New Blog, New Name!

Hi There!

Thanks for visiting The Classy College Cookbook, a blog I created in college. You can find posts from this site along with tons more new content on my newest blog. For gluten-free recipes, tips, travel guides and more, visit  Red Rose & Honey.

Miss Alyss

The Classy College Cookbook Has Moved!

Thank you to all that have visited this blog! I have recently created a new blog to focus on two aspects of my life that I like to share; gluten-free living and my obsession with beauty products. Please visit and follow my new blog BeautyFULL & GlutenFREE. I have rolled over my gluten-free blog posts from this blog to my new one and will continue to share tips, recipes and more on my gluten-free lifestyle. 

5 of My Favorite Gluten Free Products

Being on a gluten free diet for the past 2 years has been more of a project than an adventure. I have tried countless products; some good, some bad, some terrible. Here are a few products that are almost always in my house.

1. Rudi's Bread. In my opinion, it's the absolute best. Like most gluten free bread it comes frozen and is best when toasted. You can buy it in a double bag at Costco.

2. Bob's Red Mill Oatmeal: I order this on bulk from Amazon every few months. My go to breakfast is oatmeal with blueberries, walnuts and pure maple syrup. Bob's oatmeal tastes great and has the same consistency as "normal" oatmeal.

3. Angie's Popcorn: I could probably live off this snack! I love Angie's Boom Chicka Pop and the fact you can get big bags at Costco!

4. I Love Peanut Butter & Co: Their dark chocolate peanut butter is so delicious. It's great on toast or with a banana. I also like their original and cinnamon raisin peanut butter.

5. Aleia's Bread Crumbs: These seasoned Italian bread crumbs are the real deal and they are easy to find in super markets. 

Friedman's Lunch NYC!

I've eaten at Friedman's a couple of times and absolutely love it! The staff is really friendly and they have a ton of gluten free options. They even pride themselves on preventing cross contamination. If you are in the city, you definitely need to stop at Friedman's. And no matter what you get, you have to ask for their apple butter and toast. It's out of the world! Just remembered they don't take reservations and it fills up quickly, so if you have some other things to do before you plan to eat, stop at Friedman's and put your name on the list. 

Royal Caribbean is Gluten Free Friendly!

I am long over do for a blog post, so I think it's the perfect time to share my experience sailing with Royal Caribbean, Allure of the Seas! I recently spent a week cruising to Haiti, Jamaica and Mexico with my family. Before every vacation I always make sure to do my research on gluten free options while traveling. When booking my reservation my travel agent put a gluten allergy notice on my account. Later-on I also called Royal Caribbean to confirm that I would not have a problem eating at any restaurant on the ship. I was pleasantly surprised by staff's knowledge and ability to accommodate my gluten allergy. If you have a gluten allergy you have nothing to worry about while sailing Royal Caribbean! You can eat EVERYWHERE on the ship! A major gluten free plus - Royal Caribbean uses a lot of Udi's products!! I definitely recommend spending a little extra money for Rita's, Chops and Giovanni's Table. My family really enjoyed our meals these nights. For the most part, we felt the "free" dining options providing average an dining experiences. 

Allure of the Seas in Labadee, Haiti

Here are some of my cruising tips:

-The first night you eat in the main dining hall for dinner, immediately notify your sever of your allergy (mine was already aware).  Although the menu identifies which items can be prepared gluten free, the sever will likely walk you through the menu. With the exception of the first sailing day, you will be asked to chose your dinner for the main dining hall a day in advance (ex - when you finish dinner on Monday night, you will be asked to choose dinner for Tuesday night). I believe this is done to ensure the best cross-contamination prevention.  The main dining hall is the only restaurant on the ship that severs fresh gluten free bread.

-In the main dining hall and any other restaurant look for a manager (they are likely wearing a different uniform and are easy to spot) and go to them with any food allergy related questions. 

-In the buffet style restaurants, tell one of the mangers of your allergy and they will likely bring you a chef who will walk you around the buffet.

-If you are going to dine at a specialty restaurant, stop by ahead of time or the night before to discuss and select your meal. 

-At the Central Park Cafe, one of the food managers took it upon himself to prepare my gluten free sandwich to prevent cross contamination. 

-I suggest bringing peanut butter, instant oatmeal and a few snacks as backup, especially if you plan on exploring your destinations. If you are on an island for lunch it may be difficult to find a gluten free option! However, Margaritaville in Falmouth, Jamaica was gluten free friendly.

Gluten Free at MSG!

