THAT is the WORST allergy/health situation I've heard of, save for loss of taste :-(

I make a dish with chicken thighs, flavored with garlic, salt and pepper, Italian seasonings and lime (lots of lime) that is quite good... should still be tasty minus the garlic.

(take boneless thighs, season, squeeze limes over top, bake, flip, re-season, more lime juice, cook until done)

After reading through the list of prohibited ingredients, the first thing I thought of was a congee. My favorite is cod congee, but epicurious does have a decent one: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Chinese-Chicken-and-Rice-Porridge-Congee-103051. You can always scale back on the ginger without losing it entirely, as it really is meant to help digestion. And look for young ginger, not the old ones which tend to be spicier.

I'm not allergic to onions but I don't like to eat them, I almost never cook with them.
I made a great ham, potato, arugula soup last week that I think meets your requirements.
Also what about some wheat pasta with a pesto and an onion free salad.
Since summer is coming up maybe look into some sandwiches (I love a good sandwich in the summer), lots of chicken salads and egg salads can be made sans onion, or benedictine and bacon sandwich.

Roasting vegetables brings out their flavor without adding much extra fat. You could make a roasted chicken or lean cut of meat with a fruit glaze, and serve it alongside roasted asparagus or broccoli and the whole grain of your choice -- complex carbs are great for acid reflux because they can absorb a lot of stomach acid.

The most important thing is that your friend not overeat, or eat too close to bedtime, or lie down after eating -- too much food at once is a much more prevalent cause of acid reflux than the food itself.

First, google GERD-friendly recipes and you'll find a lot of resources. Since his needs and preferences are particularly prohibitive, you'll still probably need to modify the recipes, but that's a good starting point.

My first thought for making a flavorful dish without aggravating spices would be a slow cooker -- when everything is incredibly tender, it's okay if the flavor is mild.

Add low sodium broth, chicken, peas, carrots, and then add some cooked pasta and parsley (if he can eat it) when you're ready to eat. I suffered from some GI problems last year and lived off of variations of this recipe for a month or two.

You could make Jain or Tamil Brahmin Indian food and leave out the chiles. These cuisines don't employ onion or garlic, due to religious restrictions. Also look at Chinese clay pot dishes, which can be mild.

Try the Jamie Oliver Braised Chicken in Milk recipe - read about it here:

http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/recipe-review/the-ultimate-bird-jamies-chicken-with-lemon-and-milk-080388

and here:

http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/main-dish/recipe-chicken-in-coconut-milk-081026

If you cook the cocunut milk version and omit the spices, it will still be delectible.

Thank god that my Prilosec works!!!

Btw, portion control, and time of day, have a huge influence on the effects of the food.

So do alcohol consumption, and weight.

If I were you, I'd get him to cook for me once or twice if possible--perhaps he can come up with something inventive.

I'm not sure where you'd find recipes, but some southern Chinese food is really very bland -- they call it a "clear flavour". The dishes I know are family recipes from Toishan county, in Guangdong province. Mom's favourite was steamed meatloaf -- minced pork, water chestnuts, shiitake mushrooms, spring onions (easily omitted) and cilantro.

I can totally sypathize with your friend, I don't have reflux persay, but I am 6 months pregnant and suffering with the worst heartburn ever! I know they are not the same, but my midwife recomends eating papaya, parsley and chewing up raw almonds really well. It does help a little. Meanwhile I am stuck with the blandest diet ever and still miserable. and I am vegetarian so its even harder to find savory foods free of onion and peppers, plus I LOVE spicy food.

I would tell him he really needs to think about what causes his acid reflux, first. I get fairly bad reflux from tomatoes and citrus fruits, but only if combined with certain situations (ie when I eat, what I do afterwards, what else is paired with the tomato/citrus in the meal).

Either way, though, you can find a lot of great recipes from colder climates that don't have as much acidic or onion/garlic dependence that warmer climate recipes call for. Try Swedish, Scottish, Irish, Norwegian, etc. They may have a reputation for being bland meals, but only if you cook them that way.

