• Welcome to Avian Avenue! To view our forum with less advertisments please register with us.
    Memberships are free and it will just take a moment. Click here

Beginner/Easy chop recipe?

wolfdog01

Meeting neighbors
Joined
5/5/19
Messages
73
Good evening everyone, on another thread of mine I mentioned that I was going to start making chop. I got a small batch done just as a trial run and I would love some feedback! This is my first time making it and finding the right ingredients had me running around the grocery isle for a while, I'm always paranoid about what is safe. What I have sitting in the freezer is this:
-broccoli
-carrots
-cauliflower
-uncooked quinoa
-jalapeno pepper
-kale

I bought everything prerinsed/prewashed. I didn't do any frozen because Idk if it is bad to unfreeze them, mix it, then freeze it again. I've heard quinoa is okay uncooked and he seems to like it. Now, a couple of questions:
1.) Is this a good beginner's recipe?
2.) If birds can't taste the spice of the pepper, should I just leave it out?
3.) What else can I add that doesn't need to be cooked? I like just chopping it and tossing it in the freezer, cooking scares me lol
4.) What do beans, grains, and legumes provide for birds? I can't seem to figure it out, is there a good alternative to any of these?

I looked at a few recipes and this one was a good guideline for me, but it seemed incomplete from everything else I've read.
Screenshot_20190713-170221.png
 

Zara

♥❀Livin´ in Lovebird Land❀☼
Super Moderator
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Avenue Concierge
Joined
1/8/18
Messages
31,366
Location
Reino de España
I love @Mizzely s guide; My Chop "Recipe"

I think it is so clealy written and explained.


Remember, beans and legumes need to be either cooked or sprouted, I like to sprout, but today I cooked some lentils because I had no sprouts.

I don´t follow a recipe , I just use what I have. I have some frozen veggies to use for larger veggies ie pumpkin, courgette. And then I chop fresh peppers, and fresh fruits and whatever I have fresh.

I thought quinoa needed to be cooked. Same for cauliflower.
 

Lady Jane

Ripping up the road
Avenue Veteran
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
8/25/12
Messages
26,569
Location
Maryland
Real Name
Dianne
When I create a chop or mix of veggies for my budgies I like to keep it simple, just a few ingredients. Why? So the birds can forage through it easier and pick out what they want to eat. If you have ever been to a salad bar and filled up your plate you know when you eat it, the veggies start to all taste alike.
 

wolfdog01

Meeting neighbors
Joined
5/5/19
Messages
73
When I made birdie bread I just steamed the veggies and chopped them. Tried finding stuff on quinoa about it being cooked and it seemed people were torn down the middle about what their bird likes. Same with cauliflower.
Bascially, Idk what the healthiest thing for a bird is. Idk what beans and grains and all that stuff does, I just know they need veggies. So if there are any non-cooking/sprouting alternatives then I would love that.
 
Last edited:

Zara

♥❀Livin´ in Lovebird Land❀☼
Super Moderator
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Avenue Concierge
Joined
1/8/18
Messages
31,366
Location
Reino de España

wolfdog01

Meeting neighbors
Joined
5/5/19
Messages
73
Wow that is a lot of good info, when I get more into chops I will probably end up trying a few of them. It's just overwhelming for someone who can barely cook lol.
Would this be a good guide to follow? It seems like broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots are all good. Maybe I could add three more veggies from the list?
afd426f0c1fd59281fe82d965255ec7f.jpg
 

MahaSarah

Sprinting down the street
Joined
6/23/18
Messages
325
Location
Florida
Real Name
Maha
I personally use green beans, peas, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, arugula, spinach, kale, baby romaine lettuce, zucchini, cucumber, squash, blueberries, grapes, and raspberries. I make sure to include blueberries in every chop recipe because of how much antioxidants they have.
 

wolfdog01

Meeting neighbors
Joined
5/5/19
Messages
73
So maybe carrots, brocolli, cauliflower, kale, and blueberries would be a better chop for him than what I have now? I also feed Zupreem natural pellets daily with fruits and nuts as a treat every now and then, and Zupreem Sensible Seed on Sundays as a "cheat day." Idk if that helps to kind of round everything out or not. I've heard of people adding nuts to chop as well, but Idk if I should.
 
