Earlier this week, I had five friends over for dinner.  This presented me with a unique challenge considering my current elimination diet: could I make a meal that would fit within my restrictions, but was still tasty enough for my friends?  In the end, the answer was yes.  Though my current diet is bland by definition, I found a way to make something enjoyable that only required a few minor modifications on my plate.

Like any classy dinner party, it all began with some appetizers.  Pete helped me to arrange some apples with honey on one platter, while another contained coco-dusted almonds (hope I can eat them some day!) and more fresh fruit:

The main course consisted of potato chip chicken, sweet potato wedges, and salad.  Pete was the head chef on the salads, which included fresh greens, cherry tomatoes, celery, carrots, and bacon:

The final spread was pretty darn good, if I do say so myself.  The key ingredient for the evening were Trader Joe’s olive oil potato chips, which consist solely of potato chips and olive oil.  Even though other types of chips might actually be better suited for potato chip chicken, the olive oil variety were the only ones that fit within my dietary restrictions!

My final thoughts: I definitely want to have more dinner parties in the future, and you should, too.  They’re a great way to catch up with friends and to bring groups of people together.  Allergies and food restrictions don’t have to be a hassle in the process, especially when your friends understand what you can and can’t have.  You never know: it may end up opening your eyes to new recipes you hadn’t thought of before!