While walking through the aisle of the grocery store the other day,
I stumbled upon these famous pogo sticks that were so popular in my childhood years.
Had I not developed celiac, I would probably still be eating them now because I loved them so much. After seeing them, I decided that this would be the first recipe I would put together for Celiac Awareness Month. Perfect and in time for the first Friday of the month. Yay for Friday! :)

Anyways, if you're interested in seeing how I created a gluten free, dairy free, corn free, and egg free version, the recipe is below!

What you will need
Popsicle/drumsticks
Hot dogs (GF) (I used the lifestyle choices brand)

Batter
3/4 cup almond flour
1/4 cup arrowroot flour
1/2 tsp of baking powder* (Corn free home-made version)
A dash of salt
1 tbsp honey
1/4 cup of almond milk
2 flax eggs* (substitute for eggs if you do not need it egg free)
3 tbsps coconut oil (for the frying pan)

Filling
6 Gluten Free hot dogs cut in half

*Baking powder: combine 1 tsp baking soda, 2 tsps of arrowroot powder, and 2 tsps cream of tartar to create a homemade corn-free version of baking powder. Please note that you will use 1/2 a tsp of this for the recipe. Store the remainder for use at a later date.
*Flax eggs : 1 tbsp flax + 1/3 cup water yields 1 egg.

Directions 
1. In a large bowl, combine your almond flour, arrowroot, baking powder, and salt and whisk until well combined.
2. In a separate bowl, combine your honey, almond milk, and flax eggs. Be sure to let your flax eggs sit for a few minutes in order for them to form a binding texture.
3. Combine your wet and dry ingredients and whisk until well combined.
4. Take your hot dogs and make sure to dry them from the water. This will help the coating process.
5. Cut each one in half. Once you've cut them, start by placing them on sticks. You could use popsicle sticks or thick drumsticks.
5. Place a frying pan on the stove top with 3 spoons of coconut oil on medium heat.
6. Once the oil starts sizzling, you can lower the heat in order to prevent the oil from burning.
7. Dip your hot dog stick into the batter. Coating it may take a few tries as the coating slips. Feel free to use your hands to spread it more evenly. If needed, you can also dip your hot dog in some flour prior to coating it in order to help the coating stick.
8. Once your hot dog is well coated, place it on the frying pan.
9. Flip your corn dog as the sides achieve a golden brown colour.
10. Remove corn dog once all sides are well fried and place on a plate coated with a napkin. The napkin will help absorb excess oil. :)
11. Serve with your favourite condiments such as ketchup, relish, or mustard! :)

I hope this recipe helps some of you recreate this childhood food but in a healthier allergy-free way. If you have any questions feel free to message me or comment in the comment section.
What's your favourite childhood food?! Let me know in the comments below.

Happy eating!
xoxo Léa S.

Maamoul are a Lebanese traditional dessert especially around Easter.  They are a Lebanese pastry that come in several fillings ranging from dates, pistachios, to walnuts and more. My personal favorites are the date filled ones. My mom used to always bake dozens upon dozens of batches but after I got diagnosed with celiac, it got a little harder and took me some time to figure out a recipe that I liked. This year, I finally whipped something up that I thought would be worthy of sharing with the rest of y'all and it's actually quite easy. They taste just about the same as the originals and can definitely satisfy your sweet tooth without the added sugar.

Here's the recipe:

Pastry dough:
2 cups of Gluten Free all purpose flour (I used Enjoy life's)
2 1/2 cups of Gluten Free Polenta (Corn meal)
2 1/2 cups of Coconut oil (feel free to replace this with butter)
1/2 tsp of yeast
1 Tbsp Rose water
1 Tbsp Orange blossom water to taste

Start off by combining the all purpose flour and polenta in a large bowl. Proceed by adding in the coconut oil rubbing it into the flour until it forms a gritty texture. Make sure to rub the ingredients together rather than kneading. If preparing overnight you can let it rest in a cool area. Add the yeast, rose water, and orange blossom water the next day. If not, let sit aside in a cool area or the fridge for 25-30 minutes. Afterwards, combine the yeast, rose water, and orange blossom flower and mix them into the dough. Knead the dough and let it rise for minimum 30 minutes.