Last edited:

Zara

♥❀Livin´ in Lovebird Land❀☼
Super Moderator
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Avenue Concierge
Joined
1/8/18
Messages
31,366
Location
Reino de España
I like to mix it up a little, sometimes I put things in, other times I use something else. It keeps it interesting.
I don´t add nuts to chop, too fatty - I use them occasionaly as a treat.
 

wolfdog01

Meeting neighbors
Joined
5/5/19
Messages
73
Okay, just wanted to make sure lol
What about baby food? I saw someone use a sweet potato one to mix it in, but Idk how good that stuff freezes.
 

finchly

Cruising the avenue
Avenue Veteran
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
5/16/14
Messages
12,708
Location
SW Florida
Real Name
Finchly
Okay, just wanted to make sure lol
What about baby food? I saw someone use a sweet potato one to mix it in, but Idk how good that stuff freezes.
I do things a little differently. I DO put nuts in mine. Soak them overnight.
Yes to baby food. What you can do is mix it with the chop just before serving.
Mainly you want the biggest variety possible.
Here’s what I did today, just as an example. Removed chop from freezer: spinach, kale, red pepper, sweet potato, sprouts, broccoli, jicama, butternut squash, quinoa. While it thawed I mixed up chia seeds, chopped hazelnut, pecan, almonds, hemp hearts and powdered flax seed. Threw in today’s sprout mix and some shredded coconut. Added probiotics and a supplement from China Prairie called Nourish.

Stir and serve.
 

Yoshi&Raphi

Rollerblading along the road
Joined
4/12/19
Messages
2,398
Real Name
Raphi
We should start a chop thread, where everyone says the different chops they use. To help people create new variety’s.
 

Khizz

Rollerblading along the road
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
3/31/19
Messages
4,495
This thread really helped. Sometimes when members post their chop recipes I get a bit overwhelmed due to all the fancy (and in Switzerland extremely expensive) ingredients. It sounds daft, but I didn't realise that essentially it's just a selection of vegetables and grain/legumes which can be be frozen.

How long does chop last in the freezer?
 

Yoshi&Raphi

Rollerblading along the road
Joined
4/12/19
Messages
2,398
Real Name
Raphi
This thread really helped. Sometimes when members post their chop recipes I get a bit overwhelmed due to all the fancy (and in Switzerland extremely expensive) ingredients. It sounds daft, but I didn't realise that essentially it's just a selection of vegetables and grain/legumes which can be be frozen.

How long does chop last in the freezer?
I don’t live in Switzerland but your right veggies are so expensive!
 

finchly

Cruising the avenue
Avenue Veteran
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
5/16/14
Messages
12,708
Location
SW Florida
Real Name
Finchly
.

How long does chop last in the freezer?
Good question. More than 6 months.

I don’t live in Switzerland but your right veggies are so expensive!
They definitely are!

@Zara Quinoa doesn’t have to be cooked. You can also just soak it. Sometimes I put it in after thawing to soak up some moisture - could do the same with oats. And apparently quinoa can also be sprouted.
 
Last edited:

Danita

Ripping up the road
Super Administrator
Chief Beak
Vendor
Avenue Veteran
Joined
10/16/09
Messages
35,199
Location
Canada
Real Name
Danita
I love @Mizzely s guide; My Chop "Recipe"

I think it is so clealy written and explained.


Remember, beans and legumes need to be either cooked or sprouted, I like to sprout, but today I cooked some lentils because I had no sprouts.

I don´t follow a recipe , I just use what I have. I have some frozen veggies to use for larger veggies ie pumpkin, courgette. And then I chop fresh peppers, and fresh fruits and whatever I have fresh.

I thought quinoa needed to be cooked. Same for cauliflower.
Wow @Mizzely great job!
 

Zara

♥❀Livin´ in Lovebird Land❀☼
Super Moderator
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Avenue Concierge
Joined
1/8/18
Messages
31,366
Location
Reino de España
Thanks @finchly , that´s good to know! I always cooked it :lol: I might have a go at sprouting it...... :)
 

Danita

Ripping up the road
Super Administrator
Chief Beak
Vendor
Avenue Veteran
Joined
10/16/09
Messages
35,199
Location
Canada
Real Name
Danita
in Switzerland extremely expensive) ingredients. It sounds daft, but I didn't realise that essentially it's just a selection of vegetables and grain/legumes which can be be frozen.

?
So people don't eat them? What kind of veg do you eat there? Just out of curiousity
 

wolfdog01

Meeting neighbors
Joined
5/5/19
Messages
73
Question: What if I buy the frozen bags for veggies, do I just need to blend it and mix it fast enough to where it doesn't defrost or is it okay to let it and refreeze it again?

Also new recipe:
Cauliflower
Brocolli
Carrots
Kale
Blueberries

Those seem to be a good staple for now until I get more adventurous lol
 
Top