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.

Last year, at the Gluten Free Expo here in Toronto, I came across a new brand of pizza: Oggi pizza. The fact that it was approved by the celiac disease association is what initially caught my eye. This pizza was also not a thin crust like most gluten free pizza's would be. That made me extremely ecstatic and I was so excited for it to be in stores.

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!