Are you craving a bite but not sure where to hit up for a gluten free treat?

I had a friend recently approach me asking me if I could give her a list of spots she could go out to enjoy a gluten free meal because she was feeling very limited in terms of options. So, I thought.. why not write a post out of it and share it with the rest of you to help some of you out or anyone that has some gluten free friends/family as well! :)

Eating out when Gluten Free can be quite the challenge at times and although many places claim to offer gluten free menus, the issue of cross contamination is still present making it a no-no. For people like me with celiac disease, that completely sloshes our chances of enjoying something at least half decent while hanging out with friends. The last thing you want to do is watch everybody chow down burgers, wings, pizzas, and fries while you sit there eating a plain steak with some kale (unless by choice ofcourse! :) ). I'm the type of person who likes to go all out and indulge when I eat out. If you're anything like me, then you've come to the right place. :)

After a ton of research, trial, and error, I've put together a list of my favourite and safest (celiac safe) gluten free spots in the Toronto area up to date. Here it is :

If you're looking for an actual meal: 

• Riz (Certified gluten free restaurant) : This is the only spot where I eat sushi in Toronto! This place is certified gluten free and sooo good! On top of being certified, they make sure to label all gluten free dishes with plates labeled gluten free (how awesome is that ?! :)).               This restaurant has 2 locations :  Riz on Bayview - located at 1677 Bayview Avenue and Riz North - located at 3321 Yonge St.
• The Dirty Bird : If you're craving some chicken and waffles this is going to become your go- to! The dirty bird is located in the Kensington market and their staff is very knowledgeable on celiac and will take precautions to allow you to enjoy some gluten free chicken and waffles. They also have a separate gluten free waffle maker which puts us at ease in terms of cross contamination. :) Overall, awesome chicken and waffles spot. You can't go wrong.
• The Relish Bar and Grill : This restaurant is a recognized gluten free restaurant since 2005. To add to that, they have a separate celiac friendly menu with a wide variety of dishes! Not only does this place serve food, but they have live bands which makes for a fun night out with friends. :) Located at 2152 Danforth Avenue. 
• Live organic food bar : Known as a Toronto plant-based, organic, gluten and refined sugar-free restaurant and live organic raw products since 2002.  So no worries about cross contamination here woo-hoo! :) You can find their products in many grocery stores. They also have 2 restaurants. The first one is located at 264 Dupont St., Toronto and the second at 134 Atlantic Avenue, Toronto. 
• Tori's bakeshop: Sweet little bakeshop located at 2188 Queen St. East. This bakeshop offers an awesome selection of GF treats. More so, they are a bakeshop by day offering after hours by night!! :) During after hours, they offer a menu of shareable GF platters and drinks! :)
• Basil Box and Salad King: Both these restaurants are located right at Yonge and Dundas, across the street from one another. Basil box is entirely gluten free which is awesome because you could eat anything off the menu while salad king offers gluten free items on their original menu. While Salad King is not entirely gluten free, you'll find a symbol indicating which of their dishes are gluten free. 
• Moxie's : While I have found that most commercial/big chain restaurants offer gluten free menus that aren't so gluten friendly towards celiacs, Moxie's made the list for me for the sole purpose that they take allergies very seriously and do their best to provide modifications to your meal so that you can have an equally awesome experience. My personal favorites are the Kale and Quinoa salad + they have a gluten free cheesecake! There are several locations so this place definitely won't be hard to find. 
• Hey Lucy's : I absolutely love this spot! Hey Lucy's has two locations, the 1st is located in the Annex at 440 Bloor St. West, and the 2nd is located in the entertainment district at 295 King St. West. The King St location also has a rooftop patio which I love. While this place isn't entirely gluten free, I love the atmosphere and they are very accommodating in terms of allergies and offer gluten free options. My personal favourites are the pizzas!

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 :)

Four years ago, I had never even heard of Celiac Disease. I had no idea what it was and would have never ruled it out as a possibility. Today, many still do not know what Celiac disease is because there isn't much awareness about it. I hope to be able to increase awareness and help others suffering by sharing my story. I will be walking you through my pre-diagnosis, breaking down the mental and physical symptoms I experienced.



A little about Celiac Disease
Celiac Disease is an auto-immune disease that affects the lining of the small intestine. The consumption of gluten triggers an abnormal immune response damaging the absorptive surface of the small intestine. This can result in malnutrition, nutritional deficiencies, increased risk of autoimmune diseases, and some cancers of the gut if left untreated. Celiac disease has several symptoms which can differ from one person to another. Many also experience little to no symptoms, or may only start feeling them once the disease starts progressing. The average diagnosis time is about 10 years for individuals suffering from celiac disease. How crazy is that? I was fortunate enough that I got diagnosed earlier than that. In my case, it started off with the physical pain and eventually, it affected me mentally as well.

