[cheesemap]

Hello everyone, I'm not sure if this is in the right thread, but it seems like I've got a number of questions which may place my situation in various categories. Anyway, I'll get down to the point. By the way, I'm in Japan.

I'm planning on cooking for a friend who usually prefers to eat vegetables, but I'd really like to cook something too. I know octopus has been okay in the past, so I was thinking that; maybe throwing it in some salad. So, what would be the best way to go about this? I'm thinking it'll be a huge disaster if i attempt to buy a whole, fresh octopus and try to clean, separate, and cook it myself. Do you think it's possible to buy frozen, diced octopus or am I going to have to bite the bullet and learn from the start? I'm just always so overwhelmed when I go into a Japanese grocery store and have to look through the stuff I can't really read or understand too much of.

On a side note, anyone have any suggestions of healthy things to make that don't involve too much meat, bread, or noodles (possibly rice as well)? I was thinking about the salad and then having some mushrooms on the side as well as some olives on the side. I'm just not a cook but am trying to learn. Being in Japan makes it even more difficult I think.