Hey guys,
So in this post, I want to talk about some NEW Gluten Free products I have come across in the last couple months that I have been really excited about.

Here's a video if you guys are interested in seeing the products and what I have to say. Otherwise, you could just read down below. :)

I don't know about you guys, but the Tim Horton's Breakfast Sandwich was BOMB in my pre celiac days and it was a regular morning purchase back in high school. Seeing as I can no longer have that awesome sandwich, I decided to recreate it myself and to my surprise it tasted just as great! :)

If you want to learn how to make this easy 4 ingredient COPYcat breakfast sandwich,
Keep reading below.

What you will need:

2 Pieces of gluten free toast
1 egg
1 turkey sausage round
1 slice of vegan mock cheddar cheese (or substitute for regular cheese)

Take out 2 pieces of toast and let them thaw before toasting. While you wait, cook your egg and place the turkey sausage in the oven at 375 degrees for a total of 12 minutes. You can also flip the sausage halfway through. Once the toast is decently warm, I like to place it in the toaster for a couple minutes to heat it up. Once that's done, take the toast, place your slice of cheese and top it with the turkey sausage and egg. Place your sandwich in the oven for another 4-5 minutes to allow the cheese to melt. And there you go, you have yourself an equally delicious but healthier version of that breakfast sandwich! :)
















**Note that this recipe was tweaked with a gluten free and dairy free purpose in mind. But any of the following could be substituted based on your preference! :) I also used toast rather than an english muffin because when I recreated this recipe, I was on an elimination diet and therefore had to avoid many ingredients. But the sandwich taste good either way so feel free to choose.

I hope you guys enjoy this easy, yet healthy and delicious breakfast option and hope that you try it for yourself! :)

Brands used: 
Toast: Udi's Gluten Free Multigrain Toast
Turkey Sausage: The Smokey River Meat Company Turkey Sausage
Vegan Cheese: Daiya or Earth Balance mock Cheddar style cheese


Happy eating!!
xox Léa S.

Hey guys, as promised, I'm writing this post as a reference to my video. The video will be linked below as well as the links to all of the products that I showed or mentioned in the video and where you could find them! :)

Enjoy! :)




Enjoy Life 
Granola bars, Cookies, and nuts mixes
I purchase all of my enjoy life products from nature food stores such as ambrosia or natures emporium. You could find some of their products at Longo's (here in Toronto).
https://enjoylifefoods.com/where-to-buy/store-locator/
Allergic Solutions cake mix
I visited Allergic Solutions website shortly after I purchased it and noticed that you could actually buy their products straight from their online store by clicking here : http://allergicsolution.com/shop/index.php

Nupasta
You could actually find Nupasta in some of our traditional grocery stores. I have found them at Metro and Sobeys. You could also find them at any natural food store as usual :). Here in Toronto, you could get them at Nortown foods, Ambrosia, Whole Foods, Nature's emporium, to name a few. You could purchase them online: http://www.nupasta.com/shop/ or find a location near you by clicking here: http://www.nupasta.com/store-locator/

For those of you who don't live in Toronto, or would like to find out where you can purchase a product in your area, feel free to click the associated links for the products you're interested in to find a location near you! :)

I hope these videos were insightful or helpful for some of you looking for some new gluten free snacks. What are some of your favourite Gluten Free snacks? :) If you have any suggestions for me please let me know.

As always,
Happy eating...
xox Léa S.

Prior to having visited Lilli and Loo, I hadn't had sushi in over 2 years! I think you could imagine the level of excitement that I had at this point because I had finally found a spot with a gluten free menu!
Lilli and Loo has an entirely seperate Gluten Free menu for us gluten free consumers which was a definite plus for me! Find it here.

Run Down (things you may want to note) :

• Gluten Free Options: Yes
• Gluten Free Soy Sauce: Yes
• All you can eat: No
• Affordability Scale: Average 
• Would I recommend this place: Yes 
• The Celéac Corner's Rating based on our experience: 10/10

Location: 792 Lexington Avenue (between 61st and 62nd street)

What I had: 
Because I was specifically excited for sushi, I decided to have just that during this visit!
I ordered the Rock Shrimp tempura (2 rounds because it was just that good!), the phoenix, the tuna lover, and the rainbow volcano. Although I was not a huge fan of the rainbow volcano, I absolutely loved the tuna lover (made up of: spicy tuna and avocado topped with fresh tuna and pomegranate vinaigrette), and especially the phoenix,(made up of spicy tuna, avocado, topped with spicy salmon and bonito flakes) found on the right side of the picture up top. For other options, you can check out their menu here.

Favourite menu item: 
The rock shrimp tempura






















The rock shrimp tempura was without a doubt my favorite menu item. I recommend this as an appetizer to anyone because it's seriously that good. Although the menu suggests that it's made up of "spicy" rock shrimp tempura, don't let the name fool you. It actually isn't that spicy at all, and this is coming from someone who doesn't handle a heap of spice too well.

 The sauce was definitely the cherry on top. I want to say that it's made up of a mix of spicy mayo with a hint of lemon, but I could be wrong on that one. Regardless, it's delicious and that's all you need to know. :)

Overall experience: 
Besides the fact that they had an entire gluten free menu (which was the initial reason for my visit), this place has easily become one of my favourite gluten free spots. The sushi is so good and service is great. The staff is very knowledgeable about the gluten free lifestyle and extremely accommodating. During one of my visits, a friend and I ordered some sushi that we did not enjoy. The staff did not hesitate to replace it for us at no extra charge! Brownie points for excellent customer service ++ :).  To top it off, the restaurants menu is provided in collaboration with the Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG) so we know, that they know what they're talking about! :)

Do you have a gluten free sushi spot in the city? I would love to hear your suggestions!
Happy eating to all my gluten free foodies!

With lots of love,
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

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 :)