Art of Natural Living

Lemon Panna Cotta

By Inger Apr 19, 2026 Cooking & Recipes 2 Comments

Creamy, bright, and lemony, Lemon Panna Cotta is an easy and special dessert.  Perfect for a holiday brunch like Mother’s Day or Easter. 

Lemon Panna Cotta

In the often inconsistent days of spring, sometimes you need a dessert that reminds you of sunshine.  Like this tasty Lemon Panna Cotta! 

Yes, lately it seems that one day it’s t-shirt weather, the next it’s snowing, and then it’s so rainy that ducks are swimming in the newly formed back yard pond. 

I sure could use a good dessert! Something bright, tart, and EASY.  

This Lemon Panna Cotta is all of the above.  Even better, with brunch season upon us, today’s Lemon Panna Cotta can move seamlessly from attitude adjustment right into Mother’s Day buffet star!  Read more

Vintage Tuna Rarebit

By Inger Apr 18, 2026 Main Dish No Comments

Come enjoy this makeover of the vintage classic Tuna Rarebit.  With rich cheddar and healthy tuna it will please kids and adults. 

Tuna rarebit served

Today, nutrition is in.  But the sixties, when I was a child, was not the era of health food.  Orange juice was mixed up from powder, spaghetti came out of a can… and hotdogs were everywhere! 

Even many foods that could be natural, like cheese, got processed.  There was easy-to-melt Velveeta, sandwich-ready American Cheese (separated by layers of plastic), and even cheese you could squirt from a can! 

But like a formerly grand old house, some of the classic old recipes are blessed with good bones.  Which means they can be tweaked, and maybe even turned healthy!  Read more

Strawberry Creme Brulee

By Inger Apr 4, 2026 Cooking & Recipes, Desserts & Snacks No Comments

Strawberry Creme Brulee is silky smooth custard, lightly flavored with strawberry, and topped with a crunchy caramelized sugar topping.

Strawberry Creme Brulee

It was a fateful day when I realized you didn’t need a torch to make crème brulee.  Instead you can caramelize the topping under the broiler. 

That revelation set off a series of experiments from cream to egg ratios… to fun new flavors (see Variations below).   

And even though I’ve now purchased a torch, I still like experimenting.  Today, I did Strawberry Crème Brulee to celebrate spring!  Read more

Thai Shrimp Soup (with Extra Carrots–shh)

By Inger Mar 28, 2026 Seafood, Soup 13 Comments

Thai Shrimp Soup is a little bit exotic, a little bit spicy, and a lot fun–with carrot strings and rice noodles to add nutrition and please the kids. 

Thai Shrimp Soup

Today’s Thai Shrimp Soup (aka Thai Noodle Soup) is tasty and fun.  And it’s also healthy–in part due to one of the cooking adages I live by, Add-a-Veggie!  

You see, US diets are likely to be lacking in vegetables, so I often ask if there is something I can add to a dish I’m cooking.  All while keeping (or improving) the character of the dish of course.

In this case I tossed in some julienned carrots.  The change was especially easy since I bought them precut!  When cooked in the soup, the long carrot strands become almost noodle-like. (Not that I’d ever try to fool my kids, ahem.)

Thai Shrimp Soup was the hit my Christmas Eve party, nearly a decade ago, with everyone going back for seconds. And the kids loved it for a simple lunch or dinner. But somehow it fell off the radar.

Here’s to a welcome re-discovery!  Read more