Cooking a meal that everyone can eat

When you have people in your life with varied dietary restrictions and needs, meal planning can quickly get complicated. One person is vegan, another is gluten-free, another is allergic to shellfish…  However, it is absolutely possible to make a great meal and not feel like you have become a short-order cook.

I have two principles that I consider when cooking for a group with varied dietary needs: real food that everyone can eat, and meals that naturally incorporate customization.

Real food that everyone can eat does exist! Produce is the first category that comes to mind. You don’t need an allergy-friendly butternut squash, or gluten-free potatoes, or non-dairy blueberries; they are already suitable for everyone at your table. Legumes are another category that suits most diets and there are infinite recipes (including desserts!) based on chickpeas, black beans, lentils, etc.

Photo courtesy of Micheile Henders on unsplash

When I cook for my extended family of people with various dietary limitations, I often choose customizable meals. One popular choice at my house is the pasta bar. I cook pasta (choosing gluten-free if necessary), and serve it with an assortment of toppings and accompaniments: red sauce (homemade or from a jar), chopped broccoli cooked with olive oil and garlic, sausages or meatballs, chopped fresh parsley, etc. Other “bar” meals could include a baked potato bar, a taco bar, or a sushi bowl bar.

Here is a family favorite that incorporates the real-food-everyone-can-eat and the customization principles. Don’t be intimidated by the long list of ingredients – this meal can be prepared in about an hour, depending on how fast you chop. Try it the next time you are cooking for a group!

Fajitas for Everyone

Serves 3-4 people

Meat:

1 pound chicken or beef cut into bite-sized pieces for stir frying

Vegetables:

1 each red, yellow, and green bell peppers, sliced into strips approximately ½ inch wide

1 large onion sliced into strips approximately ½ inch wide

Optional: other vegetables such as zucchini, yellow squash, and sugar snap peas, cut into bite sized pieces for stir frying

Photo courtesy of Ashley Byrd on unsplash

Marinade for meat and vegetables:

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup lime juice (freshly squeezed is best)

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)

Salt and pepper

1-2 tablespoons canola or other oil for stir-frying

Accompaniments (choose as many or few as you wish):

Grain-free taco shells

Salsa (in a jar from the store, red or green or both)

1 can refried black beans (or homemade if you prefer)

Simple guacamole (mash 2 ripe avocados with the juice of one lime, 1 grated garlic clove, ¼ cup of minced onion, and salt and pepper to taste)

2 cups cooked rice

Minced fresh cilantro

If there are members of your group who can eat dairy you could add cheese and sour cream, if some can eat nuts you could add cashew-based vegan cheese, if some can eat corn you could add a corn salsa… you get the idea!

Directions:

Mix marinade ingredients and toss with meat and vegetables.  If there are members of your group who do not eat meat, you can divide the marinade and prepare the meat and vegetables separately.  Marinate for no more than 30 minutes for chicken, or up to an hour for beef.

Meanwhile, cook the rice according to package instructions. Make the simple guacamole. Warm the refried beans according to package instructions. Arrange all of the accompaniments on the table or counter.

Finally, stir fry the meat and vegetables.  Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan or wok over high heat until it shimmers. Carefully add marinated meat and vegetables.  Toss with a spoon or spatula until chicken is cooked through or beef is cooked to your preference.

Serve immediately!

Lisa Scandale Lewis, EdD, MSN, RN, CNE is a professional nurse educator and an avid recreational cook. She lives in Durham, NC.