Cooking Quinoa With My Cat #InspiredByCrafted

This post is sponsored by Hill’s. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Hill’s® Ideal Balance™ Crafted™, but Pawsitively Pets only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc. is not responsible for the content of this article.

I like to cook at home and try new things. I am always looking for new recipes to cook for dinner. My family isn't so keen on trying new things, but I like it. It gets boring cooking the same old stuff for dinner all the time.

One food that I've been meaning to try for the longest time is quinoa. Quinoa is an ancient grain from the Andes Mountains. It's actually an edible seed that's high in protein and fiber. It reminds me of a mix between rice and couscous.

I finally decided to try quinoa for the first time after I saw that it was an ingredient in some of the new Hill's® Ideal Balance™ Crafted™ cat and dog foods. This was my inspiration to try something new. If my cat is eating quinoa before me, I think it's time to give it a taste.

Since I've never cooked quinoa before, I thought it would be best to follow a recipe. The recipe I prepared is called Herbed Quinoa and it uses simple and fresh ingredients like chicken broth, fresh lemon, olive oil, and herbs. It was extremely easy to make.

Callie assisted me in the kitchen. Judging from the photos, she might think I'm a little cuckoo but it was fun. She usually likes to supervise my cooking from a safe distance on the kitchen table.

My Herbed Quinoa came out great and tasted delicious. The recipe was easy to follow and didn't take tons of ingredients. I had most of them at home already. My first time trying quinoa was a success, and I will eat it again. Thanks to Hill's Ideal Balance Crafted cat food for inspiring me to make the leap and try this tasty ancient grain finally.

You'll find quinoa is an ingredient in Hill's Ideal Balance Crafted Simmered Salmon Chowder with Quinoa as well as some of their dog food recipes. Much like my own cooking at home, Crafted cat food has a carefully selected creation process.

The cat food is prepared in small batches, much like the way I prepared my own quinoa meal at home - one small batch at a time. They have experienced and dedicated master bakers that create unique recipes in small batches using high quality meats, wholesome vegetables, and ancient grains.

Ideal Balance Crafted cat products are made with an unusual slow cooking process with new, unique, and and custom shapes to maximize appeal for picky feline palates. This is the result of years of Hill's research with cats to understand the important impact of texture and shape in improving palatability for cats. Ideal Balance Crafted's slower, small batch process ensures quality and consistency throughout their products.

Here is a summary of the benefits of Hill's Ideal Balance Crafted cat food:

• Made in small batches
• Natural ingredients that are perfectly balanced
• 100% Balanced Nutrition Guaranteed or your money back
• Made in the USA
• No wheat, corn, or soy
• No artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives
• Available in grain free varieties

Click here to purchase Hill's Ideal Balance Crafted cat food on Pet360. This is the same formula as Callie is eating and it's on sale right now. 

While my family may not like to try new things as much as I do, I feel like I have a new foodie friend that I can hang out with while I cook. Callie seems eager to try new things. I even let her try a bite of my cooked quinoa and she ate it. I guess every chef has to try their food to make sure it tastes good! 

Have you tried quinoa before? What did you think of it?