Fear not, sports fans! The revamped Madison Square Garden is gluten free friendly. Their gluten free stand is called, "Healthy at The Garden." The menu includes hot dogs, nachos,  fries, chicken fingers, pizza, multiple beers and more! They also offer pre-made sandwiches by The Bare Naked Bakery on Long Island. I bought the sandwich, but the bread was VERY dry. Although the sandwich wasn't my favorite, I have to say the gluten free menu at The Garden blows away those of  the other arenas/stadiums I've been the.

FYI - Yankee Stadium, Citi Field and The Barclay's Center have gluten free stands as well!

Bistango NYC!

A few weeks my boyfriend and I went to dinner at Bistango. After months of drooling over their website menu I was beyond excited for this special date night! Bistango is certified gluten free and is absolutely fabulous. As soon as the sever comes to the table he/she asks if anyone has a food allergy. The menu clearly identifies the gluten free options although the entire menu can be gluten free. They even serve gluten free Italian bread. It had been over a year since I had Italian bread at a restaurant (at Yamanja in Aruba) and it was AMAZING! Light, fluffy and delicious. I believe they order their bread from Everybody Eats in Brooklyn. For dinner I had the gluten free spinach ravioli in a pink sauce. My boyfriend ordered the pork chop (gluten style) and we shared coffee gelato for dessert. This was the best dinner I've had at a restaurant in a long time and I can't wait to go back. I highly recommend Bistango. You won't be disappointed!

Gluten Free in Poughkeepsie!

I was recently in the Hudson Valley for my alumni weekend! When I was in college I was not on a gluten free diet, so I was happy to find several restaurants with gluten free options while I was visiting.

Baby Cakes Cafe

This is a cute cafe close to the Vassar campus. Baby Cakes is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. A few weeks ago a friend and I stopped here for lunch. I ordered the Chicken Chipotle sandwich on gluten free bread, but without the chipotle mayo and I added avocado. Unfortunately, the cafe does not make the mayo themselves and could not guarantee that it was gluten free. I ALWAYS question dressings and marinades on my meals. It's better to be safe and ask than end up with a tummy ache! My meal was a little bland, but since I did not get sick this lunch was a success. My none gluten free friends always love their meals too.

Amici's

This is a restaurant I have dined at many times while in college; especially when family was visiting. I have never met anyone (including myself) who has had a bad meal here. When I as back in Poughkeepsie for alumni weekend my friend and I ate here for dinner. The server was very knowledgeable about their gluten free options. Amici's offers gluten free pasta along with several other dishes that they can make gluten free. (Tips: always remember to question the sauces when ordering a pasta dish) I ordered gluten free penne with white wine clam sauce and it was excellent! Gluten free or gluten lover, Amici's never disappoints!  

Shadow's On The Hudson

Shadow's was a favorite of mine while in college. My friends and family always loved going here for dinner. I did not eat here while visiting for my alumni weekend, but I did notice they have a new gluten free menu! Shadow's is another restaurant I have never had a bad meal at, so I highly recommend trying their gluten free menu if you are in the area. The restaurant is also right on the Hudson with beautiful views. 

P.S. I was VERY happy to find that Darby's carries RedBridge! That made me one happy alum!

Views From the Walkway over the Hudson.

Gluten Free Trip to New England!

A few weeks ago my boyfriend and I visited Maine, New Hampshire and Boston! I hope my blog helps anyone traveling to these areas. Enjoy!

Inn On The Blues

On our first night in York Beach, Maine we ate in town at Inn On The Blues. I was so happy to see that their menu identified gluten free options! Our server was very helpful and made sure to communicate my allergy with the kitchen. I ordered the Caprese Salad with grilled chicken and asked for the chicken to be grilled in a separate, clean pan. When our food was brought to the table they informed me again that my food had indeed been cooked separately to prevent cross contamination. For all of you non-gluten-free readers: my boyfriend ordered clam chowder and fried clams. We both loved our dinners!

Guac-n-Roll

Guac-n-Roll is another restaurant right in the town of York Beach. This restaurant has a gluten free menu! Our server was very helpful and aware of what could be made gluten free. I ordered the margarita shrimp with a side of guacamole and of course, a margarita! I went with a classic margarita and my boyfriend tried the orange, both were delicious!

Fit to Eat

We ate here for lunch when we were in Portland, ME. I was so happy to find a place that offered gluten free options. They even assured me that they grilled the gluten free food on a different grill. I got the Old Port sandwich on a gluten free wrap/pita roll. It was absolutely delicious! I wish I could have brought a few home with me. This is definitely a place to try in Portland!

