Simple Genius

I've always thought I was smart, but when it comes to an apparently easy task, like a dinner menu, I'm an idiot. Complicate this with friends who don't like this, or are "avoiding" that, and you have one obstinate cook! For example, I'm pulling an onion tart out of my butt tonight, when Ed comes home and tells me in a roundabout way that he'd like to try "non-dairy" for a few weeks! Non-freakin' dairy! Give me a break! I can't even go there right now! I freak out, he retrenches. "Nevermind!" So, I think about it, and, yeah, Mediterranean food has a lot that I can do in this vein, but, seriously? Non-dairy? Because of some article you read? O.K, settle down, Tina. I have other friends give up bread, sugar(the Worst!), meat, you name it. It's not a bad idea to simplify. With the Icelandic volcano, maybe I won't even be able to buy my coveted French and Italian cheeses, anyway. I can do this. Yeah, I'll give it a try, but it makes me feel even stupider. How can it be so hard to simplify?