Parrot Recipes
Banana Oat Cookies
1 Banana
Approximate 1/2 - 3/4 cup of rolled oats
Mash up the banana and add in the rolled oats. Add more oats if the batter is to loose. Drop by spoonfuls on a cookie sheet. To give it some spice add some cinnamon to the batter!
Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until the cookie seems firm. This is one of my favorite guilt free snacks and the birds and dogs love it!!
Bulgur, Corn & Greens
A colorful blend of ingredients, ready in under 25 minutes!
1 cup bulgur
2 cups water
One 10-ounce box frozen corn kernels
1/2 pound greens (kale or collards), rinsed and torn into bite-size pieces
2 Tablespoons fresh chopped basil (optional)
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
Cook bulgur in water in a large covered pot for 10 minutes over medium heat. Add remaining ingredients. Heat 10 minutes longer, stirring occasionally. Serve warm.
TIP: Can freeze individual portions for an easy meal for your feathered friend
Mango Salsa Sprout Salad
˝ Cup Organic Sprouts, Sprouted*
1/3 Mango, Peeled and Diced
2 Tablespoons Cilantro (Parsley can be substituted for Cilantro)
1 Small Jalapeno Pepper with Seeds, Diced (can substitute with Sweet Red or Green Peppers)
1 Tablespoon Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice.
Mix all ingredients and serve immediately. Feel free to add in other vegetables into the mix for added excitement!
Fruit Pizza
Here's a wonderful looking dessert that both humans and their avian companions will enjoy.
1 large 12-inch-wide pita bread*
1 cup unsweetened apple sauce (see recipe below)
1/2 kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced
3 organic strawberries, sliced
1 apple or pear, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
Sprinkle a small amount of chopped mint leaves for a new twist on this fun recipe.
Spread a thin layer of apple sauce over pita bread. Arrange slices of fruit on top of apple butter. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Serve as is or heat in 350-degree oven for 15 minutes and serve warm.
*Can substitute Pita Bread for Plain Rice Cake and do not bake. Serve Fresh! Can use any variety of fruit
Enjoy! And be sure to leave some for your feathered friends!
Home Made Apple Sauce
There is nothing like fresh homemade applesauce. Your birds will be squawking once they smell the fragrant aromas throughout the house!
2 to 3 pounds apples per quart (Can reduce the size based on your individual needs) Water to coat saucepan
Optional Spices: Cinnamon and/or Nutmeg (Note: these flavors are very potent. Some birds may or may not enjoy them)
Instructions
Wash, core and peel apples. Cut into quarters. Cook apples until soft in a large covered saucepot with just enough water to prevent sticking. Press apples and juice through a sieve or food mill. If any seeds or peels escaped, now is the time to remove them. Return apple pulp to saucepot. Bring applesauce to a boil, stirring to prevent sticking. Sprinkle in a dash of cinnamon and/or nutmeg to taste, if desired. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking.
Carefully ladle hot sauce into a glass bowl for cooling. Serve warm (Hot food should never be offered due to a high risk of crop burn).
Recipe Variations: For a chunky sauce, coarsely crush half of the cooked apples with a potato masher; press remaining apples through a sieve or food mill. Combine crushed and sauced apple mixtures; continue as for Applesauce.
Note: Using a sweet variety eating apple if your bird likes a sweet taste.
Sweet Too't Smoothie
2 cups non-fat soya milk
2 tablespoons silken tofu
2 bananas frozen
3/4 cup frozen strawberries
1 tsp vanilla
Place milk and tofu in blender first and blend. Add bananas, strawberries and vanilla and blend until smooth. Pour into glass. Enjoy.
Optional: Add 2 Tablespoons fresh unflavored yogurt or frozen yogurt in place of tofu. Sit back, enjoy and do not forget to share with your feathered companions!
Tip: To freeze banana, wait until banana gets brown specks. Peel and freeze whole. This ensures the fullest flavor in your smoothie.
