NYC DoggiesChicken Thighs, Cauliflower, & Couscous
by Jennifer Wheeler
The protein of choice for this meal – chicken thighs – is rich in iron, tender, and budget-friendly. Paired with fresh herbs and whole grain couscous we have a delicious, colorful meal. The addition of cauliflower is a win-win because our pups love the stalks and the kids eat the florets.
- Ingredients: bone-in chicken thighs, whole cauliflower heads, herbs like parsley and basil, whole grain couscous.
- Budget: Chicken thighs are inexpensive, and make sure you buy cauliflower with the full stalk, not pre-cut. It is less expensive, and you’ll be using all of it.
- Nutrition: The bones and cartilage are rich in nutrients and glucosamine, while the meat is a great source of protein and iron. The wholegrain couscous is also loaded with protein and nutrients – stay away from the simple white carbs!
- Waste Not: The bones and skin are trimmed before cooking and put aside for the dogs – everything is used. The only part that neither dogs nor kids will eat are the leafy green parts of the cauliflower. But you never know, your pups might enjoy!
The Humans Get:
Baked chicken thighs, couscous cooked with broth, herbs, and olive oil, and roasted cauliflower. This week I used a recipe from the NY Times to make a cauliflower salad.
The Big Guy Gets:
4 raw chicken bones, 2 whole thighs, raw cauliflower stalks, and cooked couscous. I remove the bones from the thighs roughly, leaving some meat attached to the bone. He also gets cartilage and skin.
The Little Guy Gets:
The same as the big guy tonight! But only one chicken bone. He’ll also pass on the cauliflower stalks so I give him a few cooked florets.
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About the author
Jennifer is a writer and graduate of NYU School of Law. Jennifer researches and writes original, science-based articles for the NYC Doggies blog, and her writing on other topics can be found in the Huffington Post. Jennifer and Ovidiu have co-authored the upcoming book, WHOLE DOG PARENTING: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO RAISE AND TRAIN AN URBAN PUP