Dates Filling: 
2 cups of dates
a splash of rose + orange blossom water to taste
1 tbsp coconut oil

While you wait for the dough to rise, combine the dates with rose and orange blossom, or you can also leave them on their own if you wish. I also added some coconut oil in order to form a smoother paste. You can either knead it by hand or in a mixer. I used my hands as I felt I had more control over the dates and deciding how smooth I wanted the paste.

Once the filling is ready, take the dough and form dough balls. You may then proceed by filling each ball one by one with some date filling. In terms of shape, you can just do a simple circular dough ball, use a mold, or anything you wish. I decided to shape mine the way my mom used to when we were kids. In order to do that, I took a piece of dough and rolled it out using a rolling pin. I then took some date filling and rolled it into a sausage like shape using my hands. I placed it into the dough and rolled the dough over it. I then folded the dough into a circular shape which resembles that of a donut.

And that's it! :) It's as simple as that.

Once you have your Maamoul ready, place them onto a baking sheet lining it with parchment paper or just greasing it with some oil. Bake the Maamoul for approximately 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Once the Maamoul start browning, remove them and allow to cool for at least an hour. You can also sprinkle some icing sugar once they have cooled. There you have it, gluten free Maamoul for everyone to enjoy! :)

Here is the final result:








































I hope this helps some of you in making some gluten free treats for Easter or any other events. :)
Happy eating,
xox Léa S.

Have any comments, questions, or suggestions?
Please leave them in the comments below, I would love to hear your feedback! :)

Valentine's day is quickly approaching and we're always looking to surprise our loved one's with something extra special so I thought, why not start off the day with a thoughtful Valentine's day inspired breakfast. In this post, I'll be showing you guys how I created these adorable chocolate drizzled heart shaped french toasts.

What you will need: 

• Gluten free toast (Pictured: Udi's gluten free multigrain toast)
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup of milk (I used Silk almond milk - my favorite!;))
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract 
• Cinnamon to taste 
• Maple Syrup, agave, or honey
• Chocolate Chips (Pictured: Enjoy Life's vegan chocolate chips)
• White chocolate melts 
• Heart shaped sprinkles
• Scissors 
• 1 Plastic bag

Getting diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, it is more than likely that you will have many deficiencies. Therefore, it's important for you to supplement with vitamins. I suggest following up with your doctor, a dietician, or a naturopath in order to run some tests and figure out which supplements you will need.

3. Get cooking! 
This is a big one! Seeing as you now have to be extremely cautious of what's entering your body, the luxury of just grabbing any food will no longer be a thing. That being said,  I suggest experimenting in the kitchen. This may seem very strenuous for some of you when starting out, but fear not as this will help you learn which foods and flours work best for you and your body. To top it off, the feeling is also very rewarding once you get into the swing of things.

4. Exercise!
Although I loved exercising prior to my diagnosis, autoimmune diseases affect several bodily functions and thus, celiac's amongst other autoimmune disease sufferers are more prone to other conditions such as osteoporosis. Therefore, it is extremely important to supplement a healthy diet with some exercise to keep them bones strong and healthy! I suggest at least 30 minutes of physical activity 3 times per week in order to reap the benefits. This will help you keep in tip top shape physically and mentally! :)

5. Last but not least, surround yourself with a great support group! 
What many do not know is that celiac also affects mental health which is why I believe that it is so important to surround yourself with a great group of friends and family who support you, help you, and love you when the going gets tough. It won't always be easy, but with some positivity, it will definitely get better.

Bottom line, don't surround yourself with people who make you feel bad about your lifestyle choices.

And that marks the end of my post! :) On a final note, whether you are living with an autoimmune disease or not, I believe that we can all benefit from these tips in order to lead a healthier lifestyle! :)

I hope this helps some of you and encourages you to take charge and start making some healthy choices!

Much love,
xox Léa S.

