With the holiday season quickly approaching, there are friends to see, parties to attend, and lots of food to eat. With the abundance of treats to enjoy at this time of year, it can be difficult for those with braces to find yummy foods and snacks that will not cause damage to their wires and brackets. Luckily, there are some braces-friendly holiday recipes out there that can be an easy crowd-pleaser for everyone at the party, braces or not. Our Las Vegas orthodontist, Dr. Mark Truman, and our staff put together a few tasty holiday dishes that are soft, and easy to eat.
Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Mashed potatoes are a staple holiday delight that is present at almost every winter dinner party. The best thing about these garlic mashed potatoes is that their creamy consistency gives them a soft, smooth, melt-in-your-mouth texture, making them the perfect side dish for people with braces. Enjoy them with your holiday turkey or as a simple snack.
Ingredients:
- 3 ½ pounds russet potatoes
- 16 fluid ounces half-and-half
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 6 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
- 6 cloves garlic, crushed
Directions:
- Peel and dice the potatoes, making sure to chop them into relatively similar-sized chunks.
- Place the diced potatoes in a large saucepan, add the salt, and cover with water.
- Bring the potatoes to a boil over medium-high heat and then reduce heat to maintain a rolling boil until the potatoes fall apart when poked with a fork.
- In a medium sauce pan, heat the half-and-half and the garlic over medium-heat until it’s simmering. Remove the mixture from the heat and set aside.
- Once potatoes are finished cooking and have been drained of water, mash them together with the garlic-cream mixture and Parmesan.
- Let it stand for 5 minutes so that the mixture thickens and then serve.
Apple Spice Muffins
Craving something sweet but all you can find is sticky, chewy toffee? Have no fear because these sweet, crumbly apple spice muffins will satisfy your sweet tooth without impairing your orthodontic progress. Enjoy!You’ll Need:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup plain low-fat yogurt (not Greek yogurt)
- 1 cup all purpose flour, spooned into a measuring cup and leveled
- 1 cup whole wheat flour, spooned into a measuring cup and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 cups peeled, cored, and finely chopped baking apples
- 6 tablespoons dark brown sugar, packed (for topping)
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 12-cup muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray or butter.
- In an electric mixer, beat together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until fluffy, approximately 1-2 minutes.
- Add the large egg and mix well, stop to scrape the bowl if necessary.
- Once mixed, add in the yogurt. Note: the batter will look grainy.
- Add in the flours, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, cloves, and nutmeg and beat on low speed until just combined.
- Mix in the chopped apples until just combined. Do not over-mix.
- Using an ice-cream scooper or large spoon, dive the batter evenly among prepared muffin cups until each cup is full. Sprinkle the brown sugar topping evenly over the tops of the batter.
- Bake the muffins for 25 to 30 minutes. Insert a toothpick into the muffins to determine if they are ready. If the toothpick does not come out clean, continue baking.
- After removing the muffins from the oven, let them cool for 5 minutes in the pan, and then turn them out onto a rack to finish cooling completely.
- Serve warm.
