Only Recipes, by Alessandra Zecchini ©

Fresh pineapple, kiwi, banana, raspberries, mango, mandarin, blueberries and strawberries Nothing better than a colourful fruit plate for breakfast, dessert, or snack!  Berry fruit salad: strawberries, blueberries and raspberries Tropical fruit salads: pineapple, banana, mango and kiwi Photos and Recipes by Alessandra Zecchini  ©

I made these with my daughter, we used  Fresh As  freeze dried mandarins and blueberries, plus some dark chocolate (the darkest the better for me, and chose a non-dairy one for vegan chocolate). Just need to melt the chocolate and then half dip the mandarin slices. The freeze dried blueberries… sorry but you cannot see them… but we just added a few to the remaining chocolate (after we used all the mandarin slices) and then poured the mixture in chocolate molds. So easy, quick, and petty too! 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...

Oh yes, yummy yummy. At home we love crèmes, especially Arantxa and me (Max prefers chocolate puddings, but even he approved this one!). 3 eggs (medium-small) + 2 heaps tbsp sugar + 250ml cream + 1 tbsp of  dried mandarin segments  (put these in only at the end when the crème is thick and velvety). Remember to mix well while simmering so that the eggs don't curdle, some people find it easier to make the crème at bain Marie (double boiling) but I just use a low flame and good whisk. Pour into 4 glasses. Before serving add whipped cream, shaven dark (really dark) chocolate and some more segments of dried mandarines, which are crunchy and will create a nice contrast with the creamy texture underneath. To me, heavenly!! I am entering this recipe in the monthly blogging event Sweet New Zealand this month hosted by lovely Sue . Photos and Recipes by Alessandra Zecchini  ©

This is too easy! I just used some  Fresh As   mandarin segments (they are freeze dried) and dipped them in melted dark chocolate (I used Whittaker's 72% Dark Ghana). That's all. Photos and Recipes by Alessandra Zecchini  ©

Photo by Alessandra Zecchini  © I have a special bog candy for you this week:  Fresh As  products! Two lucky readers will receive the set as shown in the picture: 1 pack of strawberry powder, 1 pack of strawberry slices, and 2 packs of mandarin segments (plus recipe cards). You can also see the products  here , and for a sample recipe look here . If you live in New Zealand Click here to enter Good Luck!