Friday, June 8, 2018
5 Food Items That Are Dangerously Toxic to Dogs
Making delicious home cooked meals is one of the many simple joys of being a parent to a dog. Most pet parents believe, and the experts agree, that meals cooked at home are much healthier than store-bought dry dog food. There are also plenty of pet-friendly recipes out there to keep those canine taste buds guessing. Now, a lot of dog parents try and add what they believe are healthy ingredients in an attempt to pack the meals with nutrients and phytonutrients. However, the problem with that approach is that a lot of human food can potentially make your dog sick. This is why it’s a good practice to seek out pet health advice from experts before adding any new ingredient to your dog’s diet. Now, we are not talking about chocolate, which is a well known toxin. If you are a pet parent, you probably have read several articles about the dangers of chocolate. In this post, we highlight the ingredients no one really talks about. So, next time you are looking for recipes for your dog be on guard for these 5 ingredients.
Avocado: Avocado toxicity in dogs is a very real threat. This completely healthy human food contains a chemical called persin. If consumed in high quantities, persin toxicity can lead to heart attack and even death.
Grapes: If you are having a bowlful of grapes and you feel tempted to toss one up to your dog then refrain yourself. Both grapes and raisins can lead to toxic reactions in dogs. As a responsible pet parent, you need to keep your dog away from food that contains grapes and raisins. This includes grape juice or mixed fruit juice with grapes and bakery items with raisin.
Artificial Sweetener: Xylitol is a common artificial sweetener and is completely safe for human consumption. While sugary food is not good for your dog, you should never to try to replace sugar with xylitol. Xylitol is a downright poison when consumed by dogs. To be safe, don’t give your dog any kind of artificial sweetener.
Garlic: Garlic is a kitchen essential and it’s also highly used in herbal remedies. While their benefits are plentiful when consumed by humans they are toxic to dogs. When consumed, garlic can lead to drooling, vomiting, abdominal discomfort, excessive weakness, and sudden collapses. Garlic poisoning damages red blood cells in dogs. Garlic in small amounts may not result in symptoms, but if your dog consumes a garlic-heavy recipe, then it’s best to rush him to the nearest vet. Apart from garlic, all veggies part of the allium family (chives, garlic, onion, and leek) are toxic to dogs and cats.
Macadamia Nuts: No one really knows why macadamia nuts are toxic to dogs. There is also a debate on how much macadamia nut a dog needs to consume to feel the toxic effects. According to ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center, symptoms may arise by consuming anything from 2.2g to 62.4g for every kilogram of the dog’s body weight. That’s a mammoth range. To be safe, it’s best to avoid giving your dog macadamia nuts all together.
Thursday, June 7, 2018
Cooking’s Next Big Thing is In Your Kitchen
It’s
an exciting time to be a foodie, as modern chefs are revolutionizing
the industry on a seemingly daily basis, but dining out can be expensive
and Canadians are expected to spend an additional $208 each
this year at restaurants. Julia Child said of cooking, “this is my
advice to people: Learn how to cook, try new recipes, learn from your
mistakes, be fearless, and above all have fun.” That applies to the fun
you can have by taking the hottest trends in dining out and learning to
make them in the comfort of your own home. From elevating common foods to something greater to
the excitement of performative cooking you can learn from the pros and
save money at the same time by making your own chef-inspired meals.
Get Hot with Hibachi Grilling
A night at a hibachi grill is guaranteed to be full of entertainment and
delicious foods, as chefs dazzle patrons with their cooking techniques.
You can create your own hibachi experience by purchasing a portable
griddle or a griddle range for your stove top. With hibachi-style
cooking you cook your whole meal on the flat top allowing for the
creation of tasty Asian-inspired dishes to enjoy with your friends and
family.
Take Pub Food to the Next Level
No
trend is currently hotter than gastropubs. Combining the comfort foods
of your favourite hole-in-the-wall with the refined touch of fine dining
you get delicious and unique takes on everyone’s top dishes. As Ryan Hibbert,
CEO of Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row, explains, at a gastropub “the
quality of the food, service and entertainment is exponentially better
than what you get at other places.” To get started making your own
gastropub-inspired meal, pick out your favourite late night bar order
and then imagine how a Michelin Star chef would make it. Use
high-quality ingredients and creativity and you’ll end up with a tasty
meal that’s one of a kind.
Keep It In the Neighborhood
The
value of fresh ingredients cannot be understated, and from that
principal has developed the hyper-local cooking movement. At a
hyper-local restaurant, not only will you be guaranteed that all of your
food is being made fresh, but also that it contains only ingredients grown
right on the premises. Hyper-local cooking is something you can do at
home, too. If you have a yard with some free space you have the ability
to begin cultivating your own source of hyper-local ingredients. From
tending to your home garden to raising animals like chickens for meat
and byproducts, there is a special level of satisfaction which comes
from cooking a meal and knowing that you made it all on your own.
This is a sponsored post approved by Sarah Reid
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