Michelle Schoffro Cook's Blog

Solstice is the longest day of the year with the sun at its peak. Or, in the winter, the solstice is the shortest day of the year, with the darkness at its peak. Not just another day on the calendar, it represents the balance between light and darkness, a reflection of our own duality.

The sun is at its peak and there is a renewal of hope after the long winter’s darkness. It’s also a reminder of our cosmic connection which seems so strained in the hustle culture of our modern world, where artificial lights and unnatural rhythms blur the lines of day and night, confounding our neurotransmitters and circadian rhythms. Is it any wonder so many of us feel disconnected and depressed?

We have lost touch with nature and forgotten our place in it. But, solstice is not a day to wade in the murky waters of sadness and despair. It is a reminder that no matter how much darkness we’ve experienced, we can lift our head toward the sun, feel its warmth on our skin, its light on our face, and choose to move toward the light.

While the darkness may feel familiar, we know we are not meant to stay there. We are not meant to settle in life. Even when we may not feel it, there is light within our soul.  We are meant to honour that spark of light within and nurture its brilliance. After all, we are reflections of its radiance.

The photo showcases apples from my century-old apple tree, named Solstice. Its apples have a bright and citrusy flavour that taste like apple lemonade. The apples even look like miniature suns with their brilliant yellow colour, with hints of a sun-kissed blush.

© Michelle Schoffro Cook  DrMichelleCook.com

Discover strategies to restore adrenal gland health in my new book Essential Oils for Women: Boost Your Energy, Lose Weight, Improve Your Sleep, Beat Brain Fog, and More. Now available in print and ebook options.  

Photo and text Copyright Michelle Schoffro Cook

Most people know about the heart-healing benefits of eating more nuts, seeds, beans, and colorful vegetables, but there are three more heart-healing foods to consider:

Sauerkraut

Most people think of sauerkraut as a gut healer, which, of course, it is. But, this superfood is also great for the heart and blood vessels. In a study published in Food and Function, researchers found this probiotic-rich food reduced triglycerides and cholesterol, while boosting the powerful antioxidants superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione. These antioxidants eliminate harmful free radicals—charged molecules that damage the cells and tissues in the body, including the heart and blood vessels. Be sure to select fermented varieties that are unpasteurized as the pasteurization process destroys the beneficial microorganism that give this food its super powers. And, many of cabbage’s nutrients become more absorbable during the fermentation process, giving this food even more benefits. Add sauerkraut to meat and poultry dishes, rice bowls, or salads.

The best way to ensure your sauerkraut is full of active microbes is to make your own. Learn how easy it is in my book The Cultured Cook.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Often considered a weight loss superfood, this condiment contains the valuable nutrient known as chlorogenic acid, which according to the journal Biochemical Pharmacology, helps prevent the oxidation of cholesterol, which is an important step to block to prevent the worsening of heart disease. Add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar (again, make sure it is unpasteurized) to water and drink 20 to 30 minutes prior to eating. Top your favorite greens or chopped vegetables with apple cider vinegar and olive oil, or add a little honey, some mashed berries, and sparkling water to make a delicious and heart-healing drink called a shrub. The best way to get unpasteurized apple cider vinegar is to make your own. And, it’s more affordable than the store-bought stuff, easier than you’d imagine and can even be made with apple scraps you’d normally throw away. Learn how in my book The Cultured Cook.

Red Cabbage Microgreens

Microgreens are powerhouses of nutrition but when it comes to your heart, red cabbage microgreens stand above the rest. Research in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry found that microgreens grown from red cabbage lowered inflammatory compounds called cytokines that have been linked to heart disease. Available in many health food stores and grocery stores, red cabbage microgreens are also easy to grow yourself, even on a windowsill or a corner of your kitchen counter. All you need is a food-safe tray or dish, a bit of soil, a packet of red cabbage seeds, and a regular dose of water and you’ll have a fresh supply in a week or so.

Michelle Schoffro Cook is a homesteader, orchardist, and the author of 25 books including her most recent ones: Essential Oils for Women (available in print: https://amzn.to/4hXJR9O or Kindle: https://amzn.to/3WWqKVq) and Essential Oils for Body, Mind & Spirit (available in print: https://amzn.to/3CPlYSO or Kindle: https://amzn.to/3WZ6xOX). DrMichelleCook.com.

I watched as the man who was like a second father to me, a man who was loved by everyone who knew him and affectionately referred to as “The Padre,” frantically placed his hand over his heart and fell backward.

            I bolted from my nightmare, sweating in terror that this man who had helped me through my most troubled, somber times in my life, seemed to be having a heart attack.

            It was early morning but I knew someone at the rectory where he worked would be there to answer the phone. I could not conceal the panic as my voice waivered, “Is Father Ron okay?” The voice on the other end angrily responded, “Who told you?”