The River House

This restaurant is on the water in Portsmouth, NH with beautiful views. I have to start off by saying that the service we received here was absolutely terrible, but I am going to look past it to tell you about the gluten free options! On the menu they identify the gluten free options for you. I had the award winning seafood chowder and it was to die for. I rarely find soups on menus that I can eat and being in New England I was dying for some chowder! I also had the River House Spinach Salad with grilled chicken and honey mustard dressing. They server (and the menu) assured me all gluten free food is cooked separate and they try their best to prevent cross contamination. 

Joe's American Bar & Grill
Absolutely loved this restaurant in Boston down by the waterfront. It has a great atmosphere, outdoor seating and a very gluten-free-friendly menu! The wait staff was very knowledgeable about gluten allergies and almost anything on the menu could be made gluten free. I ordered the Prime Rib French Dip on a gluten free roll with sweet potato fries (fried separately to prevent cross contamination!).  This wasn't a usual meal choice for me, but I loved it! Whenever I find a very gluten-free-friendly restaurant with a good menu I always take the opportunity to try a dish I can't get very often. Run, don't walk to Joe's American!

City Landing
Our last dinner was at city landing in Boston. This restaurant has outdoor seating and a gluten free menu. I ordered the Roast Chicken Breast. It was very good, but didn't quite wow me....I may have just had gluten envy as I watched my boyfriend eat his pasta dish! Nonetheless, I would recommend this restaurant if you are looking for a good date night dinner spot.

Gluten Free Baking Class

My mom and I recently took a gluten free baking class at Sur La Table. We baked banana bread, biscuits, chocolate chip muffins, coconut macaroons and pizza.  The pizza and macaroons turned out to be disappointments which was unfortunate because we were really looking forward to learning a good gluten free pizza crust recipe.  The biscuits and muffins were great recipes. We both thought the texture was very similar to "normal" biscuits and muffins.  These recipes also allowed you to switch it up! You could easily add fruit instead of chocolate chips to the muffins and herbs to the biscuits. It was also great to exchange tips and ideas with the other students.

My mom and I really enjoyed taking the class together, so if there is a Sur La Table near you, check out the class schedule! The instructor also told us the  French macaroon class uses a gluten free recipe.

Mahi-Mahi Tacos!

To kick off my vacation week my cousins and I made Mahi-Mahi tacos with a corn salad. I found the recipe on Pinterest from Women's Health Magazine. Click here to follow the recipe I used! Since going gluten free I have not found a brand of soft-shell tacos that I enjoy, so we used hard corn shells. In the future I think I would prefer to find a gluten free soft-shell taco for this dish. We used 1 1/2 lbs of fish like the recipe calls for and it was enough for the three of us. The recipe also calls for blackening spice - I used Old Bay's which is gluten free. Mango is another ingredient in this recipe. Even though the directions call for 1 mango, I bought 2 just in case. Mango can be a pretty difficult fruit to cut because it gets slippery and sometimes does not amount to much edible fruit. Instead of coating the fish in oil for grilling we just used a Smart Balance cooking spray. All Smart Balance products are gluten free! 

As a side dish we also made a grilled corn salad which I also found via Pinterest. Click here for the recipe! This turned out to be a delicious and easy dinner! When we were finished we decided we might like the grilled corn salad on the tacos instead of the mango topping because the corn dish had a little spice to it. I love when I am able to find recipes that are naturally gluten free or are easily adaptable because it makes dinning with friends and family much more enjoyable!

I have been gluten free for just over a year now and I have realized how helpful it is when other people share their tips or a good recipe with you. Keeping a gluten free lifestyle is by no means easy, but if you are in the same boat as me and gluten free is the only way to live a healthy (and pain free) life remember to share your tips! With that being said - if you have found a brand of gluten free soft shell tacos/wraps please leave it in the comment section of this post! 

Update 10/11/13: Rudi's Gluten-free wraps are awesome! 

The Classy College Cookbook on Twitter

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5 Napkin Burger NYC

5 Napkin Burger is another one of my favorite gluten-free-friendly restaurants in the city. I have found the staff to be very knowledgeable and understanding of gluten allergies. I have even had a server who was gluten-free himself! 5 Napkin offers gluten free buns, beers and fries! What more could you ask for?! They have a pretty big menu with a good variety. I recommend looking over the menu and selecting a few meals you are interested in then ask our sever if they can be prepared gluten-free. My favorite burger is the Avocado-Ranch (minus the ranch because it's not gluten free!) with a New Grist beer. 

Gluten Free Mexican in NYC!

