We had so much fun joining chef Jess Rice in her kitchen at the end of January as she whipped up these incredible recipes for healthy teeth. (Watch the video here.)

Jess is a vegan chef and raw foods advocate, as well as a certified holistic detox coach and plant-based educator. She’s the co-founder, former co-owner, and former executive chef at Avo in Nashville, the first full-scale raw restaurant in Tennessee. Plans for her second raw restaurant, Morel, are currently under way.

Jess has shared 2 of her comforting and delicious recipes with us below. Her recipes will keep you full and satisfied, meaning you won’t have to take out your invisible aligners as much to snack. The beans in her chili are high in calcium, helping boost your gum and tooth health. In addition, the red bell peppers and sweet potatoes are excellent sources of vitamin C – perfect for maintaining healthy gums, healthy teeth, and keeping your pearly whites nice and straight.

So let’s get cooking! Your smile and stomach are both sure to thank you.

Herb salad

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh mint, whole leaves picked
• 1 cup fresh Italian flat parsley, whole leaves picked
• ½ cup fresh cilantro, whole leaves picked
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, minced
• ¼ cup fresh basil, chiffonade
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halves
• 1 cup radishes, quartered
• 1 red bell pepper, filleted and julienned
• 1 cup Persian or English cucumbers, mandolin sliced fairly thin
• Arugula
• Spinach

• 2 cloves garlic, crushed and minced fine
• 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp cracked red pepper

Yield: 4 servings

Directions

Combine fresh herbs, veggies, arugula, and spinach in a bowl. Toss to combine. Whisk together vinaigrette ingredients, streaming in the olive oil last to emulsify.

Dress the amount of salad you plan to eat during that sitting, reserving whatever is left over so it doesn’t wilt with dressing on it if you want some leftovers!

Serve and enjoy!

Sweet Potato Chili

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 can red kidney beans
• 1 can pinto beans
• 2 sweet potatoes, large diced
• 2–3 jalapeños (depending on how hot you like it), seeded and small diced
• 2 red bell peppers, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 poblano pepper, chopped
• 1 yellow onion, small diced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
• 2 cans diced tomatoes
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• ½ can pumpkin purée
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp cayenne
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• Sea salt and red pepper flakes, to taste

Directions

Add olive oil, onion, and a sprinkle of sea salt to slow cooker, set on high. Prep all veggies as specified above. Toast cumin, cayenne, and chili powder in a dry frying pan 1–2 minutes, moving constantly.

Add spices to slow cooker. Throw sweet potatoes in slow cooker with garlic and 1 cup vegetable broth, and cook on high for 30 minutes. Add all peppers and canned tomatoes, pumpkin purée, and tomato paste.

Reduce heat to low and allow chili to cook while you’re at work! Taste and adjust salt as needed.

Ready for a straighter, healthier smile? Take the FREE 30-second Smile Assessment today to see if you’re a candidate for SmileDirectClub invisible aligners!

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