**Warning: This may be a lengthy post #sorrynotsorry! 
(Although, I will do my best to keep it to a minimum, I find it very important to let people know who I am and my story in order to educate and help others, hoping they do not have to go through such an enduring process!)

My Story 

When I first started experiencing symptoms, it started off with mild stomach pain. As most average teenagers would do, I blew it off thinking it was just a bad stomach ache that would go away. Boy, was I wrong. Fast forward two weeks, I was in Lebanon supposed to be enjoying a two-month vacation. Instead, I was struggling to even enjoy myself. The stomach pain had gone from zero to one hundred REAL f* quick and I couldn't even process what was happening.

I began experiencing mild stomach pain as previously mentioned. Eventually, the pain got worse within a matter of 2 weeks and was now accompanied by a lack of appetite, nausea, and weight loss. I managed to lose 15 pounds within those two weeks. Seeing as I had never weighed more than 115 pounds, losing 15 pounds was a big deal for me. I looked very unhealthy at that point, especially at my height of 5'3 (I will link photos at the bottom of the post for reference). Over the course of two months, the symptoms progressed. Although unhealthy, I managed to stay at a solid 100 pounds.

The journey to countless visits to the doctors office had just begun. Frequent diagnoses were limited to over-stress, or that I had IBS and should stop worrying because it would soon pass. That was the most devastating news for me to hear because I knew something was wrong. The pain drove me crazier day to day, and it progressively got worse. I started feeling weak, sleeping a lot more, lacked motivation, and just had no energy to do anything.  All of these symptoms are common signs of depression but at the time, I was in denial. I was in denial because I knew that there was something more than the fact that I was depressed. After educating myself enough on the disease, I now know that depression is another symptom of Celiac Disease and although it was very hard to come to terms with, I was able to admit to myself that I was depressed.

Two months had gone by, and I was back in Toronto now but still no diagnosis. After countless visits to the doctors office, no one could rule out the problem. I was at my weakest point, and I was starting to lose hope. Giving up just seemed like the only option left. I visited a total of 14 doctors with no questions answered. At this point, I was in my senior year of high school. I had a great boyfriend and great friends that I truly cared about but I could not find it in me to show them because this had taken a huge toll on me. They would frequently mention that I wasn't the same Léa they knew, that they thought I was going crazy, and that I was delusional. It upset me because I knew exactly what they were saying but could not find the power in me to do anything about it. I felt like everything was falling apart and I was hopeless. Celiac disease is a very powerful disease and will affect you physically as well as mentally. I physically and mentally felt that I could not do things I was able to as little as 2 months prior.

Mentally, this took a huge toll on me in terms of my personality and mood. This affected my personal relationships and my education. I would sleep for the majority of my days, leaving little to no time for school work or friends and S/O's. I am forever grateful to have had a good support system around me from my sisters to my boyfriend, and friends. But it is very hard to not feel guilty for having to put people through that with you and you can't help but feel like you are being given up on at some point. After all these visits to the doctors, and the countless "you're okay"s and "it's all in your head", it is more than likely that the odds will be against you. A lot of people around me really believed I was okay at this point, even my own parents started thinking I was delusional. It really sucked that I couldn't even get my parents behind me on this. But with all the proof against me, it was hard to even convince anyone. This did not aid in any way with the stress and anxiety I was feeling.

I would often get anxiety attacks when I would argue with my parents or when other aspects such as friendship and relationships were struggling. I knew everyone thought I was going crazy, and I also knew that I was driving people crazy. This was not something easy for me to handle and I was really struggling, but it was hard to make people see eye to eye with me on it at the time because none of us really knew what was going on. Part of me always feels a sense of guilt for having put my friends through it and even my S/O because starting a new relationship, to have someone do a 360 on you unexpectedly, is not something that's easy to handle. That part still aches in me because I would have never wanted to put someone through that. But another part of me tries to be at peace with it because I did not choose for things to go the way that they did. I would have wanted to hope for the best, but sometimes in life, you can't expect what's going to happen to you and I didn't choose Celiac Disease. Once I realized what was going on and I finally got diagnosed, everything from my changed behaviours, the way I was looking, and feeling, all made sense. Everything just became crystal clear and I just wished it had happened sooner for others to understand with me why I was the way I was. Despite it all, I will forever be grateful for those of you who stuck by me, and thank you. You know who you are. And although it would have been easy to give up on me, I also want to thank you for sticking by me and giving me that string of hope to latch onto.