Finally! The wait is over. For those of you who didn't know, I have been on an elimination diet for a little over a month. This type of elimination requires you to cut out certain foods based on your condition for a set period of time. The purpose is to be able to identify which foods are your trigger foods once it has been reintroduced into your diet. This would help you figure out which foods to steer clear from. In my case, this also allowed for my gut to rid itself of toxins and restore my immunity by strengthening my immune system and healing my small intestine.

Today is the big day because it has come to an end! :) To celebrate (and by popular request),  I decided to share with all of you some of the things I have been eating for the past month and a half. For many this would seem almost impossible seeing as you are restricted on many foods but reflecting back, it really isn't that bad at all! It's all about finding alternatives and getting creative in the kitchen. :)

I have provided pictures for most of the recipes (some are missing because I forgot to take pictures, but I will add them eventually. Sorry!)

** All of these recipes are free of : Gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, corn, coconut, peanuts, pepper (seasoning as well as vegetable), avocados, sesame, refined sugars, processed oils, potatoes, eggplant, and tomatoes.

So, without further ado, heres a breakdown of what I've had for breakfast.

Click the pink titles to jump to the recipe page :) .

Chia Pudding 
Four Ingredient Rice Flour Pancakes 
These aren't the savoury pancakes you're probably thinking of but, these will do when you're on the elimination diet and you could use them for a sweeter or saltier treat.

Green Smoothie
Spinach or Kale
1 Tbsp Flaxseed
Frozen berries of choice (I stuck to raspberries and blueberries because strawberries were a no-no)
Coconut milk or Almond milk (I used almond milk because I had to avoid coconuts)

Gluten Free Oat Bars 

**Adapted from Pop Sugar



These were a life saver for me because they lasted me about a week and I was able to snack on them or eat them when I needed a breakfast on the go.

Almond Butter + Blueberry Cookies 
Gluten Free Oatmeal Cookies 
Another favourite of mine! (I love oatmeal cookies!!)

Quinoa Crunchies + Almond milk 
Since I was not able to eat remotely any cereals, I bought myself some Quinoa Crunchies and ate them with almond milk or on their own as a snack!

These come in three flavours : Original, Cinnamon (my personal favourite), and Chocolate!
Here's a picture for reference. This is the cinnamon flavour.
Quinoa Oat-Carob Cookies


















**Thanks to Sheryl from http://30daysofnew.weebly.com for this recipe! :)

Overnight Oats
Rice Crackers + Almond butter + 1 serving of fruit
















This one's plain and simple if you need something quick in the morning.
2 Rice Crackers
1 spoon of almond butter per cracker
Top with fruit and drizzle honey OR eat with a serving of fruit on the side (I had mango)

Pumpkin Spice and Walnut Muffins 
I absolutely loved those!!! EEEK, ok. moving on..






















Blackberry Lemon breakfast Oatmeal Cookies 
If you like a little kick in your oatmeal cookies, you should definitely try these out!
I personally prefer the plain ones over these.. or oatmeal raisin! :)

Link to recipe: http://iowagirleats.com/2014/03/14/lemon-blackberry-breakfast-cookies/

I hope this helps some of you whether your goal is conscious eating, the elimination diet, or simply just looking for breakfast ideas/alternatives. Let me know if you choose to try any of the following recipes and which one was your favourite! :)

xox Léa S.

Ingredients
1/2 cup of gluten free flour (**options at the bottom)
1 tsp of cinnamon
1 tsp of nutmeg
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup pumpkin purée
1/4 cup + 2 tbsps of olive oil
1/4 cup honey
3 flax eggs (1 tbsp flax to 3 tbsps water = 1 egg)
2 tsps of vanilla extract
Walnuts

In a seperate boil mix all liquids.
Add in the dry ingredients and mix.
With the walnuts you could either fold them into the mix or simply use them to top the muffins.

**For a heavier based flour use either: Brown Rice flour or buckwheat flour (this will give you a sturdier muffin, easier to take out of the muffin pan).

For a medium based flour use oat flour which is what I used the first time. This gives you a slightly different consistency but they all taste just as good as the other! :)

This is another easy overnight breakfast option. You can also get creative with this, and try out crazy flavours and combinations.

