Everyone knows that there are some foods and snacks that are absolutely perfect for the summer. However, before you go chow down on some popsicles or whatever your favorite summer snack is, remember that some foods can damage your braces if you’re not careful. If that happens, that means spending one of your valuable summer days here at Tollgate Orthodontics to fix your braces, which you definitely don’t want. To make sure you still get to enjoy some amazingly delicious food, here’s a few recipes for some of our favorite summer treats that are safe-for braces!
“Summer In A Cup” Smoothie
If you’re trying to stay cool in that summer heat, a cold, refreshing smoothie should do the trick! All you need is some frozen fruit, two types of fruit juice and whatever kind of milk you prefer! The frozen fruit makes this smoothie nice and cold so without needing ice, and the vibrant pink and red color of the blended raspberries, pomegranate juice, and orange juice just screams summer.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup frozen raspberries
- 1 large ripe, sliced and frozen banana (~1 cup)
- 1/2 cup pomegranate juice
- 3/4 cup orange juice
- 3/4 cup Plain Unsweetened Almond Breeze Almond Milk
Instructions
Just throw all of the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. If the smoothie is too thick, you can simply add a in some extra fruit juice or almond milk to it and blend again until its your desired thickness.
Source: Minimalist Baker: Summer In A Cup Smoothie
Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes
Summer isn’t complete unless you’ve had some classic backyard barbecue style food. These cheesesteak sloppy joeys are messy and packed full of flavor, just like any good barbecue food is. With the ground steak and minced veggies, you won’t have to worry about biting into anything that could damage your braces, even though you’re going to a thorough brushing and flossing after to make sure you don’t have any of that steak stuck in your brackets!
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground chuck steak
- 1 green pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
- 2 tsp minced onion
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp prepared mustard
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp vinegar
- Salt and pepper
- 4 whole wheat buns
- 4 slices provolone cheese
Instructions
- In a heated, lightly oiled skillet, add the ground chuck and diced green peppers until the meat is browned and the peppers are tender. Drain and set aside.
- Using the same skillet, add tomato sauce, onion, garlic, mustard, brown sugar, and vinegar. Stir in skillet to combine and simmer mixture over low heat for 5-10 minutes.
- Add browned steak and peppers and stir into the mixture. Simmer over low heat for 5-10 minutes until the vegetables are soft and meat is fully cooked to desired doneness. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Spoon the sloppy joe mixture onto the buns and top with a slice of cheese.
- Serve and enjoy!
Source: 5dollardinners: Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes – Friday Night Bite
No Churn Vanilla Ice Cream
There’s nothing better as summer treat than ice cream, and this recipe doesn’t require that you have an ice cream maker like most other recipes do! This no-churn recipe only needs a hand mixer or stand mixer, which are bit easier to come by and much cheaper than even the cheapest ice cream maker out there by hundreds of dollars. Anyways, ice cream is braces-safe, refreshingly cold so you can beat that summer hear, and a simple treat that is perfect to enjoy after any meal. Also, there are plenty of other no-churn ice cream recipes out there online if vanilla just isn’t your style!
Ingredients
*You will need a hand mixer or standing mixer for this recipe
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean (optional)
Instructions
- Pour heavy cream in a large mixing bowl. Use hand or stand mixer on medium speed to whip cream for 4 minutes or until stiff peaks are formed.
- Add sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, salt, and vanilla bean seeds (optional) to the bowl and fold into the whipped cream until combined.
- Pour combined mixture into a loaf pan (or any type of pan that can fit in your freezer) and freeze for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Marvel at your very own homemade ice cream, add your favorite toppings, and enjoy!
Source: Baking A Moment: How To Make No Churn Ice Cream
Contact Tollgate Orthodontics For More Braces Friendly Recipes!
Want more delectable snacks to sink your teeth in this summer without putting your braces in danger? Just contact us at Tollgate Orthodontics and we can give you some of our other favorite recipes that you can enjoy over the summer!