Art of Natural Living

Enjoying the Green Life

Swedish Cardamom Bread

By Inger Mar 22, 2024 Breads & Muffins, Cooking & Recipes 12 Comments

A golden braid of flavorful bread, Swedish Cardamom bread is tasty, sweet & surprisingly easy. Perfect for a special brunch–or anytime.

This post is sponsored in conjunction with #SpringSweetsWeek. I received product samples from sponsor companies to help in the creation of the week’s recipes. All opinions are mine alone. Now if you’d like a chance to enjoy some of these wonderful items yourself, take a look at the giveaway at the end of this post. And be sure to check out some of the other recipes below.

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I wish I’d started making this Swedish Cardamom bread a decade ago. My late stepfather was a big cardamom lover and would drive out of his way for bakery treats like this.

And while cardamom is more of an up and coming spice in the U.S., it’s been popular in Sweden for ages. And it wasn’t long before he turned me into a fan. Read more

Loaded Waffle Bar

By Inger Mar 20, 2024 Breakfast, Cooking & Recipes 15 Comments

Loaded with sweet and savory items like fruits and prosciutto, this waffle bar can make your next brunch fun, impressive and easy!

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Brunch entertaining is fun. And it’s extra special around holidays like Easter and Mother’s Day. In fact, I’ve been known to refer to spring as “Brunch Season.”

Yes, after a long dark winter, it’s a joy to pull together a wonderful meal for a crowd of friends and family.

But once in a while, I wonder if I can make special just a little bit easier. Like when you hold a Mother’s Day bash for 30 people and think, Hold it, wasn’t I supposed to have breakfast in bed or something?

But I love it too much to give it up! And so I got really excited when the lightbulb went on and I realized I could do a spectacular Waffle Bar brunch. And it wouldn’t be a lot of work! Read more

Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake with Vanilla Glaze

By Inger Mar 18, 2024 Cooking & Recipes, Desserts & Snacks 13 Comments

Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake with Vanilla Glaze pairs classic flavors to create an elegant and flavorful dessert.

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I think there’s something special about the combination of blueberry and lemon. It feels both earthy and festive—almost like “fun” and “well-being” joined hands in a dish.

It’s especially nice as winter fades. Lemon feels like sunshine, and blueberries give promise of harvests to come. Finally, the creamy vanilla glaze balances everything with warm mellow notes.

Yes, cut me another slice of the Lemon Blueberry pound cake, please! Read more

Classic Pavlova Dessert for Spring

By Inger Mar 17, 2024 Cooking & Recipes 5 Comments

Crunchy, creamy and fruity, this Classic Pavlova Dessert is as tasty as it is impressive, topped with whipped cream, berries and sprinkles.

I’ve always loved seeing the very elegant Pavlovas you find online. Especially the kind that look like meringue bowls topped with whipped cream and perfectly arranged fruit.

But some days, elegant isn’t what you’re looking for. And today I wanted something that was also fun… maybe effervescen and a little rowdy–in a sprinkles and M&Ms kind of way.

Even better, thinking fun helped me let go of my nerves about tackling this dessert. Would my meringue bowl sink flat while baking? Would it crack into a million pieces when I started to decorate? Just do it, Inger!

I needn’t have worried! In the end it worked well, even if there were a couple cracks. And the flavor? If you’re a meringue lover, it’s to die for! Read more