ARTE’s first market for 2015 is fast approaching: Friday 9^th January at Times Square Center. Join us to make a fresh start to the New Year with pure handmade arts and crafts by our local vendors. Be it to refresh the decorating in your home, updating your personal fashion style or entertaining your family for the afternoon, pass by to meet some friendly faces and inspect the creative force which is ARTE.

January is always a time for reflection and revision. Many people are considering healthier lifestyle choices, especially after the indulgences of the festive season. ARTE is fortunate to have two vendors offering vegan food products, including gluten and sugar free options.

Raw Love Vegan

Evelin at Raw Love Vegan hails from Estonia and turned vegetarian 5 years ago at the encouragement of her daughter. She explains raw vegan food as “excluding all animal products and all foods cooked above 48°C (118 °F) when the enzymes start to degrade”. The difference between raw vegan and vegetarian food is that vegetarianism also excludes all animal products including honey and eggs, but food can be cooked, fried, steamed or baked. Evelin believes “we are what we eat and that everything starts with our choices of the way we think, eat and behave and always finding excuses not eating healthy, train or thinking positively”. She loves the amazing, light feeling after her raw vegan meals and boasts to the benefits of a clearer skin, easy digestion and having more energy.

To start your new day in a new way, Evelin suggests this breakfast recipe for Morning “Nana” Ice-cream:

Morning ‘’nana’’ ice-cream with homemade muesli, gluten free, sugar free & dairy free

Morning ‘’nana’’ ice-cream with homemade muesli, gluten free, sugar free & dairy free.

Preparation time: 10 min

Muesli

2 cups of rolled oats

½ cup of dried figs

½ cup of dates

½ cup of hazelnuts / almonds / peanuts – choose which one you like

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tbs cacao

Pinch of Pink Himalayans salt

Cut figs into smaller pieces. Blend the nuts in the high speed mixer. Add all other ingredients. You can add more cinnamon, cacao or nutmeg as per your own taste or any other dried fruit. Instead of figs you can use raisins and different kind of nuts. Store in an airtight container in fridge up to 7 days.

‘’Nana’’ Ice-Cream

2 frozen bananas

2 cups of frozen blueberries or raspberries.

In case using raspberries add couple of dates into the mixture to make it sweeter, or use maple / agave syrup. Mix all items together in blender, until it becomes creamy texture. Serve immediately with the raw homemade muesli.

Images courtesy of Evelin at Raw Love Vegan. Follow her on Facebook for regular posts, pictures and yummy recipes.

Lecia & Vivian Desserts

British cook Lecia, from the duo Lecia & Vivian, prepares her desserts raw, which means that “all the uncooked ingredients hold on to their nutritional value as the good stuff is not cooked out by conventional methods”. By only using natural ingredients like nuts, dates, coconut, cacao powder, dried fruit, maple syrup, coconut nectar, fresh fruit and vegetables, Lecia proclaims “you’ll be eating a delicious tasting dessert while putting all kinds of perky nutritional vitamins and minerals in your body”.

Just because you made a resolution to be healthy, does not mean you can’t still have a little treat too! Here is a wonderfully healthy recipe for a vegan Apple Crumble dessert courtesy of Lecia & Vivian:

Apple Crumble

Apple Crumble

Makes 6 individual medium size ramekins (3.5” diameter)

Filling:

6 large apples peeled and cored

8 dates

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tbsp maple syrup (coconut nectar) Add more if you have a sweet tooth

Pinch salt

Crumble topping:

1 cup walnuts

¼ cup dates (stoned, chopped and packed down)

¼ cup raisins (golden or dark)

½ cup shredded coconut

1/3 cup buckinis (soaked and dehydrated buckwheat – can be swapped with chopped almonds instead)

¼ tsp vanilla extract

Pulse 4 of the apples in a processor into small chunks and transfer to a bowl. Process the remaining 2 apples in a blender with the dates, maple syrup, cinnamon and salt until it’s like apple sauce. Mix both of these together in a bowl and divide mixture between the ramekins. Mix all the crumble ingredients together into a crumbly but moist texture. If using almonds instead of buckinis make sure to process the almonds first into small pieces then add rest of crumble ingredients. If you want the crumble to press together then add small amount of water (1-2 tsp) towards the end of the blending. Spread over top of the fillings and chill in the fridge covered in cling film. Will keep for 2 days in the fridge or 4 weeks in the freezer. Defrost before eating.

Images courtesy of Lecia from Lecia & Vivian. Follow them on Facebook for more great healthy choices.

Did you make a resolution to do more exercise too? Put on your walking shoes and clock up some exercise miles on your personal activity tracking devices and have a great excuse to browse around the market twice to be sure not to miss anything.

ARTE kicks off 2015 with the markets at Time Square Center on the 9^th , followed by the 23^rd of January.

ARTE will be at Al Hamra Mall, RAK on January 16^th, 12-7pm.

You can find location maps here.

Click here to sign up for ARTE by visiting out website and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more updates and images.

Finally, enjoy one of our new ARTE logos showcasing some of our amazing arts & crafts…

Meet some more ARTE culinary artisans featured in previous posts:

https://artedxb.wordpress.com/2013/12/29/have-an-indulgent-new-year/

https://artedxb.wordpress.com/2013/09/03/the-psychology-of-themed-cakes-by-sugarology/

https://artedxb.wordpress.com/2014/09/10/its-a-cakewalk-right-here-at-arte/

https://artedxb.wordpress.com/2013/04/29/well-addicted-to-well-preserved/