Summer is coming. That means that soon there’ll be sunny days in the Greater Toronto Area and no school. However, while the entire team at Braceland Orthodontists wants you to enjoy your time off, we know that summer creates many opportunities for snacking on treats that might be bad for your braces.
As such, in order to protect you orthodontic treatment and allow you to enjoy all the delicious tastes of summer, we’ve put together a few suggestions for braces-friendly recipes that will allow you to have a tasty summer while respecting you orthodontist’s recommended list of foods to avoid.
Strawberry Caprese Salad with Brown Butter Balsamic Vinaigrette
This orthodontist-approved salad is bursting with the bright flavors of summer and is made of soft and easy-to-chew strawberries, tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese.
Ingredients:
2 cups sliced strawberries
1½ cups halved cherry tomatoes
4 ounces fresh mozzarella, diced
2 tablespoons butter
2½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1½ teaspoons honey
¼ teaspoon dijon mustard
Salt & pepper
¼ cup basil leaves
Directions:
1. In a skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat.
2. Once the butter starts to bubble and turn slightly brown along the edges, swirl the pan until the butter is browned and smells nutty.
3. Remove the butter from heat and transfer it to a small dish to cool to room temperature.
4. In a small bowl, whisk the balsamic vinegar, honey, and dijon mustard together.
5. Slowly whisk in the room temperature butter and season with salt and pepper.
6. Toss the strawberries, tomatoes, and mozzarella together and spread them on a serving platter.
7. Drizzle vinaigrette over the salad mixture and top with basil leaves.
Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Everyone loves a good taco, but patients with braces should avoid hard, crunchy taco shells. This recipe replaces that no-no traditional taco shell with lettuce for a braces-friendly taco that emphasizes the summertime flavor of buffalo chicken!
Ingredients:
2 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup Frank’s Wing Sauce
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
Pepper to taste
1/2 cups thinly sliced celery
Blue cheese crumbles
Ranch dressing
2 heads of lettuce
Directions:
1. Add the chicken, butter, and olive oil to a pan on medium heat, stirring together.
2. Add Frank’s Wing Sauce, celery seed, and pepper to taste.
3. Once the sauce begins to bubble, remove from heat and add the thinly sliced celery.
4. Spoon the mixture into lettuce leaves, sprinkle with blue cheese, and drizzle with ranch dressing.
5. Serve immediately while chicken is still warm.
Orange Creamsicles
Nothing cools you off on a hot summer day quite like a popsicle. Popsicles are a great treat to enjoy if you have braces. These citrusy treats are easy to make and require no chewing!
Ingredients:
1 cup orange juice (fresh or frozen)
1 cup heavy cream or full fat coconut milk (or melted/very soft vanilla ice cream)
3 tablespoons honey
¼ teaspoon orange extract
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, whisk all the ingredients together.
2. Pour the mixture into a popsicle mold.
3. Let set in freezer for 30 – 60 minutes before adding popsicle sticks.
4. Freeze for another 4 – 6 hours.
5. Run warm water along the outside of the mold to loosen the popsicles before serving.
Contact Your Scarborough Orthodontist
The team at Braceland Orthodontists hopes that you have a delicious summer full of great flavors and great fun. If you have any additional questions about what foods to eat and what foods to avoid while wearing braces, please contact us in our Scarborough office. You can also schedule your appointment with us online to see if braces are the right orthodontic treatment for you!