            “No one told me anything,” I responded defensively, continuing, “I had a nightmare that Father Ron had a heart attack and I just needed to find out if he was okay.” My answer seemed to satisfy the woman and she asked me who is calling in a gentler tone than her original retort suggested. While we did not know each other, she clearly knew of me, which didn’t surprise me as Father Ron had told many people that I was the daughter he never had.

            Her tone further softened as she told me that he had been rushed to the hospital for an emergency bypass operation after suffering from a massive heart attack. “He’s in intensive care. They’re not sure yet whether he’ll pull through.”

            Forcing back tears, I thanked her for sharing the distressing news, packed a few things in a bag, then hopped in my car to begin the six-hour drive to see him. I knew it was unlikely that anyone at the hospital would let me in as I was not his biological daughter, but I had to at least try to be there for the man that had pulled me out of the depths of despair on more than one occasion during my teenage and early adult years, the man whom I admired probably more than anyone I had ever met, and whom I deeply loved like a father.

            I received the anticipated, “I’m sorry, only family can see Ronald at this time.” I asked her if, when he awoke from the surgical sedatives, if she would just let him know that I came to see him and wished him a full recovery. I sat down in the waiting area of the hospital to collect myself before embarking on my drive to a nearby family member’s home. To my surprise, the nurse came up to me and said, “Ronald would like to see you.”

            I sat holding his hand thinking that this was the last time I would ever see him. There were so many things I wanted to tell him, like how he had saved my life, how much he meant to me, how much I desperately wanted him to live, how much I loved him, but all the words came out as “I’m sorry this happened to you and I know you can pull through this.” I didn’t know any such thing. Honestly, I thought it was the last time I would ever see him and it was all I could do not to cry while I sat with him.

            As soon the door closed behind me, the tears flooded down my face. I could barely see as I walked through the hospital halls, unaware of anyone or anything. I don’t even know how I navigated the drive as my eyes were so strained from crying.

            Later that evening, I sat and wrote all the things I wanted to tell him, all the things I worried I would never get to say, and that I thought he would never hear or know. I returned to the hospital the next day and asked the nurse if she would mind giving my scribbled letter, as well as a poem I had written about him, to Father Ron.

            Weeks later, after Father Ron was discharged from the hospital, and was convalescing at a tiny cabin on the grounds of a convent, he phoned me and asked me to visit, which I promptly did. We sat and talked for hours and he shared, “When I didn’t know who anyone was, who I was, why I was going through this, and doubting whether I would even survive this horrible experience, I read your words over and over again. They reminded me that I was deeply loved and I knew that I needed to stay alive. Your words saved my life.”

            I knew that the surgery and care he received had saved his life, but I will never forget that he said my words had saved his life. Many years have passed and I’ve been fortunate to have received praise and awards for my writing, including the publication of and an award for the poem I wrote for him, but nothing has ever meant as much as his words. I could not imagine a greater honour: that someone I loved read my writing to get through their darkest hour and credited them for saving his life.

            I felt proud that I was able to repay the selfless kindness Father Ron had shown me over the years. He was always my “soft place to fall” and had saved my life on more than one occasion as I had struggled with the challenges I faced.

            Thinking back to when we first met, I recalled his gentle demeanor as he leaned forward over the desk of his office, awaiting answers to his questions. Being a seven-year-old child, eager to get a badge for Girl Guides, I can only imagine what I must have said that made him smile so much. But, I remember that we just “clicked.” From that moment on, I remember his pride as I experienced milestone after milestone in my life. “That’s my girl,” he would regularly tell me unless my parents were within earshot, then he would say, “that’s our girl.” That always made my heart sing. To the outside world, we had nothing in common, but to each other we were strangely alike. He was a father to me, and I was his daughter.

            Ron lived another few years after his heart surgery before he peacefully passed in his sleep. I will never forget him or the words he shared about how my writing impacted him, but I will also never forget some of his last words to me. He said, “I am a Catholic priest and you are no longer Catholic, but we are father and daughter. There are many beliefs that separate us, but many more that unite us. At our core, we are alike, we feel many of the same things, we have a common humanity that connects us. We are far more alike than we are different.”

            Those words have stayed with me my whole life. And, they don’t just apply to Father Ron and me. Ron was always wise and freely shared his wisdom with others. Even many years after he passed, his wisdom is never more profound than it is today. No matter our differences, we are more alike than we are different. We have a common humanity that connects us.

            I named one of the tallest trees in my orchard “The Padre.” Every year since I found “The Padre” apple tree, it has produced plentiful amounts of apples that taste like drinking the most intensely-delightful apple lemonade, both sweet and tart. Father Ron and I shared both the sweet and the bitter experiences in life, and they both deepened our bond.