Also, avoid citrus-based salad dressings. Try dried cranberries for a tangy/tart flavor on/in meals without the acid.

I used to have horrible reflux and found, as Patrick (the other one) mentioned that weight, alcohol consumption, and portion control were KEY, even more than what in particular I ate. Also very effective is digestive enzymes! I get reflux now maybe once a month instead of 20 times a day.

Is lemon or lime too acidic? My fiance and I both really love making rice and beans with this cilantro lime rice recipe:

http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/Cafe-Rio-Cilantro-Lime-Rice-355078

I don't see how leaving the garlic and onion out would make it any less yummy. I just add a can of drained/rinsed black beans when it's done cooking and it's like a full meal--complete with protein!

Also, I'm not sure if leeks fall into the "onion" category, but if not, maybe potato leek soup?

Finally, this past weekend I made fried rice with leftover brown rice, some peas, an egg (scrambled into the rice) and a little soy sauce...it's not exactly a full meal, but it's something!

I also found that raw tomatoes posed no issue. But tomato SAUCE was an issue... and can still be if I eat it too late, even with my daily purple pill.

Also, fried foods are a reflux issue. And so was mayonnaise. And so, sadly, was chocolate. :(

And I mention the alcohol/weight/time of day things not so you can lecture or "educate" your friend (agreed, laural)... just so you are armed with the most information.

Take a look at asafoetida. It is used in Indian cooking as a substitute for onions and garlic for, as mentioned above, by the Jains. It has other uses as a folk remedy for digestive disorders - who knows, might help here.

A separate suggestion is kongee - rice gruel. Sounds awful but is a great medium for adding a just a few veggies in and producing some remarkable flavors and is nourishing. And, a splash of soy sauce - brightens up about anything.

How about doing "breakfast for dinner" for your friend? There are lots of egg casseroles and baked french toast recipes that could fit the bill.

You are so nice to be doing this for your friend!

Have your friend take Betaine with his/her meals. It will help digest the food properly, and the stomach to empty faster -- avoiding the reflux. Then most of the list won't be a problem.

Too bad he's not your enemy, that'd be much easier.

You might try Manjula’s kitchen. She’s a Jain cook and she provides clear video recipes, which go a long way towards demystifying all the techniques and spices. I’ve tried a few of her recipes, and found them delicious, and I’m an omnivore. You could perhaps modify some of her recipes to suit your friend’s dietary restrictions.

http://www.manjulaskitchen.com/

This is a really great meal: Potato-Bacon Torte from the Food Network:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/melissa-darabian/potato-bacon-torte-recipe/index.html

I've had GERD since birth (actually, my mother claims I gave it to her when I was in the womb, and just took it with me when I left), so I have dealt with the diet restrictions for a long time. Luckily, my case is now well controlled on medication and I can eat pretty much anything (though, I steer clear from sausage, because it just seems to want to make a repeat showing all through the day following ingestion!) I do a lot of roasted items for flavor. Roasted vegetables are so delicious, and soooo easy. All I use is a little olive oil and some salt and pepper (use as much or as little as you think will work for your special guest) and then roast at 425 degrees for about 20 minutes on the middle rack, depending on the vegetable and how small the pieces are. At 20 minutes, if the bottom is browned, I move the sheet tray up to the top rack to brown the top without having to mess around with flipping the food over. Potatoes, cauliflower, green beans, zucchini, yellow squash, butternut squash, parsnips, carrots, fennel, broccoli (lots of yummy burnedish bits with broccoli and cauliflower!!), citrus fruits (helps kick off a little acidity too, which could help your friend), and onions are the usual suspects in our house, but you could roast almost any vegetable or fruit and get lots of delicious, caramelized flavor without a lot of effort or additional spices or ingredients. I tend to also sear my meats for additional flavor without extra spices, which may also help you. In our house, I have GERD plus I have gastroparesis and bile acid in my colon, so I have a to have a low fat, low fiber, low acidity diet, and my husband has celiac disease, so he is gluten-free (wheat, barley, rye are out!) Dinner in our house is typically a roasted vegetable (which I usually puree after cooking for myself, but leave alone for my husband), seared protein (we do a lot of fish, but this works with any animal protein) in a quick pan sauce (stock, maybe a little wine or vinegar--watch the acidity, and a mild fresh herb like parsley or tarragon or dill usually works in our house), and some kind of starch that is either white rice (boring, but I can't have the fiber of the fun stuff) or potatoes (for me, it has to be skinless and mashed or pureed because of the fiber). Sounds boring, but we entertain with these types of meals and friends don't notice the difference. Sometimes the best dishes are the simplest!

