Main Dishes

For this chapter, I wanted to give you main-dish options that will appeal to your entire family. As I said earlier, the more you can get your family on board, the easier it is to follow this diet well. With these comforting recipes, family members won’t even notice they’re secretly following a migraine-friendly diet! The Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas, Mini Barbecue Meatloaves, and Healthy-ish Beef Stroganoff are all healthier versions of meals that I remember enjoying as a kid.

While some of the recipes do require some prep time and a little effort, the Sheet Pan Salmon has two options—one which can be made as a quick meal on a high-pain or discomfort day, and another which can be elevated for a date night at home. The Moroccan Meatballs, Slow Cooker or Instant Pot Pulled Pork, Anyone-Can-Cook Roast Chicken, and Mini Barbecue Meatloaves are simple to prep and freeze to keep on hand when you feel miserable.

Many of the recipes, including the Pumpkin Sage Pasta, Mediterranean-Style Baked Halibut, Roasted Chicken Thighs with Grapes and Brussels Sprouts, Lamb Chops with Cilantro Chimichurri, Seared Sea Scallops with Mango Salsa, and more, can all be made in 30 minutes or less. These dishes are perfect when you’re not feeling your best—but also when you are, and you just want to get a quick dinner on the table so that you can go out and have fun.

These recipes are not meant to be intimidating, even though I was very intimidated by my first whole roasted chicken! They’re meant to inspire you to realize your full potential as a home cook who also has the added challenge of a migraine disorder. I was at a very low point where cooking seemed too exhausting for me, yet once I forced myself to dive in, I found mindfulness and healing in the process. I even found a little bit of vestibular therapy while looking from one ingredient to the next and carefully moving plates and dishes. But the best thing I discovered was a reconnection to my family that even my migraine disorder couldn’t take away. Sitting down and sharing a meal together put the pain further back in my mind, and for that moment it was just us and some really good food. I hope that you will find the same healing through your cooking too.