Chocolate mousse that helps turn back the clock? It sounds too good to be real but this delightful dessert is a dream come true. But, what are its anti-aging properties? Actually, there are many:

A Harvard Medical School study found that middle-aged and elderly women who ate one to two servings of cocoa-rich chocolate had a 32% reduced risk of heart failure. Cocoa also supports brain health by aiding the production of dopamine—a brain chemical that helps us feel good. Impaired dopamine production is involved in brain disorders like Parkinson’s disease. Cocoa is also high in flavonoids, which are potent antioxidants that help eliminate free radicals associated with aging.

Cashews promote heart and blood health. The nuts are rich in the mineral copper, which helps to ensure the healthy production of red blood cells and the regulation of heart rate and blood pressure. They are also high in eye-healing rutin and vitamin E that helps to protect against free radical damage to the eyes. Copper is also needed for strong bones. Research also shows that eating more nuts like cashews can reduce your risk of dying from a heart attack. The researchers found that just one serving, one to four times weekly reduced the risk of dying by 11%.

Gelatin is a form of collagen that is found in the connective tissue, skin, and bones. It is high in amino acids, the building blocks of protein, consuming it has been found to be beneficial for a healthy brain, joints, bones, and skin, and may even prevent wrinkling.

Recipe: Anti-Aging Chocolate Mousse

This recipe is best made in a high-powered blender that can heat its contents. The instructions below are for this type of blender. Instructions for a traditional blender follow.

2 cups water     

1 cup cashews

4 Tablespoons cocoa

4 Tablespoons honey

2 Tablespoons gelatin

Blend together all ingredients except gelatin together until smooth. Add the gelatin and blend until hot but not boiling, approximately 4 minutes. Pour into molds and refrigerate until firm—about 2 hours.

Instructions if you don’t have a high-powered blender that heats its contents: You can still make this mousse by blending all ingredients until smooth (you may need to soak the cashews in the water for at least an hour so the finished mousse will be smooth and creamy). Once it is smooth, heat on the stove over low- to medium- heat until hot, but not boiling. Then pour into molds and refrigerate until firm—approximately 2 hours.

Rediscover the transformative healing power right beneath your nose with Essential Oils for Body, Mind & Spirit and Essential Oils for Women.

Photo Copyright Michelle Schoffro Cook

Five years ago, I planted some cilantro in my garden even though I rarely use the fresh herb. Every spring since then, little yellow-green cilantro leaves pop up in the same area thanks to a few escapee seeds that drop each fall. I let the plant grow and harvest the seeds, known as coriander, when they turn brown and begin to dry out. I grind them with a mortar and pestle and use them in curries, chutney, pickles, and dried spice blends. The photos here are some of my most recently-harvested coriander seeds.

Coriander grew wild across southern Europe and eastern Asia and has been cultivated, harvested, and eaten for thousands of years. There are references to the plant in ancient texts from China, Egypt, India, and Rome. Ancient Egyptians believed that the herb could travel with them into the afterlife, where it could be food for the departed. Perhaps that is why coriander seeds were even found at the tombs of both Tutankhamun and Rameses II. Like their medieval European counterparts who believed coriander was an aphrodisiac, Egyptians also steeped coriander with garlic in wine and drank it for the same purpose. Egyptians also believed that coriander held the secret to happiness. Some believed that it offered protection and immortality.

Photo Copyright Michelle Schoffro Cook

While I can’t attest to many of these uses, the Egyptians may have been right about coriander holding at least a partial secret to happiness (I still believe following your heart’s desires is also key). Because of coriander’s coumarin and linalool content, it can have a mildly euphoric effect. As a result, it may be helpful with depression and other mood disorders. Of course, always consult your doctor if you suspect you’re suffering from mental illness. Coriander has a unique mildly nutty and spicy taste when used in cooking, although it is not hot.

I also have an apple orchard so I’m constantly creating new recipes for apples. One of my favorites involves the combination of apples and coriander seeds, as well as some apple vinegar that I also make, chilies from my garden, cloves, salt, and pepper. If I do say so myself (and I do!), this apple chutney is a delicious addition to rice, curries, or just spread on toast. I normally just throw the ingredients together as things can get a bit hectic during the height of apple season, but when I have time, I’ll take the steps to turn my chutney creation into a professionally-developed recipe to share with you. In the meantime, consider getting some ground coriander or grinding some yourself and adding it to some of your favorite foods.

Photo copyright Michelle Schoffro Cook. All rights reserved.

“Apple trees typically grow ten to 15 feet tall,” they said. “They live up to 75 to 100 years,” they said. “Apple season is in the fall,” they said. It’s a good thing this apple tree, known as “The Empress” didn’t hear them, or at least didn’t listen, when it grew to the height of a four-storey building. Alive for well over one hundred years, The Empress bursts forth with sweet crimson apples every July and August, making it one of the rare early-season varieties. The next time someone tells you “it’s not possible,” “you’ll never succeed,” or “you’re not good enough,” consider the beautifully-rebellious Empress, that simply did what apple trees do, unbothered by limiting beliefs and small-minded opinions, and now stands as a living testament to the power of self belief and resolve. (Photo: I’m standing with The Empress here in this photo to show scale.)

