Only Recipes, by Alessandra Zecchini ©

There are some beautiful grapes on sale at the  Dragicevich  Orchard in Oratia, those old fashion grapes that really smell and taste like grapes (not like the stuff that you find in supermarkets). And they make a wonderful juice. Apparently grape juice has antioxidant effects, well, this would be a bonus, but the only thing that I can say so far is that it is delicious, and the aroma brings back happy childhood memories of picking grapes at my Grandma's in Italy. Yes, memories in a small glass!  Photos and Recipes by Alessandra Zecchini  ©

 A fruit lunch box: grapes, melon, watermelon, strawberries and wild strawberries (these are from the garden), plum and apricot, plus some mini pikelets. Easy as! Photos and recipes by Alessandra Zecchini  ©

Carrot and cucumber sticks, grapes, blueberries and Cape gooseberries, Olive focaccia (homemade) When I was living in Japan I learned to present lunch boxes including a spectrum of at least 5 colours. I try to do this with the kids' lunch boxes now, and these days the  5 + a Day  is also promoting 'colours', which is a good way to make food more interesting. Of course here in NZ lunch boxes are stuffed down the school bag and tossed around, so I could never make them like  these  super pretty bentos, (I also wouldn't have the time in the morning or late at night!) but sometimes I do them for a lunch at home. Now it is a complete coincidence that these lunch boxes are all Vegan (and containing mostly raw food!), often the kids would have cheese rolls and homemade pizza, and often a milky chocolate drink or a drinking yogurt too, but as they have so much milk and yogurt for breakfast everyday that they can do without for lunch! My problem has been tr...