especially with xylitol, which is very toxic to dogs.
What's in it, in detail
If they liked it, try
The fridge list
The foods your dog can eat, can have in moderation and must never eat, on a single printable page.