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! :)

 Overall:
Pros:
- Entirely gluten free, 100% celiac safe
- Dairy options
- Vegan options
- Vegetarian

Cons: 
- Tight space
- Downtown Toronto (which might not be accessible for everyone)

Regardless, it is definitely worth making a weekend trip for. The location could also be a bonus with many other gluten free options around to grab a bite or sweet treat after your breakfast. :)

What are some of your favourite gluten free breakfast spots?!
Let me know in the comments below!
Happy eating!! <3

Léa S.

I hated gym class and I sucked at team sports. So to stay active I started going to the gym in high school. My dad made us, my sister and me, get a personal because we didn't know what we were doing. I didn't like the guy and stopped going once the school year was over. Fast forward to second-year of university, where this high-school honour roll student starts failing classes, anxiety hit me hard. I started seeing a counselor and she recommended that I try the gym, run a few laps. I decided to give it a shot. I started running the track four times a week, before class. Every now and then I'd do some body weight exercises, but my main goal was focusing on running.

I would run 20-30 minutes. I didn't care about miles, or my pace. I just thought about running for this specific amount of time. I'd be tired, but I would motivate myself by thinking about what I had learned in class. Rewards = dopamine release. Completing a twenty-minute run would make me feel better, i.e. rewarding, therefore a surge of dopamine will be released in my brain and I'll be happy. That was my thought process running. It's very basic, but it keeps me going and helps me push myself. Afterall, who doesn't want to be happy?

This did help with my anxiety. I didn't keep up with the daily running after my third year. The typical excuses: I couldn't juggle work and school and the gym.

This year, although the anxiety has since remained at a low, I decided to start hitting the gym again regularly. I got in contact with a great instructor, Rachel, and asked her if she would personal train me. She's awesome (you can learn more about her here: http://www.findyourqueendom.com/). I feel stronger and more confident, anxiety is lower, etc.

And then one day, I felt like I was about to cry during the session. It was super frustrating because you're trying to focus on keeping good form and finishing the rep, and all you can think about is holding back tears, for no apparent reason. I do think I am hypersensitive, I cry at anything. But triceps dips aren't supposed to be emotional triggers. I asked Rachel if she had encountered anyone with the same reaction before. She replied that it's likely that my body is feeling uncomfortable and that's the reaction that accompanies it. I kept that in the back of my mind and didn't think much else about it.

Until yesterday, when I had what I think was an anxiety attack at the gym. Léa and I were doing lunges. I was feeling similar to that day with Rachel, I felt slightly nauseous and like I needed to cry during the workout. I finished doing lunges on one leg, suddenly I burst into tears. My heart was palpitating and I had shortness of breath. I was hyperventilating and I really thought I was going to faint. It's kind of scary when you can't seem to control your breath. Thankfully Léa was able to sit me down and guide me through some deep breathing. I took a sip of water and suddenly felt an adrenaline rush. I finished my workout but it was definitely a weird experience.

Of course, I came home and googled to figure out if this is common with other people. Apparently, the combination the increased heart rate, increased adrenaline, increased sweating and increased breathing rates, which are anxiety attack symptoms, can confuse the body. I also read that these attacks are more likely to occur when you're pushing your body to a point of oxygen debt. You aren't able to catch your breath and feel difficulty breathing because your lungs aren't able to absorb the oxygen needed fast enough.

Thankfully, my sister was able to handle the situation and no one else in the gym seemed to notice. It was embarrassing enough as is, and I can't imagine how humiliating it would've been if the situation had gone further. This won't stop me from working out and pushing myself. I just need to be aware of the signs of anxiety attacks and not push my body to that state again.

I was reluctant to share this story, but I do hope that it might help somebody realize that this is more common than we know and that they're not alone.

I'd love to hear your tips on how you keep your anxiety or mental health in check!

Patty

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 :)

As relieved as I was that I had finally found an answer to my problem, I knew making the shift over to a gluten free lifestyle was not going to be easy. Many say, oh it could be worse, or oh that's not too bad.. but there are actually many components to going gluten free when it is for health purposes rather than going gluten free by choice. Choosing to do something by choice is, from experience, a little easier to accept than doing so because it is the only option you have. With that being said, a huge part of me was definitely excited, ecstatic even that this pain would finally subside but there's no doubt that I was still pretty nervous and scared because I didn't know what to expect.