There were several occasions where I would come back home with no answers, feeling hopeless and just saying I guess I am just going to have to live with it. Having someone there pushing you to keep looking for answers is the best thing you could ask for. That was what kept me going in times of despair. Someone told me: "you can't give up on yourself like that, you have to keep going until you get your answers". And I did have that drive at the beginning. When I want something, I am driven and I won't stop until I get it but it's very easy to lose your drive in desperate times. Having someone tell me that, was a constant reminder of who I was and what I was fighting for. It also reminded me, that there are people who truly do care about me. This was year 2 of my pre-diagnosis.

Fast forward to 2014, I had gone to a new clinic that had just opened up by my house. The doctor had sent me to do an abdominal ultrasound. As the lab technician was performing the ultrasound, she looks at me and says "holy ****, there is so much gas in your stomach, I can't even see your liver". She went on asking me questions as to the reason for my visit and we began talking about intolerances and allergies. It wasn't until then that the idea of a "wheat allergy" was brought to my attention. She mentioned her friend was experiencing stomach discomfort for a while and after removing wheat from her diet, she felt like herself again. After that appointment, I came home and started doing some research. That is when I stumbled upon Celiac Disease. I read up on the symptoms.. and I had just about every symptom in the books.

*Just for reference here are common symptoms one may experience:

Abdominal pain
Weight loss
Nausea
Lack of appetite
Nutritional Deficiencies
Anxiety
Depression
Joint Pain
Indigestion
Bloating
Recurring/persistent diarrhea
Menstrual irregularities
Migraines
Lactose Intolerance
Anemia

Those are some of the symptoms I experienced. For an extended list of symptoms please visit: http://celiac.ca/pdfs/celiac%20disease%20what%20is%20it.pdf.

I took it into my own hands to go to that same clinic, explained to the doctor what was going on and for how long and demanded I get screened for Celiac Disease. I had finally found a doctor who considered it as an option and agreed with me.

There are two steps for Celiac Disease diagnosis. The first step is a screening where they perform some blood work. If the blood work comes out positive, a biopsy is done in order to confirm the diagnosis. After the initial blood work was done, I was screened with a positive result. I then went for an endoscopy procedure to confirm the diagnosis. A biopsy of the small intestine was taken. On August 13th, 2014, I was officially diagnosed with Celiac Disease.

Finding out I had Celiac Disease was nowhere near easy. When I found out, I cried. It was like a bittersweet moment. On one hand, it was a relief because I had finally found my answers 4 years later. On the other hand, I knew this was going to be a turning point in my life, and I was scared. I knew the journey back to recovery wouldn't be an easy one, but that moving forward it would be nothing but better.

What I've learned now 

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.

Anyone with a food allergy knows it can sometimes be hard to find foods that are just as good as the "O.G"s. A common problem with gluten free baked goods is that they are prone to crumbling.
The ones that do not crumble likely have processed and not as nutritious ingredients, such as refined sugars. So when we found this recipe, we tweaked it a little bit and made it AWESOME!!




The original recipe can be found here, on the Bob's Red Mill website. But if you want the BETTER recipe, then keep reading ;).



Here's what you need:
1⅓ cup - Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Gluten Free Flour
1 tsp     - Baking Powder*
½ tsp    - Sea Salt
½ tsp    - Baking Soda
1 tbsp   - Agave Nectar
1 tsp     - Vanilla Extract
2 tbsp   - Olive Oil (or coconut oil)
¾ and 2 tbsp - Warm water
2           - Eggs*
Cinnamon for taste

1. Preheat your griddle on your stove at a low to medium heat setting. We used a thin flat griddle, designed for crepes and pancakes.
2. Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl: flour, baking powder, sea salt, and baking soda.
3. Mix rest of ingredients in a separate bowl: agave nectar, vanilla extract, olive oil, and water.
4. Mix dry and wet ingredients, and add eggs.
Whisk until desired texture is achieved. It should have a liquidy consistency.
5. Sprinkle cinnamon to taste. We put lots to make it super yummy!!
6. Using a ladle, or any other spoon-like instrument, scoop pancake mix and pour onto lightly oiled griddle. Cook until golden. For us,
this took about 45 seconds on each side.

You can pair these pancakes/crepes with any spread of fruits for a delicious breakfast or treat.

Let us know what you put on yours!
*As we were on an elimination diet when we made these, we did make a few adjustments:
We made corn-free baking powder by combining 1 tsp baking soda, 2 tsp arrowroot powder and 2 tsp of cream of tartar.

We weren't able to eat eggs either, so we made an egg replacer that works amazingly well! 1 egg = 1 egg replacer : ⅓ cup of water + 1 tbsp of whole or ground flax seeds.

This recipe is Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Soy Free, Nut Free and Vegan :)

Enjoy!

 - Patty, Léa & Carina xox