cooking for new partner but on funny diet and i am so stuck, come help me please.

[jellyjelly]

I am cooking for my new partner and one other on Saturday.

I havent got a clue what I can cook. My cooking is fairly basic as i find the timings hard to get together. Can chop, grate, puree etc its just the co ordination i find hard.

I need something fancy fairly plain due to my spice allergy but she will eat anything.

Ideas please.

Have all usual store cupboard ingrediants, cna be meat, poultry, veg as long as its not spicy and easy.

She has big oven too.

How about a pasta bake - That can be prepared in advance and then just put in the oven so no timing issues (other than making a salad).

Nigella does quite a nice one

When you say not spicey, can I check you mean "hot" and not things like cumin or coriander?

If you struggle with pulling things together so they're all ready at once, your best bet is to either go with something served cold, or with a one pot dish - stew, casserole etc.

So for example, a roast chicken can be very easy, especially if you serve it at room temperature with salads rather than with roasted vegetables, which is particularly nice in summer [can give you instructions if you don't know how to roast one].

On the one pot option, you could do a number of things - a chicken casserole is always nice and generally quite easy.

I do a fabulous lamb casserole with tomatoes and chickpeas which I can link to the recipe for you - but it has cumin and coriander for flavouring (no curry, chilli etc). Not "hot" but it is spices.

Been told to avoid all spices, had parsley and thyme the other day so i know thats ok but everything else is a no no for the moment.

I keep going into anaphylaxis so i really have to avoid it which is hard as i love spicy food but dont know what ingredient is making me ill.

I can cook rice, pasta, that sort of thing but dont want lots of pans/pots.

Keep the ideas coming please please please.

yes i believe so, i eat it in other things and i dotn get ill so would say yes.

roast chicken and salads then? you can dress the chicken with just some salt, lots of lemon, a bit of butter and use wine/stock in the pan to give flavour? If you can eat garlic, that would be great too?

I rub a little butter/oil on my chicken then smear some salt and garlic on it and squeeze lots of lemon over it. Throw the lemon quarters into the cavity of the chicken to add extra lemony deliciousness. Ditto the garlic cloves (assuming you can use them). Quarter an onion and toss some into the cavity and around the chicken too.

Pour a little wine/stock (water if you think the stock might have a bit of spiciness in it) into the pan so that the bottom of the dish is covered. Pop into the oven at about 200degrees for first 20 minutes then cook it at 170 for the rest of the time (in total, 25 mins per 500g).

When done, take out of the oven and cover and leave to stand. If you're serving it at room temp, this is the time to make some delicious salads. A plain lettuce based salad with tomatoes, peppers, avocado, feta, pine nuts etc always goes down well and doesn't require extra "spicing" - you can make a dressing either with just olive oil and balsamic or use yoghurt, oil and lemon juice with just a little salt.

A potatoe salad will work well. As you can eat parsley, I'd say make it with mayo, oilive oil, a hint of vinegar (Bling's secret recipe), and chopped parsely. Alternatively, when you take the chicken out and are waiting for it to cool down, cook up some new potatoes - they only take about 20 minutes which will be about the right amount of time for your chicken to stop being hot hot - and just drizzle with some olive oil/spots of butter and chopped parsley.

Simple. Basic. Tasty.

thankyou very much.

Now for dessert. yummah.

Do you feel obligated to make dessert? I'd be tempted to buy it - a lovely tart or chocolate gu?

If you do want to make it yourself, what about an apple strudel? Shockingly easy and yummy:

Take ready rolled phyllo pastry out of the freezer about an hour before you'll be getting the strudel ready (you can make it a good few hours ahead and just bake it at the end so again, useful if you struggle with timings).

Peel and core two/three apples and thinly slice them and place them in a bowl with a healthy squeeze of lemon (swirl the apples around so that they're coated in the lemon juice) and a table spoon of caster sugar.

Lay out the pastry and cut it in half as you should be able to make two strudels. Lay the apples down the centre of the two pieces, and (if your diet allows) sprinkle with a little cinnamon. Then fold the pastry sides over so that they overlap. Brush the outside of the pastry with some milk and set aside.

As you're serving the main meal, put the strudel into the oven at 180degrees. it will cook for about 25- 40 minutes - take it out when the pastry is golden. Sift some icing sugar over it and serve with vanilla icecream. Delicious.

Sorry! Puff pastry. It's traditionally made with phyllo I think, but I always use puff.

just do a dish of mixed berries with cream (or greek yoghurt and honey) for pud

delicious and effortless

wang in some readymade meringues if you feel you must

i'd definitely do bling's roast chicken, but even easier jamie oliver's chicken and tomatos

chicken thighs/legs, skin on
chuck them in a pan with a few handfuls of cherry tomatos (some red peppers and onions too if you wish), a head of unpeeled garlic (broken into cloves), a glug of olive oil and some thyme/parsley/basil if ok
bake in oven for @1 hr
is delicious
can chuck in some new potatos or cannelini beans if you like and serve with simple green salad