I suffer from migraines. Horrendous ones that usually result in locking myself in a cold, dark, quiet room for several hours with an ice pack and a heavy dose of my prescription remedy until the nausea and pain dissipate.
Even though “The New York Times” asserts “nearly 75 percent of all migraines are directly linked to food allergies,” I’ve never really found any connection between my diet and migraines, apart from avoiding caffeinated beverages.
Lately, though, I’ve been overindulging in sweet, mild and hot peppers – common culprits of migraines.
Nigel Slater’s to-die-for stuffed peppers with ground pork, fresh tomatoes and rosemary are in my weekly routine rotation for quick, weeknight dinners. Jamie Oliver’s green chili, which so perfectly melds the crispness of sweet peppers with the bite of hot, proved to me that a dry chili is just as divine as a stewy one. And Michael Ruhlman’s sweet pepper soup, when paired with a chilled glass of Sauvignon Blanc, tames the bitterness of green peppers and accentuates their sugary side; Ruhlman’s soup has me craving peppers in a way no other dish has before.
With my newfound respect for peppers, with their high concentrations of Vitamin C and antioxidants, it would be devastating if my current bout of migraines were linked to my recent vegetable obsession.
According to “Livestrong.com,” two weeks without eating peppers could entirely eliminate migraines. However, by then the pepper season is over. I think I’d rather take my chances and get my fill of these ornate veggies while there’s still time.
