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 :)

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.