Dos Caminos has become my go-to Mexican restaurant in the city. The servers are very knowledgeable and understand gluten sensitivities. As always, it's important to notify your server of your gluten allergy when you are seated. Almost everything on their menu can be prepared gluten-free! The kitchen even puts a label on your plate to indicate a food allergy, so there is no mix up! I have been told that they try their best to make sure the corn chips (for the salsa and guacamole) are fried separately, but they can't 100% guarantee there aren't any slip ups. Instead, you can ask for veggies to eat with your guacamole. I have only been to the Dos Caminos on 3rd  Avenue, so make sure to discuss your gluten allergy with the staff at their other locations. I recommend the chicken or mahi-mahi tacos! And of course a Margarita!

Gluten Free in Aruba!

At first I was a little worried about vacationing with a gluten free diet. With this being my fifth trip to "The Happy Island," I was really looking forward to some delicious dinners. In the months leading up to my vacation I was constantly researching gluten free restaurants in Aruba. I found Trip Adviser and other blogs to be very helpful, but emailing a restaurant prior to my trip was the most helpful. To my surprise many restaurants in Aruba were more than willing to accommodate my food allergy. When you make a reservation remember to mention your allergy and always communicate with your waiter. Unfortunately, gluten free beer has not made its way down to Aruba, but the grocery stores offer many gluten free items! Here are the restaurants I dined at while I was away:

The Jolly Pirates Sunset Sail

Texas de Brazil

My family ate here on the first night and I was amazed by the staff's knowledge of gluten. Our waitress completely understood my gluten allergy and arranged for a chef to show me around the salad bar. For those of you who have never been to Texas de Brazil I will explain the serving style of the dinner. First, guests visit the salad/appetizer bar for the first course. Next, you sit back down at your table flip your card to green ("yes, I would like more food!") and servers come around with a variety of meats that are carved right onto your plate! The chef walked me around the salad bar and told me all of the dishes and dressings that contained gluten. He also reminded me of which meats I would not be able to eat for dinner. For my entire dinner our waitress kept an eye on me and reminded me of which meats I could not sample. She even knew to avoid vodka in my drinks! I highly recommend going to Texas de Brazil while you're in Aruba gluten free or not! Our dinner was awesome!

Smokey Joe's

In the past this restaurant has been one of my favorites while in Aruba. The ribs here are amazing! My family ate here twice during our trip. Unfortunately (and not to my surprise) the ribs are not gluten free. The first night my waiter did not understand my allergy; he actually thought I said I was allergic to glue, so he brought the manager over. I ordered plain grilled chicken on a salad with oil and vinegar dressing. Although the salad was not nearly as satisfying as the ribs I was wishing I could have I did not get sick. The second night our waitress told me the dry-rub ribs did not contain gluten ingredients, so I decided to give them a try. After watching my family devour delicious saucy ribs early in the week I was green with envy. Although the dry-rub wasn't as good as the BBQ ribs I had years ago they were still tasty. Afterwards, I did have a bit of an upset stomach, but nothing too terrible. In the future I would just stick to the salad and suggest others do the same, especially if you have Celiacs.

Linda's Pancakes

One night my family decided to order in, so I picked up a gluten free pizza with peppers from Linda's. I was definitely one of the best GF pizzas I've had. One of my cousins even said he thought it tasted just like regular pizza. Unfortunately, I got a stomach ache pretty quickly. Although several other blogs raved about Linda's gluten free dutch pancakes I was too hesitant to go back after trying the pizza. The rest of my family stopped at Linda's for breakfast one morning and loved it. 

Yemanja Woodfire Grill

Amazing! Amazing! Amazing! Yemanja is the only restaurant I found with an actual gluten free menu. Most of their dishes are gluten free to begin with so I was able to choose from the same dishes as my family. They even brought me fresh, fluffy and delicious gluten free bread!! This night I had grilled mahi-mahi and was able to eat the family style side dishes that were put on the table. I highly recommend dinning here if you have a gluten allergy! 

Gianni's

Definitely put this restaurant on your list if you are looking for excellent Italian food. Although they do not have a gluten free menu they offer gluten free pasta and a knowledgeable staff. All but two pasta sauces are gluten free. We actually ate here twice because the food is so good and they could accommodate my allergy.The first night I had gluten free penne with carbonara sauce. It was so good I had it the next time as well, but the gluten free pasta of the night was fusilli. Both nights my waiters took great care in noting my gluten allergy. 

Chalet Suisse
When my cousin made our dinner reservation this night he actually spoke directly to the chef. The chef informed him that many of the restaurant's dishes did not contain gluten and he would be more than willing to accommodate my food allergy. I had the delicious filet mignon special with spinach, mushrooms and a baked potato. 

At the end of my trip I ate lunch at the Marriott's Aruba Ocean Club when my waitress told me I could have asked the front desk to make note of my allergy in the computer. She said all of the restaurants on the grounds  would be able to see my food allergy in the computer when processing our meals. I will definitely remember this for next time! I hope this helps all of you gluten free readers who may be traveling to Aruba! 