In this blog post, I'm going to outline the initial steps to going gluten free and why it's important to do so.

1. Cut out Gluten from your diet 
The first step in going gluten free is obviously to cut out everything that contains gluten (and I say obvious... but you will learn eventually that it actually isn't so obvious as there are many hidden sources of gluten!!)** Gluten is mainly found in anything that contains rye, barley, and wheat. It can also sometimes be found in sister crops such as oats, which is why it's important to get those labeled gluten-free. So what does this mean? This means that you should be eliminating everything that contains those major three grains. Examples : Breads, pastas, pizzas, pastries, cakes, muffins.. and the list goes on. Essentially, anything that contains those grains or flours is now out of the question.

You will have to read labels thoroughly to make sure that these ingredients are not present in the foods you are buying. It sounds like a lot, but there are alternatives once you start looking for them! :) Many grocery stores now have dedicated gluten-free aisles and fridges. In there you can find GF pastas, breads, sweets and much more :).

2. Seek professional help
For many, it won't be easy to do this on your own. Post diagnosis, you will be encouraged to see a dietician, nutritionist, or even call the helpline in order to get a breakdown of the foods you can eat. You can even go see a naturopath (which is what I have been doing) because I personally prefer that.

In addition to that, celiac disease leads to malnutrition which left untreated, can lead to a series of multi systemic conditions. In order to avoid that, you want to get a check up with your doctor to identify your deficiencies. Once that's done, you'll be recommended to supplement so that you can get your numbers back up there.

From my personal experience, I had to supplement with Iron, Calcium and magnesium, Vitamin D, B12, Fish oils, Probiotics.. and that's all as far as I can remember.

It's also important to have someone to talk to. Whether it be family, a friend, or even a professional, this will help you a lot because the nervous system is compromised at this point. It is a misconception that celiac disease is a disease of the gut that only leads to symptoms such as bloating, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Although these symptoms may be present, celiac takes a huge toll on the nervous system resulting in conditions such as depression, mood swings, and anger. It not only affects your mood but can also lead to peripheral neuropathy, gluten ataxia, and muscle spasms which is why I believe that seeking professional help in terms of your nutrition and having someone to talk to go hand in hand. This is personally why I prefer seeing a naturopath because they assess you as a person in whole meaning they consider not only your physical state but mental as well, but again, this is just a personal preference of mine! :)

Avoiding gluten isn't as easy as it sounds seeing as there are hidden sources of gluten. The issue of cross-contamination is also one that many overlook. Over my next few blog posts, I will go into more depth regarding those issues and how to tackle them.

As mentioned, there is also a wide range of health risks associated with Celiac disease (I have named a few above) and left untreated, this can lead to other health-related conditions some more serious, and others a little milder but regardless, this is why it's important to eliminate gluten from your diet upon diagnosis. This will prevent conditions from worsening and allow you to get back to a healthy lifestyle. In my next blog post, I will provide a breakdown of common conditions associated with celiac disease.

I hope this blog post was insightful on the initial steps you or a loved one should take. Feel free to comment if you have any questions, or concerns and make sure to spread awareness to help us all live a happy, healthy life. :)

Happy Celiac Awareness month! :)
With love,
Léa S.

Before going on my trip to Lebanon, I was worried that I wouldn't be able to find Gluten Free options or that they wouldn't even know what being Gluten free/Celiac disease was. This was my first time travelling back home post diagnosis. Being gluten free let alone is quite challenging so travelling gluten free, I did not think was going to be easy. To my surprise, it was actually a lot easier than I expected. Here are a few things you need to know about travelling Gluten Free to Lebanon(or anywhere else).

1. Airlines are accommodating

For starters, most flights are actually able to accommodate your dietary needs. When booking your trip, if done through a travel agent, make sure you let them know you have a dietary restriction. If not, you could mention it while booking. Either way, the airlines will make sure to have a GF (or any other dietary restrictions you have) meal for you on hand which is neat. Although I don't usually enjoy airplane food, it's nice to know there are options available for you. That way you don't feel like you're missing out on much. Plus, you get your food before everyone else ;).

2. Most meals are made at home 
When I'm in Lebanon, I notice that most meals we eat are actually made at home. People would think that when you're on vacation you would be eating out more but being in Lebanon is like being home. If you do have a dietary restriction like me, this is awesome because it is much easier to tailor your meals at home where you could see how they're being done. You could also cook for yourself and not have to worry about what to eat!