Ingredients
Gluten Free Oats (however much you desire I would put about 1/4 cup)
1 1/2 spoons of almond butter
1/4 to 1/2 cup of almond milk
Optional: Vanilla extract and cinnamon

Prep
Refrigerate over night.
Top with Fruit in the morning or dark chocolate chunks, or both.

Ingredients
1 cup gluten free rolled oats
1/2 cup oat flour
1 tsp of cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 + 2 tbsps of olive oil
1/4 cup of honey
2 flax eggs
2 tsps of vanilla extract

Prep
1. Mix all dry ingredients.
2. In a seperate bowl, mix all wet ingredients until well blended.
3. Add dry ingredients and blend until smooth.
4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and bake at 350 F.
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes (or until the top of the cookies look slightly brown)
Yields about 12 cookies

Ingredients
1 Cup gluten free rolled oats
2/3 cup of buckwheat or rice flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup of Olive oil
1/2 cup of Honey
1/2 tsp of Vanilla extract
1/2 cup of blueberries

You could also try:
1 cup of Almond butter
1/2 to 1 cup of blueberries (depending how much fruit you like in your cookies)
1/2 cup of honey
1 flax egg

Ingredients
1 cup of almond butter
2 cups of gluten free rolled oats (I used Bob's Red Mill)
1/2 cup of Honey (you could sub this for agave or maple syrup)
2 flax eggs (1 tbsp of flax for 3 tbsps of water = 1 egg)
1 tsp baking soda
Vanilla extract + Cinammon for extra taste (those are my two favourites!)
** Feel free to add some protein if you'd like! (vanilla or chocolate)

Prep
Mix all liquids together. Stir in the oats and baking soda.
Use a baking sheet to flatten the mixture and bake for 10-15 minutes.
Bake between 325-375 F (depending on how strong your oven is)

Ingredients
1 flax egg replacer (1 tbsp of flax for 3 tbps water)
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup rice flour
1 cup of almond milk (you could sub this for water as well)

Prep
1. Combine almond milk, egg replacer and vanilla together
2. Add in rice flour until desired pancake batter consistency is reached
3. Heat skillet on medium heat with a little bit of olive oil
4. Pour some pancake mixture onto skillet, flip once it starts bubbling

Top with Almond butter, raspberries (or any fruit of choice), and honey for a sweeter treat.
Top with z'aatar (thyme mixed with olive oil) for a savoury breakfast or snack.

This recipe is super easy to make, and is best when done overnight. It can be altered to satisfy any craving you have. I made vanilla, but you can definitely substitute for some chocolate protein powder or almond milk. There are a few recipes over the internet that go beyond your classic flavours, such as birthday cake flavours. So feel free to get creative with this one!

Ingredients
1 Cup of almond milk
2 Tbsps chia seeds
2 Tsps of vanilla extract
Optional : Natural Sweeteners (ex: maple syrup, honey, agave)

Prep
Combine all of these ingredients (you can use a blender) and place in fridge overnight.
You can also add granola, your choice of fruit or nuts in the morning! :)

*Thanks to my naturopath for this one :)

Finding out a member of your family has a permanent life-changing condition can be confusing and sometimes overwhelming. If it's someone you're living with, this is likely to affect your life as well. Léa has been posting about her personal experience living with celiac. In this post, I discuss the sibling's perspective.

Everyone who knows us knows that Léa, Carina and I are very close. We spend 80% of our leisure outings together, have the same friends, sleep in the same room. People have dubbed us the Saad Sisters, PLC, and Camille's daughters for short. Inevitably, we were on this journey with Léa from the beginning.

It's hard to explain how to react to your sister's personality taking a 360, and not being able to help her. For a long time, we couldn't figure out the cause of her depression and pain. Someone who is very lively, sarcastic and funny had become pretty much bound to her bed, couldn't eat, didn't want to go out. When she finally got diagnosed, it was bittersweet. It was both a relief, we finally know where this is coming from, but also a thousand questions came up. What the heck is gluten? What do you mean it's not only in wheat? How severe is this? It's also in shampoo??? Are the symptoms reversible?