Photo Copyright Michelle Schoffro Cook. All rights reserved.

During the grey and lifeless winter months, the apple tree named Wuthering Heights, appears stark and windblown, almost lifeless. But after the weariness of the cold and ice, comes the spring, marked by a stunning array of pink and white apple blossoms. It is as if the tree finds within itself a spirit of renewal, hope, beauty, and love. The intoxicating fragrance of roses fills the senses as the blossoms reveal their family of origin. The stunning display of unusually pink flowers envelopes the tree and all signs of its former self are gone.

In the same way, we can live in our self-created misery or we can muster the hope and love that lies buried in our heart and spring into action. We can push aside our negative self-talk and the false rationales we create as to why we do not deserve happiness. We can cast aside the self- or socially-induced sabotage, and take the first step toward that which brings us joy and fills our heart with passion. Naysayers: step aside. And, in the moment we make the decision to move forward to fulfill our destiny, we are transformed from the darkness we have accepted as normal to the brilliant light within that shall soon be reflected without.

Enjoyed this blog? Discover great information about using foods as medicine in my e-book Food Fix: The Most Powerful Healing Foods and How to Use Them to Overcome Disease and the companion e-book Food Fix Recipes. Learn more about great natural ways to overcome pain in my upcoming book, Pain Erasers: The Complete Natural Medicine Guide to Safe, Drug-Free Relief. 

Photo copyright 2024 Michelle Schoffro Cook. All rights reserved.

The dandelion is an herb in serious need of an image makeover. Cursed by many gardeners and those in quest of perfect lawns, dandelion is frequently viewed as a pest plant. If you walk past my home, you’ll know it from the dandelions that grow rampant on the front lawn. While my neighbors continue to douse the yellow flowers with harmful pesticides, I prefer to let the resilient and prevalent flowers grow. That’s because, in addition to dandelion’s excellent nutritional benefits, research supports its extensive history of use. Studies are increasingly showing dandelion may offer benefits in fighting cancer, preventing osteoporosis, treating Alzheimer’s disease, supporting liver health, and much more.

As far back as 1880, studies showed that dandelion is an effective treatment for hepatitis and swelling of the liver. A German study proved that dandelion root helped alleviate jaundice and reduce gallstones and newer research shows that dandelion root protects the liver against some harmful toxins.

Using Mother Nature’s Free Multivitamin

Dandelion greens are like Mother Nature’s free multivitamin. They are rich in vitamins A, C, and K, contain vitamin E, folate (vitamin B9), and other B-complex vitamins, as well as the minerals calcium, iron, magnesium, and potassium. They are also a good source of the prebiotic inulin. Prebiotics are basically the food that help beneficial probiotics multiply in your gut. So, they are also like a free gut health boost too.

Most of the studies on the effectiveness of dandelion use dandelion root tinctures or dandelion root or leaf tea. You can make a dandelion root decoction, which is like a long-brewing tea made from the roots or fibrous parts of plants, using two teaspoons of powdered or coarsely chopped dandelion root per cup of water. Bring to a boil and simmer for forty-five minutes. Make a large enough batch to ensure that it won’t just evaporate during the cooking time. Drink one cup three times daily. I use roasted and powdered dandelion root to make a delicious dairy-free ice cream.

I add a handful or two of young dandelion greens to many dishes including: omelettes, quiches, or mixed green salads and make a refreshing lemonade from the brilliant yellow flowers. The flowers are rich in heart-healing polyphenols and antioxidant (read anti-aging!) carotenoids.

Dandelion Flower Lemonade

I pick about 30 to 40 fresh yellow flowers and steep them in one quart (roughly one Litre) of boiled water for 10 to 30 minutes, sweeten with a natural sweetener, and add the juice of a lemon or two. Chill and serve over ice.

Harvesting Dandelion

The roots, stems, leaves, and flowers can be harvested. Regardless of which you are using, be sure to gather them from an area free of pesticides and lawn sprays. Be cautious even about harvesting from your own lawn unless you live away from traffic and are confident of the land’s chemical-free status.

Dandelion greens and stems taste best when they’re young and tender. As they grow, they become increasingly bitter. To harvest the roots, conversely, look for large plants. I’ve found it easiest to harvest the roots after a rainfall, when the ground is still soft and the roots come out whole.

As always, check with your doctor if you have any health conditions and before using any herbs or remedies. This blog is intended for informational purposes only and should not replace a consultation with your physician. 

Learn more about dandelion and many other amazing and readily-available herbs in my book Be Your Own Herbalist: Essential Herbs for Health, Beauty, and Cooking.