I am sorry: the recipe (link) I posted above does have cream - but you can substitute milk.

Use herbs! And salt, too. And I would think milder spices, such as nutmeg and ginger (and even sweet curry?) would be OK, right? Plus, lots of veggies are plenty flavorful without the addition of garlic, spices, or onions--think steamed asparagus with poached eggs and bread, or roasted potatoes (or sweet potatoes, root vegetables, etc.) with herbs and plenty of salt. Or try sauteed mushrooms with rice or any other grain. Also, your friend may be wary of cheese because it's so fatty, but in small portions it's probably fine. One of my favorite easy dinners (and one that's in season now) is orzo with peas, feta, and mint. Good luck!

Ask your friend what he wants to eat and/or ask him to do the cooking.

Thanks Everyone!

I will look up the GERD/Jain cookery that y'all are suggesting for sure, as well as some other more mild cuisines.

My friend is a complete bean pole, and always careful about how much/when he eats or drinks, so that's not his issue. I love cooking (and eating) so I'm hoping that I'll be able to help him enjoy food again by finding some new recipes for him to try.

@reddylee -- I've found out that he's pretty sensitive to gluten as well so thank you for your awesome comment.

I made lovely cilantro pesto last night that oozes spring and sounds like it might meet your needs. I spread the pesto over fish (you could do chicken) and baked it, tossed if with some whole wheat pasta and had some steamed broccoli on the side. The pesto is made up of a whole bunch of cilantro, about a 1/3 cup almonds, a little over a 1tbl sesame oil, a little over a 1 tbl olive oil, juice of a half of lemon, some soy sauce, 1 tsp honey and about an inch of ginger. It is delicious. You can also freeze left over in ice cube trays. I usually keep this in stock in the freezer.

What about honey-mint chicken? http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/honey_mint_glazed_chicken/

Oil and vinegar are used to marinate the meat before roasting, presumably for tenderizing as much as anything. Could you reduce the amount of vinegar or use a milder (rice wine?) vinegar? It's a really tasty dish and very easy!

My in-laws have similar dietary restrictions, but without the excuse of allergies or GERD. They just don't like spiciness. Also they are vegetarian. It is our annual christmas challenge to work with their restrictions. Here are some ideas:

Spinach and mozzarella strata (savory bread pudding)
Most vegetables roasted with olive oil and salt rice
Fancy corn breads (you can add cheese, broccoli, extra eggs, etc.)
Corn pudding souffle (recipe from DMadison's Veg cooking for everyone)
The corn things are really good with black beans or grilled zuchinni
Pasta w/ butternut squash, sage, pine nuts
plain quesadilla with beans

I make a spinach salad with roasted mushrooms, quinoa, and feta that is super satisfying and flavorful! I usually use a red wine vinagrette for dressing, but you could modify that.

I also love a poached egg over steamed asapargus with some crusty bread. So simple and satisfying.

Like kchuon8, I'm pregnant and suffering from heartburn constantly. Even the Trader Joe's cilantro lime rice sample they were passing out yesterday sent me over the edge. I'm not even that far along so the prospect of eating without heat or spice for six more months is making me sa-a-ad. I'll be referring to these ideas.

As someone indicated, breakfast foods (French toast, omelets) and cottage cheese go down easy, and I hadn't thought of congee, which I love.

mlleErica--

And if it has not already been expressed, you "bean pole" friend is lucky to have you. :)

There's some very good ideas here already, but I wanted to mention that Asian foods may be another good direction to look into. I'm thinking in particular of some simple, Japanese meal.

oops, posted my comment to the older thread!

