Sometimes, you might have a craving for something sweet, but you need to think about your teeth in the process. You don't want a lot of sugar in the foods that you eat as it will settle on the teeth, deteriorating the enamel and causing cavities to develop. A delicious tooth friendly recipe that can be altered depending on the flavors that you enjoy is an apple-raisin salad. This healthy salad isn't like a traditional dish that includes lettuce and vegetables. It includes fruits, yogurt and nuts that are ideal for the spring and summer. You can add a few spices for a winter treat.

The first thing that you need to do when preparing this salad is to cut five apples into cubes after the seeds are removed. You can use any kind of apple that you enjoy, but red apples work best for the sweet flavors that you desire.

Combine the following ingredients in a bowl:

1/2 cup of chopped nuts
1/2 cup of raisins
1/2 cup of celery that has been chopped

Walnuts work best in this recipe. You could use pecans but make sure that they are chopped into small pieces. If you don't like celery, you can replace it by putting the salad mixture on a bed of lettuce. To give a creamy component, combine 1/2 cup of mayonnaise as well as a teaspoon of lemon juice. Yogurt also works well, and you don't need to add the lemon juice if you don't want a lot of acidity. Whether you use mayonnaise or yogurt, you want to have enough that will coat the apples and the raisins so that the salad isn't dry. Apples can be left in slices if you want to have a small bowl on the side with yogurt to dip them into.

To learn more about taking care of your teeth and gums, just visit Beecroft Orthodontic's office or give us a call on 540-898-2200 to book an appointment. We'd be happy to assist you and address any and all of your concerns.

Beecroft Orthodontics

10472 Georgetown Dr. Fredericksburg, VA 22553 Phone: 540-898-2200

Tooth-Friendly Recipe 8: Apple-Raisin Salad