3. Lebanese food has many options! 
Although some families eat a lot of bread with their meals, I am fortunate enough that my family does not. Despite that, we still do find the traditional pita or saj at the table. On the bright side, there are alot of Lebanese Mezza and food that are actually gluten free. Most appetizers consist of : Taboule, Labne, Hummus, Baba ghanouj, and nuts which are all GF. Traditional Lebanese meals include: Lahme(meat), Chicken skewers, Kafta, Fish, Fries. All of these options are gluten free which makes it easier for us GF peeps! :) If you are at a Lebanese restaurant, the only thing you would have to watch out for is making sure they do not place pita under your meats.

4. Most grocery stores in Lebanon now have GF options 
Always check for a gluten free aisle no matter where you travel. With the many trips I made to the grocery store, I noticed that most chain grocery stores now have a Gluten Free section. I found many options at Le Charcutier Aoun as well as O&C. I also found products that are not available here such as GF Lebanese Pita bread from O&C. I will be putting up a post shortly about my favorite GF products with more details.

5. Stick to what you know
Despite all of the options and all the homemade meals, it is inevitable that you will go out and want to indulge. This part is a little harder in Lebanon seeing as there aren't many restaurants who offer clearly labeled gluten free items or menus. Crepaway as well as Kitchen Confidential were the only two that I encountered with Gluten Free options. My advice would be to stick to what you know. Try sticking to plain foods like fries, meats, fruits, anything you can guarantee would not have gluten in it. It may be hard but it's possible!

For a more detailed post on my favorite GF products/meals in Lebanon and where to find them, click here.

I hope this gives you all some insight on travelling GF,
xox Léa S.

Xx. Carina

Every girl knows the struggle of finding truly GOOD products. This past month I've been getting so many compliments on my hair, skin and lashes, so I thought I'd share a couple of my favourite products that I've been using!

HAIR
- Keratin Leave-In Treatment ($8.99)
My sister and I purchased this product a couple months ago from Sally Beauty Supply, but it's not until this month that I really started to use it every time I showered. It's a spray keratin treatment that I put in my hair after every shower, which helps to strengthen and smoothen damaged hair. Plus, the product is perfect for straightened, permed or coloured hair! You only need a pump of two of product and it leaves your hair smelling amazing! I would definitely recommend giving this product a try.

FACE
- Simple Cleansing Micellar Water ($8.27)
This month I could easily say that I've fallen in love with Simple beauty products! My sisters and I purchased both these products at Walmart for super affordable prices. I wasn't able to find the micellar water on Walmart's website, but I've included a link to Simple's website. I use the micellar water to remove makeup and it works wonders. There's a bunch of multi-vitamins and cleansers in the product that clean and hydrate your skin, so you don't even have to wash your face after removing your makeup! Awesome for us lazy girls.
- Simple Replenishing Rich Moisturizer ($13.27)
My skin has been super dry and flaky lately so I was in need of a good moisturizer and once my sister bought this one I couldn't stop using it. This product also contains vitamins and nutrients to hydrate my skin, so I've been using it religiously because it makes my skin look and feel so smooth!
- Maybelline Age Rewind Dark Spot Concealer & Treatment ($9.96)
Whenever I get a blemish I would always use different products to try and cover it up but it never worked as well as I wanted it to and it would still always peek through. When I came across this product, I literally stopped wearing foundation. This concealer has been my holy grail concealer and my every day go-to product! I dab a little dot onto the blemish/dark spot and it basically erases the spot as if it were never there. The concealer has a more orangey/peachy tint to it, so it will colour correct any spots that have a darker grey/blueish tint. I've been recommending this product to everyone!

EYES
- L'Oréal Paris Voluminous Miss Manga Black Angel Mascara ($8.96)
If I could use one beauty product for the rest of my life it would be mascara. Every time I wear this mascara I always get people complimenting me on my eyelashes, and there's nothing I love more than big, voluminous, long lashes. I've been using L'Oréal mascaras for as long as I remember, and once I got my hands on this one it has been my favourite! I recommend that everyone gives this mascara a try at least once, because I guarantee that your lashes will look incredible ;)

So those have been my favourite beauty products for this month, I hope you will all love them as much as I did! What were your April 2015 favourites? :)

Carina, xoxo.