Newest round of parrot chop...

[IndySE]

This is my 3rd or 4th batch of parrot chop (I make pretty massive quantities typically that last me well over 4 months in the freezer). I want to say I'm getting better, yet each variation I seem to run into a new issue. I figured I'd share this round in case it's somehow helpful to someone (also I like showing off since it takes me a day to make and no one else seems to appreciate this... 'artform').

I tried something new -- I made 3 variations from all my ingredients. I've heard it said it's good to have different types of chop in case the parrot gets bored of the current one and it's thus much easier to switch it up. In case you can't read the sharpie, this is what it says:

Garbanzo Madness: Garbanzo beans, wild rice (this one is simple and I intend to just mix in with the other two chops as needed)
Green Machine: green beans, bananas, cauliflower, ginger, apple, blueberries, zucchini
Paint the Town Red: blueberries, yams (the orange kind), beets, apple, ginger

And here's what I learned:
From last time's experience, I got FREEZER bags to prevent freezer burn. I had them in normal sandwich baggies in a giant freezer bag, but I still got freezer burn. So this time I tried quartering my contents in quart sized freezer bags. Each square should hopefully last about 3-4 days.

No broccoli this time! It spoils too fast and gives everything a gunky smell. I substituted for cauliflower. Hopefully my batch will last the 3-4 days this time.

I cooked the yams and beets to a consistency good for eating right then and there. That's a mistake! I didn't intend for them to end up pure mush, but that's what they became. I tried freezer them first on a cookie sheet, but the moment I tried to process it finely into small chunks (parrot will only accept things in very small quantities) it just turned into mush. There's a few chunks in there somewhere. But in the future I will undercook and accept the larger chunks (food processing after it dethaws instead, maybe). It's basically baby food right now.

Bananas. Were. A. Mistake. It also turned to pure mush. I hope it doesn't spoil 'green machine' quickly. In the future, I'll peel and chop into chunks ahead of time and just add like that. The parrot LIKES bananas so there's no need to make it into tiny pieces.

Less a lesson learned and more a note: is it possible to make a batch in less than a day? I'm not the world's greatest cook and I hate every minute of it. I suppose I am rather ambitious, but I still wish I could find a way to do this faster.

As of right now, the parrot hates it. At least she hates 'green machine'. She universally hates all new chops and I have to tempt her with it by mixing in some familiar treats like frozen peas and chia seeds. She loves quinoa too, but I was too tired to make some after I made the rice and garbanzo beans. We shall see if she takes to it at all (I sincerely hope so). Parrots are the worst food critics. And there we go, my chop adventure.

 

[Jen5200]

I absolutely love the chop names!! They are little food critics aren’t they?? Mine like some flavours better than others but they’re getting used to mostly eating what I put in the bowl over time. I have to chop pretty small or they just pick out what they like.

I sympathize with the mush factor, as well as your hate for the kitchen...my mom gave up teaching me to cook when I was a teenager. I have been working to reduce my chop-making time - and I’m still working at it. I read every post about chop and steal something from each of them. Don’t know if sharing mine is any value (since its all borrowed methods) - but I share in case there’s anything in it that makes the “kitchen time” shorter . Like you, I make different flavours and they get something different each container. I’ll share what I have muddled through so far. I’m currently at about 2-3 hours to make a month of chop for 4 conures.

I do cook my sweet potato a little on the firm side (I had several batches that looked like puréed baby food and the birds were not enthused about it). I also use a 7 whole grain mix, slightly undercooked and put in the bottom under my chop (it seems to soak up some of the moisture as the chop defrosts and helps keep the texture of the chop to what they will eat). I use Kashi 7 whole grain pilaf (it’s just grains, no flavours or additives). I have a microwave rice cooker which I use to cook the grains (it keeps me away from the stovetop, which I should not be allowed to use). I haven’t been brave enough to try beans or beets yet - do they need to be cooked?

I use little square ziploc containers and put a spoonful of “mostly cooked” grains in the bottom. I use most of the bowls in the house and spread them out on the counter to hold the veggies and 2 or 3 fruits. Then I whip out the food processor (which I only bought because of the birds). I throw a little bit of 4-5 veggies and one bit of fruit into the food processor and pulse until chopped into bits. I then spoon that mixture into a few of the containers on top of the grains. Then I pick 4-5 different veggies and a different bit of fruit and repeat. I usually end up with about 5-8 completely random combinations, and I try to make sure that they end up all different colours. I sometimes toss a few pomegranate seeds or a berry on top, snap the lids on and put them into the freezer in an order where no two with the same contents come out consecutively. When I defrost the containers, I mix the contents and it ends up looking sort of like chop. One container seems to feed my 4 conures for a day. My chickens love chop making day - they get all the leftovers lol.

