While everyone looks forward to summer as a time that they can finally relax and enjoy a much-needed vacation from daily life, summer just wouldn't be the same without some delicious food. From mouthwatering meals fresh off of the backyard barbecue to a refreshing cup of lemonade from a lemonade stand in your local community, the season brings with it an assortment of delectable treats. Unfortunately, those with braces are probably already well aware that there are some classic summer snacks that they won't be able to sink their teeth into, since things like frozen popsicles or other hard and sticky foods can break their braces. That's why your local Griffin, Locust Grove, and McDonough, GA orthodontic experts here at Lindsey Orthodontics are here to help you out, with these braces friendly recipes that will still let you enjoy the taste of summer, without putting that new smile at risk.
Watermelon Strawberry Coconut Water Smoothie
Some of the best summer treats are the ones that help you beat the heat, and with the recipe, we combine three ingredients that make this one of the most refreshing smoothies you've ever had: watermelon, strawberries, and coconut water. Also, if you want to make the smoothie even cooler and have more of a slush texture to it, you can freeze the watermelon chunks and strawberries beforehand, or just add some ice. Just be careful when you add ice or frozen fruit and make sure that the smoothie is fully blended, since you don't want any chunks of ice or frozen fruit to break off a bracket from your braces!
Ingredients
- 1 cup watermelon chunks (frozen if desired)
- 1 cup organic strawberries halved (frozen if desired)
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 cup coconut water
Instructions
- Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Pour and serve!
Source: Jeanette's Healthy Living - "Watermelon Strawberry Coconut Water Smoothie"
Lemon Meringue Pie
There's nothing quite like the smell of a freshly baked pie filling the house during the summer, and a lemon meringue pie is both light, airy, and has that refreshing lemon taste making a treat that won't weigh you down more than the summer heat already is. To keep this pie braces-friendly, we recommend being careful while you're cooking it to make sure that the crust doesn't get to hard, but instead stays soft and flaky so it's easy to bite into.
Ingredients
- 9 inch pie crust
For Lemon Filling
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 1⁄4 tsp salt
- 1 1⁄2 cup water
- 2 lemons, juiced and zested
- 2 tbsp butter
- 4 egg yolk, beaten
For Meringue
- 4 egg whites
- 6 tbsp white sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Making The Lemon Filling:
- In a medium sized saucepan, combine 1 cup of sugar, flour, cornstarch, and salt. Add water, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
- Cook mixture over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture starts to boil. Add butter and stir to combine into mixture. Reduce heat and let simmer to keep mixture hot.
- Place beaten egg yolks into a small bowl and add ½ cup of the hot sugar mixture, stirring to combine.
- Gently whisk the egg mixture into the saucepan with the remaining sugar mixture.
- Return mixture to a boil and still constantly until it becomes thick.
- Pour filling into the pie crust.
Making The Meringue:
- Put egg whites into a large glass or metal bowl.
- Whip egg whites until they become foamy.
- Gradually add sugar into the egg whites and continue whipping to combine until stiff peaks start to form.
- Add meringue over the top of the pie, extending to and sealing off at the edges of the pie crust.
Baking The Pie
- Bake pie with filling and meringue in oven for 10 minutes, or until meringue is golden brown.
Source: KitchMe - "Grandma's Lemon Meringue Pie"
Creamy Mac & Cheese
Macaroni and cheese is a classic that is part comfort food, part timeless summer snack. The smell of creamy, melted cheese is a necessary part of any summer, backyard barbecue, and this recipe is so good that you'll be constantly coming back for more. Since some mac and cheese recipes like to have a crust of cheese on the top when you bake it, that crunchy cheese actually makes it dangerous for people with braces, but this recipe keeps the cheese gooey and creamy so it's perfectly safe. Just make sure that you brush your teeth and floss to clear away any cheese that gets stuck in your teeth or brackets!
Ingredients
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
- 8 tablespoons butter (1 stick) cut into 1 tablespoon-sized pieces
- 2 cups half-and-half
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- 8 ounces Velveeta cut into small cubes
- 1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Spread butter around a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish (a smaller size dish is fine too).
- Cook macaroni until just tender. Don't let the pasta get too soft, since It will cook more as it bakes.
- Strain past and then return to pot. Add butter while the macaroni is still hot, stirring until butter is melted.
- Add the half-and-half, ½ of the cheddar and monterey jack cheeses, eggs, Velveeta, and seasoned salt and pepper into the macaroni. Stir all ingredients until well mixed.
- Pour macaroni mixture into the casserole dish and top with the remaining cheese.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.
- Serve!
Source: Spicy Southern Kitchen - "Super Creamy Mac and Cheese"
Contact Us For More Great Recipes!
If you liked these recipes, there's more where that came from! All you have to do is contact us at Lindsey Orthodontics and our staff will be able to give you some other delicious, brace-friendly recipes that you can enjoy this summer. Just don't forget to always maintain your oral hygiene routine to keep your smile and your braces clean, and to come in for your regular check up appointments with Dr. Lindsey at either of our Griffin or Locust Grove, GA offices. We look forward to seeing you for your orthodontic check ups, and we hope you have a great summer!