Apple and Berry Fruit Leather With Zucchini

You’ll love this apple and berry fruit leather treat. Apples and berries as a base add the flavour, and sneaky vegetables bulk it out. Perfect for the school lunch box!

These apple, berry and zucchini roll-ups are so good and addictive! I have to set rules when I make them or else it’s all gone within minutes. The ingredients are simple as anything, and can be adapted to suit your tastes. This one is fruit (apple and berries) and vegetables (zucchini) and two tablespoons of coconut cream.

The coconut cream can be optional but it creates a chewier, better-textured leather. The more you add the better the texture but the stronger the flavour of coconut cream. I find two tablespoons the right amount to create the texture without changing the taste.

Will kids taste the zucchini? Absolutely not! The apple and berry mask any vegetable taste completely.

I cook the apples first to make it easier to blend them, plus it makes them sweeter. The berries and zucchini are added in raw.

Once everything is blended to a smooth puree, taste it and see if it needs any sweetening or tweaking (maybe some more berries or a touch of honey or maple syrup).

Spread it onto a dehydrator sheet or on baking paper on an oven tray. Spread it to about 5mm thick. Too thick and it will take too long to dry, too thin and it will crack.

Let it dry in an oven of 65-70 Degrees Celsius (149-158 Degrees Fahrenheit.)

This will take about 5-8 hours. If drying in the oven, leave the door open a bit so the moisture can escape. You can speed things up by raising the oven temperature too, but the lower the temperature the more nutrients are retained from the raw fruit and vegetables.

Cut into strips and store in an airtight container. They last for ages if properly dried, but I highly doubt you’ll have them longer than a couple of days!

Have you made these? Tag me and let me know! @home_grown_happinessnz

Check out more zucchini recipe here!