When we took in that this is going to be a condition that is going to affect all of our lifestyles, we started to research the smallest things. Here's a small compilation of a few tips and tricks on how to deal with a friend who is celiac, or has any other food allergy.

1. Cross-contamination is an issue, whether the person is anaphylactic or not.
Celiac is a silent disease, meaning the symptoms are vague, and often not visible. The most obvious thing to do is to look at labels and avoid food with gluten. But it doesn't end there. We share a kitchen and a fridge. This can be challenging when the family does not decide to go gluten-free in terms of cross-contamination. The easiest thing to do is to buy separate kitchenware. No sharing toasters or microwave ovens. Not everybody has a massive kitchen, we sure don't. You can dedicate specific pans for gluten-free use only, or place aluminum foil on the baking sheet/pan to avoid cross-contamination. Yes, it's that serious. Gluten can seep into kitchenware apparently, and washing them might not always work. We got tupperwares and labelled them "gluten-free" using them only for gluten-free foods that we can share.

For spreads, like the homemade hommos and labneh, we store them in two separate containers. This makes sandwich-making easier. This is because once the spoon or knife touches a gluten source, it contaminates the spread making it unsafe for a celiac to consume. I often cut up all my gluten free ingredients before moving onto the gluten ones. If I do take out bread before cutting my slice of cheese, or whatever, I just make sure to wash my hands before touching the cheese. It becomes second nature.

2. Check the Allergen Menu before going out
Going out to eat can be hard. We research menus before heading out. A lot of times, the waitresses and restaurant staff do not take the time to memorize the ingredients and preparation of the food they serve. This is especially in the cases where the food arrives prepackaged to the restaurant (ex. dressings, pre-cut fries, etc.). In some cases, it's the preparation in the restaurant. For instance, frying fries in the same oil as onion rings or breaded fried chicken is a source cross-contamination, and is also harmful to a person with celiac disease. It might be tough to decide on a place, but Googling and asking questions is important and helpful. It may be annoying for a busy waitress, but it's their job to answer your questions.

3. Be supportive, but not pitiful
It's hard for me to go out and have my sister not be able to eat or drink. However, it's important to not pity the person. Being supportive is important, but pitying can cause the person to be uncomfortable and sometimes feel as if they are a burden. Instead of going out, perhaps organize some fun barbecues and dinner parties. This way, they can feel included and do not have to feel anxiety or worry. Looking up 100% gluten-free restaurants, or restaurants with a dedicated gluten-free kitchen, is also a great idea. Our favorites are The Dirty Bird, in Kensington Market, and Olive and Chili, in Ottawa.

4. The symptoms can be confusing 
The vague and lingering symptoms can change the way the individual thinks in their daily life. A couple of months after cutting out gluten, Léa would complain that her stomach was hurting. I asked her if maybe she's hungry, and her response was "I'm not sure. I've had stomach pains for so long, I can't remember what hunger feels like." This is true with many aspects of her life. A lot of the symptoms are so vague and overlap with daily bodily cues that it's sometimes hard to identify whether it's a flare-up or just a "normal" feeling, unrelated to celiac.
In our experience, I think it's safe to say that if the individual has several symptoms showing up, for instance a migraine, a stomach ache and mood swings lasting several days, they have likely been glutened. Unfortunately, there isn't much we can do other than wait it out and be more aware about our daily habits, where and what we've been eating.

5. Educate yourself
Educating yourself about the condition not only shows them you care but also helps you navigate your life in a way that includes them. If people ask questions, you can answer and help bring awareness to whatever the disease is. Many dietary restrictions can seem as a fad or "pretentious". A lot of people cut out gluten because it makes them sick and they don't have the option too. However, they are perceived as obnoxious and demanding, when this is often not the case at all.

I once worked in a restaurant where a kitchen member told me that it's not their problem that the customer has an allergy. I not only took offense to that but also learned that some people do not care and are ignorant about allergies. Perhaps they are taking their health for granted, but I'd rather not get someone sick and keep their experience pleasant, whatever the occasion.

I hope these few tips helped you learn more about the effects of celiac from a social stand point. If you have any tips/trick for us, please let us know!!

- Patty :)