My chop stuff usually includes: broccoli, cauliflower, peas, carrots, winter squash, zucchini, sweet potato, corn, peppers, kale, collard greens, mango, apple, berries, pomegranate, and sometimes pineapple. I mostly use frozen veggies and fruit (and it gets chopped and repackaged while frozen) except the squash and sweet potato which I cook (grudgingly).

 

[ChristaNL]

Zunchini (aka courgette) gets awfully snotty once it has been frozen.
So do not freak out


(It is one of the reasons I turn it into pastasauce before freezing it - because it really gives me the creeps if I freeze it and put it in a stirfry by accident // nicely Halloween-themed btw!)

 

[IndySE]

Jen5200;; THANK YOU someone appreciates the names besides myself. Your post is super helpful. I like the idea of small individual containers. I think I'll try to invest in some of those. I love the idea of avoiding the stove if at all possible. It's the big reason things take so long and generates so many dishes. A microwave rice cooker sounds so simply amazing.

You can feed both beets and yams raw, but when I was looking up the beets it said that they only freeze well if cooked. Something about a grainy texture? So I cooked em up, and figured I might as well with the yams while I was at it. Yams don't taste very good unless cooked (and I think I heard the nutrients is less accessible without cooking?). Oh, be forwarned though, beets stain like nothing else (there's a reason that chop is called Paint the Town Red). The garbanzo beans were pretty easy to make I guess, but just required planing (soaking overnight). I prefer mung beans when I can get them... they're easily digestible, require no presoaking, and take well to being frozen. I just wanted to mix it up this time.

ChristaNL;; thanks for the heads up ! There's only 1 small zucchini in there (my mother stole the other, claiming I'd never use it on time... I take a few days to gather motivation after acquiring ingredients). I'm more worried about the banana I tossed in. It's giving everything in green machine a gross brown ooze. But they pass a sniff/taste test fine so I know it's okay... just gross.

 

[chris-md]

Totally with christa. I avoid freezing ANY fruits. They all come out mushy. Anything very high in water content really. The water freezing expands in the cells, rupturing the cells, causing mushy. Fruit is served fresh here, unless it’s obtained already frozen. Then I’ll add it to the chop minutes before I package and freeze.

And a lot of stuff actually benefits from blanching prior to freezing (boiling for no more than 2 minutes). That includes sweet potatoes

 

[IndySE]

After her human servant dutifully taste tested the newest batch for poison, the feathered overlord has accepted the 'green machine' as acceptable. Moreover, the human servant was convinced she heard gluttonous, happy cheeps as the green demon cleared her plate.

 

[IndySE]

Totally with christa. I avoid freezing ANY fruits. They all come out mushy. Anything very high in water content really. The water freezing expands in the cells, rupturing the cells, causing mushy. Fruit is served fresh here, unless it’s obtained already frozen. Then I’ll add it to the chop minutes before I package and freeze.

And a lot of stuff actually benefits from blanching prior to freezing (boiling for no more than 2 minutes). That includes sweet potatoes

Good to note, thank you! I've found frozen blueberries are really easy to work with and shred without mushing. But in general I serve fruit fresh (since I like it too and it's easy to share what I'm eating). I'll give blanching a try next time-- it makes me sound like I know what I'm doing when I'm cooking.

 

[Jen5200]

VICTORY - when it passes the are-you-sure-you’re-not-trying-to-kill-me test and the taste test . Nicely done!

 

[ChristaNL]

:jumping40 Job well done.


(You realy force me to browse this thread in secret, once the birdies here see what you made there, nothing I will whip up will be good enough! )

 

[IndySE]

Paint It Red is a success! Although... too aptly named. Beets have such amazing nutrtional value, but why do they have to be so messy? D: I think she prefers Green Machine more, but I certainly saw her goin into the foodbowl today (after I proved it wasn't poison last night)... I may or may not have added chia seeds to make it worth her while though

Thank you Christa, you're too sweet. I try my best, but I find everyone so inspiring here in general.