Home Made Parrot Muffins
• 2 cups Corn Meal Flour
• 2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
• 1 tablespoon Baking Powder
• 3 eggs
• 1 cooked & peeled sweet potato/yam mashed
• 1 whole banana mashed
• 1/2 cup red kidney beans mashed,
• 2 cups fresh veggies/fruit chopped finely in a food processor (I normally use: broccoli, string beans, various berries, cranberries, kale, red peppers, whatever's at home)
• 4 tablespoons peanut butter
• 1/2 cup of chopped nuts (sunflower seeds, hulled millet, pecans, walnuts, etc)
Optional: 2 jars of baby food (veggie or fruit only) - I have noticed using this keeps them moist
Mix all ingredients and bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes (keep a watch on them that they do not burn). You can substitute veggies to whatever is in your house. Can use frozen veggies to substitute for fresh. - Be Creative and have fun with it!
NOTE: I now use this recipe due to the high content of sodium & artificial ingredients in the Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix. A good substitute is Hodgeson Mills Corn Muffin Mix with Whole Wheat Flour. It has a low sodium content.
I usually will make a double batch of this and pour into a cake pan and muffin pans that I grease up with canola oil so it doesn't stick. I wrap up the muffins up with wax paper and put them in Freezer bags for individual daily servings. This has been proven very efficient for those busy mornings.
Yield: 24 Muffins
Parrot Muffins
• 1 package of Hodgeson Cornbread Mix with Whole Wheat Flour
• 1 egg
• Can add any or all of the following: 1/2 an apple (seeded & chopped), 1/2 sweet potato mashed, 1 whole banana mashed, 1/2 cup red kidney beans mashed,
• 1 cup fresh veggies (can substitute with frozen) chopped finely in a food processor (I normally use fresh veggies: broccoli, string beans, red peppers, whatever's at home)
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter (can substitute with Almond Butter)
• Optional: 2 jars of baby food (veggie or fruit only) - I have noticed using this keeps them moist
• Optional: 1/4 cup chopped nuts (sunflower seeds, pecans, walnuts)
Mix all ingredients and bake according to directions on the box. I use whatever veggies/fruit are in the house (strawberries, blueberries, cranberries, hot chili peppers, beans (kidney beans, navy beans, etc), etc) - Be Creative and have fun with it!
I usually will make triple batches and freeze them individually for daily servings.
Yield: 12 Muffins
SWEET POTATO CHIPS
Preheat oven to 400-425 degrees. Peel one large sweet potato and cut it into strips like you would for fries. Rinse in water and shake them in a bag with a mixture of ground cornmeal flour and a few shakes of Cayenne pepper.
Place them on a cookie sheet and bake them for 30 minutes, turning them over halfway through.
Mix cornmeal flour, some crushed red pepper, sesame seeds, 1 egg and enough water to make batter consistency. Dip all the potato chips in this.
On the stovetop ~ In a frying pan over medium heat. Add an inch of vegetable oil and cook them for a couple minutes on each side...just until they are browned a little. Drain them on paper towels and serve warm.
NOTE: With the left over batter ~ Make Spicy Tortillas ~ Drop in a tablespoon full into the oil
Fruit Icees
Take your parrot's favorite fruits. Puree them in a blender. Pour into Ice Cube Tray and freeze.
If your birds are like mine, they will love it. Comes in handy in those hot summer months too.
Organic Water
1 gallon tap water
1 tablespoon Organic Apple Cider
Cleaning your Parrots Veggies & Fruits
Spray Organic Apple Cider on your fruits & veggies to remove harmful toxins. Wait five minutes then rinse.
Pine Cones
Pine cones are great toys for birds. Please make sure your pine cones are in good condition (not wet, old, or mildewed).
Heat oven to 225F. Place pine cones in the oven for 20 minutes. Then turn off the oven, but leave the pine cones in the oven for 2 hours to dry out. Please note: Pine cones will scorch and possibly start a fire if the oven is any higher than 225F.