Just Got "Wired" What to EAT? What Do I EAT????????

[PeaCat]

Greeting Fellow Grown-ups With Braces!

I'm now wired. My teeth were following down the path of my father's sister and I did NOT want my teeth to look like hers! I've taken good care of my teeth, NO FILLINGS or cavities, no periodontal disease, eaten a healthy diet all my life and what do my teeth do to reward me? Shifting and crowding each other even though they looked good when I was younger. The shifting was so bad that in some photos taken from the right side of my smile looked like I was missing my left front tooth!

My upper teeth are being moved forward and up, and my lowers will be straightened and brought forward. Those braces will go on in March.

By the time my aunt was in her late fifties her otherwise healthy teeth looked like they were about to shift right out of her mouth!

Okay, I've had them in for about 24 hours. I can already feel a slight difference in my upper teeth. (The lowers will go on later.) I've eaten lots of yougurt....well not "eaten", but slurpped off the spoon, smooshed a muffin, and nibbled a soft sausage, nibbled some smoked salmon. OMG! That little bit of food sure found it's way in between the brackets in no time!

Good thing I'm also trying to loose some weight as well as straighten out my teeth.

Does anybody have recipes for nutrient dense, non soy, non dairy smoothies? I think I'm going to avoid solid food as much as possible for the next two years. Well, not quite......

PeaCat

[linzlizrob]

You can use the regular dairy type smoothie recipes; just replace the traditional milk with almond milk....It's yummy and packs a lot of protein.

[bbsadmin]

See our main site for food suggestions:

http://www.archwired.com/soft_foods.htm

[Tobilei]

Ugh, yes, braces are messy. The pain may pass but the food in the braces sure doesn't

I second almond milk smoothies. Rice milk works too though.

Hope thing settle down for you soon!

[Louise!]

I feel you, it's been a week since I had a proper chewy meal and I feel a bit like its been a year ah well, it will all be worth it in the long run!

[deessepeaubrune]

Since I got braced yesterday, I've eaten:
Flatbread and hummus. kinda awkward
Mashed potatoes. AWESOME
Rice noodles with bok choy. Weird.

I think it's hilarious how crazy eating was for me yesterday.

[PeaCat]

Thank you everybody! The panic swiftly passed, now I'm getting creative.

PeaCat

[PatientPatient]

This is my saviour at the moment... from BBC food.
Is delicious and easy to eat... only downside is the risotto rice I have is the perfect size to stick between my brackets!
Easily fixed after though, and well worth it in my opinion, yummy...

Butternut Squash risotto:
1kg butternut squash (or pumpkin), peeled and cut into bite-size chunks
3 tbsp olive oil
bunch sage , leaves picked, half roughly chopped, half left whole ** I leave out the sage leaves**
1½l vegetable stock
50g butter
1 onion , finely chopped
300g risotto rice (we used arborio)
1 small glass white wine (is ok without)
50g parmesan or vegetarian alternative, finely grated

1. Before you make the risotto, heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Toss the squash in 1 tbsp oil together with the chopped sage. Scatter into a shallow roasting tin and roast for 30 mins until it is brown and soft.

2. While the squash is roasting, prepare the risotto. Bring the stock to the boil and keep on a low simmer. In a separate pan, melt half the butter over a medium heat. Stir in the onions and sweat gently for 8-10 mins until soft but not coloured, stirring occasionally. Stir the rice into the onions until completely coated in the butter, then stir continuously until the rice is shiny and the edges of the grain start to look transparent.

3. Pour in the wine and simmer until totally evaporated. Add the stock, a ladleful at a time and stirring the rice over a low heat for 25-30 mins, until the rice is cooked al dente (with a slightly firm, starchy bite in the middle). The risotto should be creamy and slightly soupy. When you draw a wooden spoon through it, there should be a wake that holds for a few moments but not longer.

At the same time, gently fry the whole sage leaves in a little olive oil until crisp, then set aside on kitchen paper. When the squash is cooked, mash half of it to a rough purée and leave half whole. When the risotto is just done, stir though the purée, then add the cheese and butter and leave to rest for a few mins. Serve the risotto scattered with the whole chunks of squash and the crisp sage leaves.

ENJOY