Gluten Free Italian

     Since going gluten free I have found pizza and pasta to be much less enjoyable. Recently, I found a fresh spinach linguine from Whole Foods that is awesome! Costco also sells a brand called Felicia which I also like. This brand is a corn, rice, buckwheat and quinoa mix. I personally think all-rice pastas aren't very good. Lately, I've really enjoyed having gluten free linguine with homemade marinara sauce or garlic and oil. 

      This past weekend I visited Boston for the first time! I stayed in the North End which is a  "Little Italy" type of area. I have never seen so many restaurants in one place. There has to be at least 100 Italian restaurants, 1 Mexican restaurant and 1 Chinese restaurant. My friends and I had dinner at Benevento's. Not only was everyone's food delicious, they offered both gluten free pasta and pizza! I had the option of at least 6 different sauces served with gluten free pasta and about 12 pizzas. I was in gluten free food heaven!! I chose the "Vodka Classic" pizza. One of the waiters recommended choosing vodka sauce because it would balance out the sweetness of the gluten free dough. I think the pizza would have been delicious regardless of what was on it. I also liked how my pizza was cooked on a disposable aluminum tray (avoiding cross contamination). And of course, their beer options included Redbridge - one of the best gluten free beers I've tried. 

*Update 7/13/13* This post was written early on in my gluten free life. In the future I would be more cautious of the vodka used in the sauce. Not all vodkas are gluten free therefore it's important to discuss this with your server. 

Honey Tequila & Lime Shrimp!

My first post- college blog post! I actually made this meal the first weekend I came home, but haven't got around to sharing it until now. This dinner was so quick and easy - a perfect start to summer! Grilled shrimp marinated in fresh honey, lime and tequila with brown rice and homemade guacamole. 

Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 pounds of shrimp (I thawed frozen, de-veined shrimp)
- 1/2 cup of tequila
- 1 tsp of lime zest
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 lime, to serve on the side
- 1 tbsp of pure honey
- 2 cloves of garlic, miced
- 1-2 tbsp of cilantro, finely chopped
- kosher salt and fresh black pepper

Click HERE for my guacamole recipe!

Directions:

Whisk together all of your ingredients in a large bowl then add in the shrimp. Make sure all of the shrimp is coated in the marinated and let it sit for about 20-30 minutes. I used a grill pan on my stove; the shrimp quick fast, so keep an eye on them. You'll known when the shrimp is done when they begin to curl up (probably no more than 3 minutes total). Serve with fresh lime slices on the side, brown rice, homemade guacamole and gluten free corn chips!

*My best friend is allergic to shrimp, so I used the same marinate for grilled chicken.

Lunch Frittata

A simple and healthy lunch or breakfast! Saute mushrooms, broccoli and baby spinach in olive oil in an oven safe pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Next, add 2 eggs and 1 egg white (scrambled). Shift the pan around so the egg is evenly distributed, but don't mix! Cook on medium heat for about three minutes. You should be able to see the outer edges solidifying. Add shredded mozzarella and Parmesan cheese to the top. Next, place pan in 350 degree oven for 6 minutes. 

Rice Krispie Treat Nests!

This weekend I not only celebrated Easter, but also my blog's first birthday! Whether my posts are regularly read or not I have enjoyed adding to my blog since last spring. For Easter I made special Rice Krispie treats! Here is how to make my Rice Krispie treat-nests:

Ingredients:

- 3 tablespoons of butter

- 4 cups of mini marshmallows

- 6 cups of Rice Krispie Cereal

- Peanut M & M's

- 1 cup of chocolate chips

Directions:

Melt butter in a pot completely then add marshmallows. When the marshmallows are completely melted take the pot off the heat and add in the Rice Krispies, mix thoroughly. Spray 2 cupcake tins with cooking spray and spoon in mixture. Use parchment paper to press the mixture into the tins. Try to make each treat cave concave so the M & M's will stay put. Melt chocolate chips in a double broiler on the stove then add a little bit to the center of each nest. Last, add 3 M & M's to each nest and place in the fridge for a half hour.

Chocolate Cupcakes & PB Icing

Over spring break I made delicious chocolate cupcakes with peanut-butter icing! I used Ina Garten's (the Barefoot Contessa) recipe.  It was actually easy to follow. When making cupcakes it is very important to sift the dry ingredients in order to prevent lumps and heavy cake. You also need to remember to let the dairy products warm up to room temperature. If the dairy products are too cold you won't be able to mix your batter thoroughly.