Only Recipes, by Alessandra Zecchini ©

1 can coconut cream 1 l oragnic soy milk (I use  Vitasoy , either Original, Milky or Calci Plus) 4 tbsp raw sugar 2 heap tbsp cocoa (the better the cocoa the better the flavour, so don't go for cheap baking cocoa, but for 'hot chocolate' quality) 2 tbsp cornflour Natural Vanilla essence  1 tbsp icing sugar Edible flowers to decorate Place the can of coconut cream in the fridge (possibly one day ahead). Dissolve the dried ingredients with a little soy milk to make a paste, then add the rest of the milk and mix well. Put on the stove on low and, always stirring, bring to simmering point. Make sure that you stir well, especially around the borders and bottom of the pot, so that the pudding has a smooth consistency. As soon as it start thickening turn the element off, add the vanilla essence (if using) and keep stirring until it has cooled down a bit. Divide into 8 dessert ramekins or small bowls and refrigerate. When the pudding is set o...

Arantxa picked flowers from the garden: roses, lavender, sage, violets and nasturtiums   I made my trusted vegan chocolate pudding, and since we are in season I wanted to top it with some strawberries, and maybe some flowers too? So I asked Arantxa to look after this. For 4 puddings: 500 ml oragnic soy milk (I use  Vitasoy , either Original, Milky or Calci Plus) 2 tbsp raw sugar 1 heap tbsp cocoa (the better the cocoa the better the flavour, so don't go for cheap baking cocoa, but for 'hot chocolate' quality) 1 tbsp cornflour Natural Vanilla essence (or a little cinnamon if you prefer) Strawberries and edible flowers to finish. Dissolve the dried ingredients with a little soy milk to make a paste, then add the rest of the milk and mix well. Put on the stove on low and, always stirring, bring to simmering point. Make sure that you stir well, especially around the borders and bottom of the pot, so that the pudding has a smooth consistency. As soon...

What to do for dessert with some rhubarb and a few strawberries (regular and wild) in the garden?   I boiled the rhubarb with 1 tbsp of sugar, added a pinch of agar agar and made a jelly to be topped with a little yogurt, the strawberries and some edible violets. Easy! Photos and recipes by Alessandra Zecchini  ©

Quinoa with flowers Ingredients 1 cup quinoa 2 cups water 1 small carrot 1 small cucumber 1 bunch onion weed (or spring onions) 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil juice from half a lemon salt and pepper to taste edible flowers Cook one cup of quinoa with two cups of water for 20 minutes. In the meantime chop very finely a small carrot, a small cucumber and a bunch of onion weeds (or spring onions). Put the still hot quinoa into a serving bowl, add two tbsp of extra virgin olive oil, the chopped vegetables, the juice of half a lemon and salt and pepper to taste. This dish can be served warm or cold (yes, even if it has cucumber it can be served warm!). Just before serving add edible flowers: I used onion weed flowers, marigold, violets and bok choy flowers. Photos and Recipes by Alessandra Zecchini  ©

Lots of people know by now that I eat flowers, but still, some think of it as a bit of a freak thing to do. But if you have a few edible flowers in your garden (absolutely organic, no sprays allowed) they just make your dishes look so pretty, and they are not merely a decoration, they can have flavour and fragrance too! I used onion weed flowers, which have a mild garlic/oniony taste, and nasturtiums, which are probably the only flowers that the general public in New Zealand seem to consder edible (some claim to use them in salads, but in all these years here I have seen more trendy talk than action, and still far too much coleslaw). My first borage flowers and a few little violets added perhaps little taste, but they are eye catching with their blue hues, and welcome on my plate anytime. On a large plate I prepared a bed of baby spinach leaves and then I steamed some asparagus. To save time and gas I steamed the asparagus over the vegetable soup that I ...