I'm highly allergic to both onions and garlic as well, and it's really not that bad when I'm cooking for myself. I simply omit the offending items from my recipes and make substitutions. I use celery a lot in recipes that call for onion, especially if the onion is delivering the "crunch" of a dish.

The most important thing is to read labels very carefully on any pre-made food item (including sauces). Even if garlic or onion is the very last ingredient, it could still cause an allergic reaction....and garlic/onion are sneaky buggers.

I make Mexican food all the time and make my own salsa with diced tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and cumin. Sometimes I'll put in a diced green pepper, too. I make my own taco seasoning mix, too. Use a combination of cumin, red pepper flakes, chilli powder, oregano, salt, and paprika to make your seasoning as spicy as you want. I usually make this in large batches and store it in a spice canister. A tablespoon of this mix works in any recipe that calls for a pack of taco seasoning. Italian is pretty easy for me, too. Just leave out the garlic. Make a tomato/basil pasta sauce from scratch using plain canned or jarred tomato sauce and canned or fresh diced tomatoes. Use a ton of fresh basil chopped up, a sprinkle of oregano & pepper, a few bay leaves, and a tiny splash of kitchen bouquet (gives a smokey taste. Worcestershire sauce has garlic in it).

I often put a whole chicken or Cornish game hen in the crock pot with just a little salt and maybe a bay leaf, and it's really good and easy and mild on a stomach. I'll serve it with a vegetable risotto. My mom's go-to salad is fresh spinach, crumbled bacon, Swiss cubes, and pecans, with a quick orange juice-vegetable oil dressing.

Hope that helps!

Aww -- thanks @patrick (the other one), that's sweet.

@BeccaJaneStClair -- a pepper-less version of that taco seasoning sounds like it might be really good for him!

@yolio -- I have been pondering a cornbread or polenta based dish, since it works for your inlaws, maybe I'll give that a shot. :)

I'm also thinking of a risotto dish -- what do y'all think?
Will the white wine be too much? I have a cast iron stomach, and am a blissful omnivore. I've never met a cuisine I couldn't handle, digestion wise. I've never even had heart burn in my whole life -- so I have a hard time gauging this.

@PinonCoffee -- I didn't see your comment before. Glad to see my risotto idea is on the right track!

Polenta with poached eggs and greens sauteed with a little olive oil and some salt. If you are eating with your friend, you can add hot sauce to yours.

Pasta with butter and cheese. Plain, but safe.

Can your friend eat miso, mirin and soy sauce? I've made a great Japanese eggplant stirfry that has a sauce made of those. It does have onions and peppers in it, but those could be omitted and you could add a protein or other vegetables and serve with rice. I believe it's 2T of miso, 1T soy sauce and 1T of mirin. You could probably omit the mirin and a bit of water if necessary.

The real key is ASK this person. Obviously, he takes sustenance on a daily basis. Ask what he eats and plan accordingly.

how about a quiche, a risotto dish, or a vegetable casserole/pot pie?

I'm going to second herbs. Have him look at the herbs at the grocery store to see which are okay for him (I'll bet cilantro is off the table).

Try lemon zest and lower-acidity acids - rice wine vinegar have lower acidity for example.

If he's okay with cheese, try pesto. Dress noodles with butter or olive oil. There's also hummus, nut butters and baba ghanoush. Any veggie pureed with a little olive oil over a piece of protein (cauliflower, broccoli, pea).

In general, fresh food cooked simply. A pot of heirloom beans wrapped in a fresh tortilla needs no salsa, spices, or sour cream.

It's an interesting culinary challenge and a worthy goal to get him to enjoy food again.

A lot of Japanese dishes would be safe, too. Try looking into their traditional meals. They tend to have few ingredients, and stay as "natural" as possible (few seasonings, so you can taste the actual thing). There's plenty that isn't seafood.

Blimey - tricky, and I thought my wife's sensitivity to capsicum in any form was awkward!

Off the top of my head, risottos are easy to flavour and vary, and you can cook onions, garlic or the like on the side and add to yours once it's cooked and ready to serve. I've even used lemon squash to flavour mine!