Bland suggestions

I'm cooking dinner for an omni friend later this week, needless to say I'll be doing something vegan, but he's a bit of a difficult one. I lived with him a few years back and his cooking was pretty plain and mostly yellow coloured (though he did introduce me to chips wrapped in a tortilla - a 3am work of genius).

So, I'm trying to think of something to cook, nothing too spicy or unfamiliar, which has led me to a bit of a mental block. Basically something bland and inoffensive to the unadventurous, which doesn't tend to fit too well with my cooking style!

Anyone got any ideas for what I could cook?

Vegetable dahl?

How about a vegetable pie?

Pasta with sauce from a jar.

It's extremely boring, but easy and no omni can complain as unless they have an allergy to it they'll have voluntarily eaten it before. They will of course complain that there's no grated cheese on top, but you can just laugh at them under your breath for having such an undeveloped palette.

Is he just not very good or adventurous with his cooking? I think you should just wow him with your cooking. Either that or serve him chips.

Hmm. Shepherd's pie... though the soya mince might alarm him. Fry's Veggie burger (in bun, with lettuce and/or ketchup) with homemade potato wedges? Ooh, I know, I know... sausage and mash with onion gravy and a known liked vegetable, if there is one.

edit: Is anyone else thinking of that 'Goodness Gracious Me' sketch?

I can't really help you here....as I don't like bland.... :p But I'll echo what someone else said--are you sure your friend really prefers bland food, or might it just be that he didn't know how to cook anything more interesting? Either way, good luck. :)

I will make a list of everything Helen cooks and let you know :D

A vegtable stew is always good, thyme, sage and rosemary makes it taste a little like a lamb stew.

What kind of dishes does he like? (apart from the chips in tortilla, that is):p If he is indeed phobic with new foods, I'd cook one of his favorites, maybe adding some spark to keep things interesting.

Having said that, I'd take the sausages and mash mentioned above any day!:D

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Buddha Belly

I will make a list of everything Helen cooks and let you know :D

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Haha.:p

Thanks for the suggestions, I've decided to make a risotto with sage and pumpkin - it seems wrong to call a risotto bland, but who could dislike it?! I think he eats salads these days (that's what a good woman can do for a boy) so it's a start.

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Cherry

edit: Is anyone else thinking of that 'Goodness Gracious Me' sketch?

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Yes ;)

Shepherd's pie made with lentils and not many herbs, spices etc?

ETA - too late. Yes I think risotto can be made bland

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harpy

Shepherd's pie made with lentils and not many herbs, spices etc?

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One of my favourite comfort foods! All this talk of vegetable stews and pies has made me want one, I'll have to do that this week.

Whenever I'm cooking for an omni person for the first time I almost always make veg bolognese (with or without veggie mince) and do some nice garlic bread & side salad. It's tasty and filling and not too unfamiliar for most people!