| Recipes |
Although there are many people that feel an all pellet diet provides a balanced diet, there are also many who wish to feed their parrots a more varied diet. Here we offer some suggestions for some easy recipes that can supply your birds with some variety. A little time and effort will also often entice that fussy eater to eat foods he/she won't ordinarily give a second glance.
Please note: Before using any pre-processed foods such as baby foods, peanut butter, etc., make sure to read all labels. Many of these foods contain too much salt, sugar or other ingredients that may not be good for our birds. Natural foods like fruits or veggies contain enough, they don't need more added. Some foods such as peanut butter can be found in a more natural form in a health food store. A good substitute for baby food might be apple sauce.
Bobbie's Basic Birdie Bread
Homemade Parrot Muffins
Parrot Muffins
Sweet Potato Chips
Savory Pasta
Sweet Rice
Beans & Rice
Take a bag of mixed dried beans and soak them for about an hour. Boil them till they are still a bit firm, drain well. Add some cooked brown rice and some frozen mixed vegetables. Thats it. Freeze in baggies, usually 2-3 days worth.
Bobbie's Basic Birdie Bread
2 boxes Jiffy corn muffin mix
3 T. baking powder
1 tsp. Spirulina
2 eggs and shells (puree in blender)
4 jars baby food *** (carrots, sweet potatoes, a fruit, chicken/turkey with rice, noodles, or vegetables)
3/4 c. peanut butter
2 c. baby cereal (buy lowest percent of iron)
1 1/2 c. shredded/chopped veggies (usually carrots or broccoli)*** Almost any of the baby foods can be used but choose those with a high Vitamin A content.
Mix wet and dry ingredients separately. Combine wet and dry ingredients along with shredded/chopped veggies. Spray 9x13 pan with cooking spray and bake about 30 min. in a 400 degree preheated oven. Cool on rack, cut into squares and freeze in 3 day batches.
Homemade Parrot Muffins
2 cups Corn Meal Flour
2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1 tablespoon Baking Powder
3 eggs (with shells mushed in small pieces)
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 (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)
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!
Parrot Muffins
1 package of Hodgeson Cornbread Mix with Whole Wheat Flour
1 egg (with shells mushed in small pieces)
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.
Savory Pasta From Cathrineq
1 bag pasta, like rotini, cooked
1 cup millet, cooked
Frozen broccoli
Frozen edname beans
Frozen green bean/yellow bean/carrot mix
6 cloves garlic, crushed
½ cup olive oil
¼ tsp dried chili peppers
1 can lentils or beans, drained
Mix all together, freeze in baggies for future use.
Sweet Rice From Cathrineq
2 cups brown rice, cooked
1 cup wild rice, cooked
1 cup quinoa, cooked
8 cinnamon sticks
¼ tsp ginger and nutmeg
½ cup raisins
1 cup dried apples
¼ - ½ cup dried cherries, pitted
Frozen mixed berries
Frozen mixed fruit, like peaches, cherries, mango, pineapple
Cashews, pistachios, and almonds, and/or trail mix
Mix all together, freeze in baggies until needed.
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