Blog Posts

Kombucha you Betcha!

4/11/2015

What we do for our body everyday affects our health in the long run. That being said there are some old time tested health practices you should try. Kombucha being one of the oldest almost 2000 years old.
What is Kombucha you may ask?
Kombucha is a mixture of sugar, water, green tea, yeast and healthy bacteria all brewed up and fermented till it grows its own colony known as a scoby. The "SCOBY" is an egg like bacteria colony that resembles a mushroom. The scoby can be propagated or peeled apart after its mature and used for making additional containers of Kombucha. The beauty of using Kombucha is that you can get a friend or family member started with just a few quick instructions and a peeled off scoby from your batch, we call this the mother or master scoby.
The process takes up to 10 days to grow a scoby or the good bacteria. The taste is like apple cider, a little sweet and acidic. The acidity is important to protect you from nasty stuff like E. Coli or worse.
What are the health benefits?
For over 2000 years this mushroom tea has helped in detoxification of the liver, adding glucosamines to the body which help repair the joints and its cartlidge and acting as a powerful probiotic which helps in fibromyagia and common bowl problems. You can make this at home very easily. There are many websites you can purchase a starter kit. Try your local health food store.
We reccommend Haars Heath Foods on Delsea Dr in Vineland for all our heath and wellness needs. http://www.haarshealthfoodcenter.com/.
We hope you try adding some healthy things to your daily regimine and please stay well.
Live Well
Dr. John

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Dr. John's "power up" Quinoa and Kale salad

4/6/2015

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This has to be one of my favorite summer salads. This is easy and delicious. You can make this up an take this to work for lunch the next day. The dressing can be added and chilled or left off till you eat this delectable treat.
Start with a bunch of fresh Kale rinsed and remove the stems.
Add:
1 Fresh mango diced
1 cup of soft goat cheese (Feta)
1/2 cup craisins
1 cucumber diced and peeled
1 sweet onion diced
1 cup of cooked Quinoa
*** ADD grilled shrimp or chicken for an extra bit of Bazinga!
Salad Dressing:
You can use what ever you want as a dressing for this.
I use a Vinaigrette dressing
4 tbs. of champagne vinegar
1Tbl. of Dijon mustard
1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
Sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste
Make sure to shake the mixture well to blend all the flavors.
Live Well,
Dr. John

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What is CBD oil and how does it help with Chronic pain?

4/3/2015

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CBD is Hemp oil manufactured from industrial hemp for its oils not the THC compound. The cannabis compound is the beneficial part of the oil. The oil is a sublingual which means it can be dropped under the tongue and used for is health benefits. Hemp products are legal in all 50 states and do not require a prescription. There are no side effects with the use of CBD oils and there is no "HIGH" associated with its use. Anyone can use CBD oil.
www.pubmed.gov has good articles on its uses and benefits. The literature has shown its uses in such cases as Multiple Sclerosis, Juvenile/Adult Seizure Disorders, Anxiety, Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Pain and spasm from Arthritis. There are many other used for the CBD oil, the research is out there on the PubMed website as well as many other sites. This may be an option for folks who cannot take pain medication or has allergies to certain drugs.
Live Well,
Dr. John

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Your Doctor Lied! Eggs and Butter won't kill you.

3/20/2015

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I like to introduce new products that we try, Avocado oil is new, its just as good as coconut oil that we use however it has a higher flash point and it doesn't burn up or smoke at a higher temperature like coconut oil does. The taste is creamy and like olive oil is moldable to your flavor and will not be over bearing like the taste of coconut oil. The brand I like is from Chosen Foods and you can buy this almost anywhere if you go to your local supermarket or BJ's wholesale club.
The other perfect food I urge everyone to use is fresh brown eggs from a local farmer or your local chicken lady as we call her. The brown eggs are from free range chickens that eat from the grass, bugs etc. not totally grain fed and really large. The taste is sweet with big yolks and cook up nice as a snack or meal when poached, fried or hard boiled. In the past the media has lied to you as well as your medical doctor! We have always said that this is a good cholesterol and wont make you a heart attack waiting to happen as they led you to believe for over 50 years. And don't be afraid to fry these up in real butter because that won't kill you either.
Live Well,
Dr. John

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Dr. John's Gluten Free Fried Eggplant

3/18/2015

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Yes, eggplant can be made many ways. I like to stuff, grill and best of all fry my eggplant. There are many types of eggplant and you can use any of the varieties available. My favorite is the Sicilian or large purple and white eggplant.
Cut the eggplant about a 1/4 inch and salt both sides and let sit till they sweat about 10-15 mins.
Dredge the eggplant in Arrowroot instead of flour.
Then dip in an egg wash and drip off the excess.
Then dredge in your favorite breadcrumbs or for the gluten free crowd use ground up pork rinds or flax or almond meal from Red Mill.
In a cast iron or regular pan on med heat use about 1/2 to 1 cup of olive oil or Avocado oil and fry till light brown.
Remove and lay out on paper towels and use garlic salt to add flavor.
I also use Red Gravy and provolone cheese to make it even better as a topping but eating them plain is the bomb!
Live Well,
Dr. John

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Dr. John's Favorite Dandelion Salad

3/13/2015

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What the hell are you doing eating a weed? Many people laugh at us Italians when we say were having dandelion salad with dinner. Most of the civilized world spend a fortune on Scotts weed killer and pull these pesky weeds but us here in Vineland NJ tend to hold our scourge as a sacred food. We not only eat the leaves but we make wine out the flowers and sausage out of the leaves.
My good friend Tina reminded me at WaWa today that I did not include my Dandelion salad in my blog so this is for you my friend.
Now that we got that out of the way the dandelion season is short so watch your local farmers for the beginning of the season.
Begin with a boat load of fresh picked dandelion, make sure to rinse well or you will be chewing on sand my friends.
Cut off the roots and begin adding the following items to your salad.

