Spring Chicken Salad & A Nutritious Dish For Charlie

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Spring is in the air and that means time outdoors with the family + crisp, cool recipes.

​Our Miniature Schnauzer Charlie adores this time of year because he knows it means days at the dog park, road trips around the state and exploring the backyard to his little hearts content. I'm also enjoying the slower pace of spring as we are wrapping an issue of the magazine and summer will be a more leisurely time to play with the pups and nest to get ready for baby. 

After spending an early morning at a local farm with the hubs perusing delicious goodies, it was time to return home for lunch and naps with the pup.

Many of you have been asking me, that when I'm not making Charlie's food from scratch, what I feed him. There are many seasons of life where one may not have the resources, the time or the funds to make homemade dog food to keep on hand. It's important to know what brand to trust to make sure your fur babies are getting the best, in not only flavor and texture, but in nutritional value.  It's a delicate balance to ensure they're getting all of what they need. 

We chose the DISH from Rachael Ray™ Nutrish® dry dog food line because, like we do, she uses whole ingredients in her recipes. Our pups are family to us and it's important, knowing what I do about food and what it can do for our bodies, that they also get the best of the best. It's formulated for all size dogs too, which makes it a match for our 13 year old senior lab as well. 

I've been a fan of Rachael's for many years now, the heart she has for dogs and the quality of her product lines. Having my dogs on a wheat and corn free diet (like mama, like pups) I was ecstatic to see this new product emerge. Also free of soy, gluten, by-product, fillers or preservatives, I feel confident in knowing it's a food that can grow with him as he grows from puppy into a little man and into his senior years. 

Learn more about DISH from Rachael Ray™ Nutrish®

Once the pup was fed, it was time to whip up something for me and the hubs. With Sunday being our meal prep and plan for the week day, I wanted something cool, quick and easy. So I took cues from Charlie's decadent dish, the DISH Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe with Veggies & Fruit, to create the recipe below for my Spring Chicken Salad.

Using some of the same whole ingredients founds in Charlie's nosh - green apples, cranberries and chicken became the stars of our lunchtime fare. Serving it with my favorite gluten free brown rice crackers gave us the whole grains needed to round out our protein packed meal. 

​Spring Chicken Salad

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​Ingredients:
2 C. Spring Mix Greens
1 Cooked Chicken Breast, Cubed
1/4 C. Dried Cranberries
1 Large Granny Smith Apple, cored and cubed
1 TBSP. Mayonnaise
Black Pepper 
​Sea Salt

Directions:
Start with a bed of greens, add apple, diced chicken, cranberries and mayonnaise. 

Sprinkle with black pepper and sea salt to taste.
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Mix well. Serve with brown rice crackers or over additional mixed greens. 

This salad is cool and refreshing and serves 2. The cranberries offer a welcome sweetness while the tart apple and spring greens lend a nice crunch. 

It was the perfect compliment to the refreshing homemade lemonade we picked up at the farm this morning and I felt good knowing Charlie was enjoying a meal that was also packed with vitamins and minerals that his little energetic, growing body needs. 

If you are wanting to make the switch or want to try DISH from Rachael Ray™ Nutrish® remember to gradually introduce the food by incorporating it into your current dog food over the course of 7-10 days. Slowly replace your dog’s current food with DISH until it’s completely switched over. 

We found it at Target and it was simple to find, located in the Pet Supply and Dog Food section of the store. Many stores carry it, and you can check the store locator for a store near you. 

DISH from Rachael Ray™ Nutrish® Store Locator

Charlie adores this food and gets excited for mealtime, which shows me it's an authentic win in our household. 

​And for those of you who know my heart for dogs, Rachael’s personal proceeds are given to Rachael’s Rescue, an organization that was created to help shelter pets in need. She has donated over $10M to date towards food, medical supplies and treatments for these unfortunate animals. A win/win for my dogs and those without a home. 
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Have you tried DISH from Rachael Ray™ Nutrish®?  Or, do you have an adorable photo of your pup to share with me? Leave it in the comments below or contact me. Seriously can never have enough cute dog photos on the internet in my opinion. 

Do you have a favorite quick and easy go-to spring salad recipe? I'd love to try + taste! Share below!

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