Mushrooms, sundried tomatoes, hard boiled egg slices, bacon, and onion.
I like to use Red Wine Vinegar and olive oil as my dressing but you can also use Balsamic Vinegar, or any dressing you wish.
Live Well,
Dr. John

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Dr. John's Spring is here Kale salad

3/11/2015

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Kale is a wonderful change to any old lettuce salad. Start with two bunches of fresh washed Kale.
Pull the leaves from the stems and break apart.
Use Nutritional yeast as an added benefit for flavor and texture.
I use the following ingredients:
Kale
Mango
Feta cheese
Sweet onion
Crasins
Mushrooms
I make the dressing this way:
In a small container add 1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup avocado oil
2 Tbs. of organic honey
1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro
1 Tsp. sea salt
Let the dressing sit in the cold for about an hour or two so the contents blend well.
Make sure to shake the dressing well before using.
Live Well,
Dr. John

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Dr. John's spice it up Italian long hots

3/6/2015

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With all this snow on the ground I am really looking forward to some good fresh garden eats. I have been looking forward to spring because it brings lots of great food to the table.
This dish I prepared back in 2009, it was so good, the long hots were sweet and hot and the peppers were huge that summer.
I start with about 2 dozen long hot Italian peppers either green or red I love the color and taste of both.
In a pan add about 2-3 tbs. of extra virgin olive oil. On low heat begin to sauté about 15-20 cloves of fresh crushed garlic.
Add the peppers after you poke multiple holes into the peppers with a fork.
Cook the peppers down till almost soft then add crushed red pepper flakes.
When you take out the peppers be sure to sprinkle some garlic salt on the top and mix with an additional 2-3 tbs. of fresh olive oil.
Serve warm with a loaf of fresh semolina bread and aged Asiago cheese sliced razor thin.
For an extra layer of flavor drizzle some balsamic vinegar over the bread or onto the peppers.

Live Well,
Dr. John

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Dr. John's Sweet potato and butternut squash soup

3/3/2015

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This is a good combination of butternut squash and sweet potato, the taste is creamy and smooth as well as sweet and gluten free.
Start with the following ingredients:
1 2-3 lb. butternut squash cut and diced into small chunks.
1 yellow or orange sweet potato peeled and cut into small chunks.
4 stalks of celery, 4 large carrots and 1 large onion diced.
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. sea salt
10-15 cloves of crushed garlic
2 tsp. of cracked black pepper
5 cups of chicken stock or bone broth
2 lbs. of fresh fennel or regular sweet sausage
1-2 Tbs. of olive oil
In a large stock pot sauté the garlic in the olive oil and then add the celery, carrots and onions. Let sauté for about 3-4 mins till soft.
Add the squash and the sweet potato into the mix then add the 5 cups of chicken stock and let simmer for 35 mins until all contents are soft.
Use and immersion blender to smooth out the mix.
Add 2 bay leaves, salt and pepper and thyme and let simmer for about 10 mins.
In a pan fry up the loose sausage till crispy brown and add to the soup.
Garnish with fresh parsley and cheese if you like.
Live Well,
Dr. John

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Dr. John's crispy Paleo plantain fritters

2/27/2015

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What the hell's a Plantain you may ask? A plantain is from the banana family, it comes in three colors: green, yellow and black. We will using the black plantain today it is the sweetest of the plantain family of bananas.
The plantain shares the same good starch you would find in a sweet potatoes. The taste is sweet and soft and the texture ranges from chunky to smooth depending how you mash it up. This dish fries up nice and crispy on the outside and the inside tastes sweet like warm hash browns.
1 cup of raw plantains =181 calories per serving and 47 carbs per gram.
Start with 2 black soft plantains.
I use a food processor but you can mash with a fork.
Add 1 red apple shredded to the mix.
Add 1 egg beaten to the mix.
You can also add cinnamon and parmesan cheese if you want to mix it up a bit.
Use 2 tbs. of organic coconut oil and begin to scoop 1 table spoon of mix into the hot oil.
Flatten the scoop evenly with the back of the spoon and fry for about 1-1/2 mins each side or until lightly brown.
Take out and place on a paper towel and use garlic salt to season lightly.
This is great for a breakfast hash brown or a side with any dish.
Keep it healthy and fresh and you will enjoy making new dishes.
Live Well,
Dr. John

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Forward>>

Kombucha you Betcha!

Dr. John's "power up" Quinoa and Kale salad

What is CBD oil and how does it help with Chronic pain?

Your Doctor Lied! Eggs and Butter won't kill you.

Dr. John's Gluten Free Fried Eggplant

Dr. John's Favorite Dandelion Salad

Dr. John's Spring is here Kale salad

Dr. John's spice it up Italian long hots

Dr. John's Sweet potato and butternut squash soup

Dr. John's crispy Paleo plantain fritters

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Dr. John Mainiero, DC